Last December, the organizers of Viña del Mar announced the singers participating in the international competition of the famous festival. Guatemala has been represented by the singer Zelaya, who on February 22 was selected among the three finalists of the famous festival’s contest.
From February 19 to 22, every night, three of the six artists participating in the competition performed. On Sunday the 19th, the first day of the Viña del Mar Festival, Ely Blancarte, from Mexico, sang; Teo, from Colombia; and Mila Manes, from Argentina. On Monday the 20th it was the turn of Yorka, from Chile; Three fingers, from Ecuador; and Zelaya, from Guatemala.
This February 23, the final of the contest will take place, in which Yorka, Zelaya and Ely Blancarte will compete. On this day it will be known who will be the winner of the silver seagull and who will perform once more on the Quinta Vergara stage on Friday, February 24.
“What a night family. The energy of this place, the public, the orchestra, there are no words. Thank you for receiving me in such a beautiful Chile and to all my people for being so attentive to voting. With your messages, believe me, I felt them here with me. How nice to fulfill a dream in this way. Better impossible ”, was the message that Zelaya shared following her first presentation in Viña del Mar on February 20.
Likewise, a day later, Zelaya shared on her Instagram stories some photographs that she had taken during her stay in Chile and said that she felt grateful to God for giving her back her voice so she might sing, for giving her an army of people who have been watching over her. and for giving him peace in the midst of so much adrenaline and nerves. “Tomorrow we make history,” she said.
Since February 12, the date the connational traveled to Chile to participate in the contest, She has made it clear that she is fulfilling a dream and that she is proud to represent Guatemala. “Let’s go with all my Guate to leave a mark in Viña Del Mar”, was one of the messages he published when he left for the South American country.
Since then, he has shared all his experiences, from the sound check, the press conference, the red carpet, to the health problems he presented when he arrived in Chile. In addition, he has thanked the support of all the people who send him messages of affection.
Zelaya in the final of Viña del Mar 2023
Hours before her second presentation, the Guatemalan shared that she was in the Quinta Vergara amphitheater, at the sound check. In addition, she introduced the musical band that accompanies the artists during their show.
He also showed what his dressing room was like and what the last rehearsal was like before the semifinal of the competition. She recounted how she concentrated on the song and prepared before the performance. “Today I sing for you,” she said.
Just like in his first performance, Zelaya shared a video of his outfit. On this occasion, the Guatemalan woman wore an elegant two-piece suit with an asymmetrical neckline, Guishem culottes, and short stiletto boots.
This February 22nd, the show was started by the Argentine singer and composer Fito Páez, who delighted the audience at Quinta Vergara with his hits. The man from Rosario, who was in Chile in December 2022 with his tour “El amor 30 años después del amor tour”, took a silver and a gold seagull.
Excited to be at the Viña del Mar Festival for the fifth time, Fito Páez thanked the affection he has received all these years from the Chilean public. He also emphasized that music is sacred and is a universal language, so you have to take care of it.
Then Rodrigo Villegas made the 15,000 spectators laugh. The humorist was given the silver and gold seagull. “This is really good. The human being is 70% liquid. But what we did now was move that liquid and create good energy. Thank you, ”she said upon receiving the second recognition from him.
Then it was time to participants of the international competition. First it was Yorka with the song Wind, then Three fingers with I’m sorry, and finally Zelaya with As I can. This song “talks regarding what happens when luck is left to fate, something that you yearn to have with all your heart as a person and most likely you end up losing it, then you have to learn to love it however you can,” said the compatriot in previous interviews.
The Guatemalan began her presentation by playing the piano. After a few seconds she stood up to accompany the two dancers who were on stage. “Thank you, Viña,” she said at the end of her presentation and blew a kiss into the air.
As in the presentations of the previous days, at the end of singing each artist received their score. Yorka scored 5.9, Zelaya scored 5.2 and Tres dedos 4.7. These notes were partial, they did not include the scores of three judges.
After the international competition, the presentation of three of the six participants of the folkloric competition began. The group Bazurto All Stars, from Colombia, sang The hose and obtained a score of 5.3; Milena Warthon, from Peru, performed My wife and got 6.4; Lastly, Camilú, from Argentina, presented Little by little and got 5.2.
Next, Martín Cárcamo and María Luisa Godoy, the festival’s hosts, announced the results and announced that Chile, Guatemala and Mexico are the three finalist countries of the international competition in Viña del Mar. While Frank Di, from Mexico; Milena Warthon, Peru and Laia, from Chile, are the finalists of the folkloric competition.