Alba Reche

Date of Birth: December 17, 1997
Place of Birth: Elche, Alicante, Spain
Pronouns: She/Her
Orientation: Bisexual

Overview

Alba Reche is a Spanish singer-songwriter and queer creative figure who gained national attention as the runner-up of Operación Triunfo 2018. Her emotionally resonant performances, unapologetic queerness, and political outspokenness have made her one of Spain’s most impactful LGBTQ+ musical voices in the 21st century. With a career marked by visual artistry, mythological themes, and feminist advocacy, she continues to shape the future of queer representation in Spanish-language music.

Early Life

Alba was born in Elche to Miguel Ángel Martínez and Rafaela Reche García. She has a younger sister, Marina, who is also a singer. From an early age, Alba was immersed in the arts, with a passion for music, dance, and visual expression. She studied Fine Arts at the Technical University of Valencia and worked as a waitress at a local musical pub, where she would often perform during midnight sessions. In 2018, she left her studies behind to join Operación Triunfo after being encouraged to audition by her sister.

Operación Triunfo and Rise to Fame (2018–2019)

Alba joined the tenth season of Operación Triunfo in September 2018. Her haunting rendition of “La Llorona” earned critical acclaim and became a cultural touchstone, praised for its depth and emotional delivery. She gained international attention when Sara Bareilles herself acknowledged Alba’s version of “She Used to Be Mine,” a performance that also secured her a feature in The New York Times.

Despite finishing second behind Famous Oberogo, Alba emerged as one of the season’s breakout stars. She was offered a pre-contract to represent Spain at Eurovision 2019 with the ballad “¿Qué Será Luego?” but the song was not selected for the final. Alongside her fellow OT contestants, she co-headlined a 13-date arena tour, OT 2018 en concierto, which attracted over 120,000 attendees.

Music Career

Quimera (2019–2020)

After the show, Alba signed with Universal Music and released her debut single “Medusa” in October 2019, followed by “Caronte.” Her full-length debut, Quimera, arrived shortly after and featured songs inspired by Greek mythology, wrapped in lush electronic and synth-pop arrangements. The album peaked at number three on PROMUSICAE and earned a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Engineered Album. It remained on the charts for over thirty weeks and sold more than twenty thousand copies.

She launched Quimera Tour in December 2019 with two sold-out shows in her hometown. The tour was disrupted in March 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic, but she adapted by creating a socially distanced summer tour and releasing an acoustic EP, Sobre Quimera, recorded at the Reina Sofía Museum.

During this period, she collaborated on the charity single “Escriurem (Jo Em Corono)” and participated in Barcelona’s People in Red gala, helping raise nearly one million euros for HIV research and other health causes.

La Pequeña Semilla and Beyond (2021–Present)

In 2021, Alba released her second album La Pequeña Semilla, a more organic and introspective body of work. The project continued her lyrical exploration of vulnerability, healing, and queer love. In 2022, she released the EP Honestamente Triste, and in 2025, she unveiled her third studio album No soy tu hombre, showcasing continued evolution in sound and narrative voice.

Personal Life and Identity

Alba Reche lives in Madrid and identifies as bisexual. Her queerness has always been part of her public image, and she uses her platform to promote LGBTQ+ rights and feminist causes. She has headlined Madrid Pride events and regularly speaks out on issues of gender equality, political repression, and mental health.

Politically leftist, Alba has vocally opposed the far-right political party Vox and its nationalist rhetoric. She has expressed solidarity with the Catalan independence movement and participated in Madrid’s 2020 Black Lives Matter protest following the murder of George Floyd. Her political commentary, often shared on social media, has earned her both admiration and controversy.

Artistry and Influence

Trained in Fine Arts, Alba blends her musical output with a visual style that reflects myth, intimacy, and rebellion. Her performances and music videos often integrate painterly imagery and symbolic references. She cites a range of artistic influences and collaborates with fellow queer and feminist artists across mediums. Her voice and vision continue to resonate with a generation seeking authenticity and resistance in art.

Discography

Studio Albums

EPs

Sobre Quimera (2020)
Honestamente Triste (2022)

Selected Singles

“Medusa” (2019)
“Caronte” (2019)
“Quimera” (2020)
“Que Bailen” with Cami (2020)
“Pido Tregua” (2021)

Guest Appearances

“Moonlight” with Cruz Cafuné (2020)
“Escriurem (Jo Em Corono)” with various artists (2020)
“La Posada” with Sebastián Cortés (2020)

Tours

Headlining

Quimera Tour (2019–2020)
Tour Sobre Quimera (2020)

Co-headlining

OT 2018 en concierto (2019)

Cultural Legacy

Alba Reche is a defining voice in modern Spanish pop and one of the most visible queer artists of her generation. Her commitment to feminist and LGBTQ+ values, her vocal fearlessness, and her fusion of music with myth and meaning have made her a beloved and influential cultural figure. Through activism and art, she continues to carve space for complex, unapologetically queer narratives in the music industry.

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