Haila María Mompié González, better known as Haila, is a renowned Cuban singer born on January 28, 1974, in Las Tunas, Cuba. She began her career in the world of entertainment through dance, a foundation she has undoubtedly leveraged in her musical career. Her journey in music started in 1991 when she joined the group "Septeto Tradición." That same year, she began performing as a solo artist at the cabaret Las Avenidas. She later became a part of the group "Habana Son," but it wasn't until 1994, when she joined the orchestra "Bamboleo," that she truly rose to fame and earned a well-deserved place in the world of son, traditional music, and popular dance music in Cuba.
From her time in "Bamboleo," she has two albums, several international tours across the United States, Belgium, England, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, France, and the affection of her loyal fans who have followed her wherever she goes.
Four years later, in 1998, joined by Leonel Limonta, she founded the orchestra "Azúcar Negra" and continued to achieve success while spreading her music both in Cuba and abroad. From this project, an album was released in 2001. That same year, she decided to embark on a new solo journey.
He has shared the stage with colleagues from Cuba and many other countries: Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Chucho Valdés, Rey Ruiz, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Isaac Delgado, Osdalgia, David Calzado, Adalberto Álvarez, Oscar de León, among others.
His musical career has been recognized on several occasions; in 2012, for example, he won the Cubadisco award in the Dance Music category for his album Mala.
Discography: Te gusto o te caigo bien (1997, with Bamboleo), Yo no me parezco a nadie (1997, with Bamboleo), Gracias (1997, with Formell), Andar Andando (2001, with Azúcar Negra), Haila (2001), Haila live (2002), Diferente (2004), Tal como soy (2008), Mala (2012)
In 2020, he announced a collaboration with Descemer Bueno to record the song Lo que viene.
In November 2016, following the death of Fidel Castro, Haila along with Silvio Rodriguez, Alexander Abreu, and other Cuban artists went to the Plaza de la Revolución in Havana to honor his remains. The singer was interviewed by the island’s television and made statements where she expressed her admiration for the leader of the Cuban Revolution. From that moment on, her figure became central to the Cuban emigration which criticized her for her words towards Castro as well as for her willingness to sing for him on that occasion in front of the Presidential Palace.
In January 2018, Mompié arrived in Miami to celebrate her birthday surrounded by significant controversy due to the rejection she generated among a large segment of the Cuban exile community.
In February 2020, the singer was rejected by a group of Cubans in Montreal, Canada, a place where the artist traveled to present the show "Noche Cubana con Felix!" at the Rialto Theatre.
On October 15, 2020, the Mayor of Miami, Francis Suárez, declared Haila as a persona non grata in the city of Miami, stating, according to the politician, that "it is no secret his admiration for the Castro regime, specifically for the late Fidel Castro; they only come to Miami to provoke," the mayor said in November 2019.
