Meet Melody, Spain’s 2025 Eurovision Entry Who Sang ‘El Baile del Gorila’
Melody from Spain performs the song "ESA DIVA" during the Grand Final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Did you know that the singer who represented Spain at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest started out as a child star who was massive in Latin America? Melody’s 2000s hit “El Baile del Gorila” was a staple in many Latine and Spanish people’s childhoods.
Melody was born Melodía Ruiz Gutiérrez in Seville, Spain, in 1990. She made international headlines over the weekend for representing her home country at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. With Melody’s name once again circulating online, many people were remembering the first big hit of her career, 2001’s “El Baile del Gorila.” The song came from her debut album De Pata Negra, which she released when she was 10-years-old. The flamenco-pop banger reached No. 1 in Spain and No. 20 on Billboard’s U.S. Tropical Airplay chart.
The Eurovision Song Contest wrapped up over the weekend on May 17. Melody finished in 24th place with the fierce song “Esa Diva.” When seeing her perform, people made the connection to her “El Baile del Gorila” past. They even recommended online that she perform that classic over “Esa Diva” in the competition. Over on X, one person wrote, “Second to last in Eurovision. Melody should have sung ‘El Baile del Gorila,’ we would have gotten the same points but at least they’d be talking about us.” With a melting emoji, another person added, “When you see that Melody, the one that sings ‘El Baile del Gorila,’ is no longer a little girl and is representing Spain at Eurovision, you realize you’re not young anymore.”
With Melody’s performance of “Esa Diva,” Spain received 37 points, which resulted in a 24th-place finish. Austria won this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with JJ’s performance of “Wasted Love” receiving 436 points.
Last year, Melody was a guest judge on Drag Race España. There’s no word yet on whether she will sing “El Baile del Gorila” again following her comeback at Eurovision.