The distribution of Operación Triunfo themes usually leaves curious choices. For the 8th gala, Operación Triunfo decided Chiara and Martin would sing ‘Escriurem’ by Miki Núñez and IZARO. A song written in two languages, Catalan and Basque, the languages that Chiara and Martin actually speak, since she is Menorcan and English on her mother’s side, and he is Basque. Curiously, Chiara sang ‘Escriurem’ before with Miki than with Martin, during the former’s visit to the school.
Chiara and Martin’s performance has been one of the best of the edition. Holding hands, smiling at each other, they have conveyed all the hope of the lyrics and, in addition, have underlined the meaning of ‘Escriurem’ being sung as a duet, since it was originally a song performed by Miki alone.
Included in Miki Núñez’s debut, ‘Amuza’, published in 2019, ‘Escriurem’ is a composition signed by both Miki and Nil Moliner, and performed by the former. Although ‘Escriurem’ was not one of the official singles from ‘Amuza’, the song has spontaneously become one of the most popular of Núñez’s career, against our own forecast, since in the critics we spoke especially against her: her two official audios on YouTube (the normal audio and the “lyric video”) add up to 6 million views. This is without counting the 15 million views of ‘Escriurem’ on Spotify. ‘Escriurem’ is Miki’s number 1 song on the platform right now… and the version with IZARO, the second.
The public has brought ‘Escriurem’ closer to the category of anthem, if it is not already one, to which a musical composition tremendously rooted in the sound of Catalan cançó from the 70s has evidently contributed. You listen to it and immediately think that Lluis Llach and Maria del Mar Bonet could provide their voices, too. Or they could have done it in the past.
Also important for ‘Escriurem’ has been its live performance. Miki himself has assured that he grows live. In fact, the Catalan and Basque version was presented for the first time on stage, in Bilbao. So, in 2019, IZARO had not jumped to the national front line. The duo gave rise to the “most magical moment of the night”, in the words of Miki, who highlighted that “this song is and will always be special, and that they sing it with such force in every city is impressive.”
‘Escriurem’ is still the typical song that sings to life without forgetting “those who are no longer here.” Miki wrote it thinking about his experience in Operación Triunfo and dedicated it to his fellow contestants. However, the lyrics knew how to be universal, as they talked about living in the moment, facing life’s challenges with determination and sharing experiences, always remembering those who have been left behind. In Basque, IZARO added her perspective to the song and, “dressed with smiles from the past,” she continued appealing to life, to the stars and to those who “left yesterday.” Although it is enough to allow yourself to be soaked in the mixture of melancholy and optimism that ‘Escriurem’ transmits to understand why she is so loved by the audience.
