Mariana "Lali" Espósito (born 10 October 1991) is an Argentine singer, actress, dancer, and model. She began her career in 2003 in the children's telenovelaRincón de Luz. Espósito continued to build her acting and singing career with subsequent supporting roles in other telenovelas such as Floricienta and Chiquititas. However, it was her main role in the telenovela Casi Ángeles that really propelled her to fame, making her a household name in Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe. From 2007 to 2012, she was a part of the popular teen pop band Teen Angels, which originated from the television series Casi Ángeles. The group was commercially successful and toured throughout Argentina and countries such as Israel, Spain, Italy, and Latin America.
In 2014, she signed a record deal with Sony Music Argentina and released her debut solo studio album, A Bailar, which features pop and EDM influences. The album was a commercial success, spawning several hit singles including "Asesina", "Mil Años Luz" and "Histeria." Her second album Soy (2016) spawned the singles "Soy", "Boomerang" and "Ego". Both albums were certified gold in Argentina. Her third album, Brava (2018) includes hit singles like "Una Na", "Tu Novia" and "100 Grados". Her fourth studio album, Libra, was released in 2020 and includes the singles "Laligera", "Como Así" and "Lo Que Tengo Yo".
Espósito's acting career has also flourished, with notable performances in telenovelas, films, and television comedies. She received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Abigail Williams in the Buenos Aires production of The Crucible and for her roles in the crime-thriller film The Accused and Netflix's action crime drama television series Sky Rojo. Throughout her career, Espósito has received numerous awards and nominations, including six Gardel Awards, five MTV Europe Music Awards, thirteen Argentina Kids' Choice Awards, one Billboard Latin Music Award, and seven MTV Millennial Awards. She has also been nominated for the Lo Nuestro Awards and the Seoul International Drama Awards. In 2015, Infobae named her one of the ten most influential women in Argentina, a testament to her impact and influence in the entertainment industry.
Life and career
1991–2003: Early life and career: Rincón de Luz
Mariana Espósito was born on 10 October 1991 in Buenos Aires to Carlos Espósito, a football coach, and Maria José Riera, who road-manages her tours.[4][5] She has two older siblings, Ana Laura, a makeup artist and stylist, and Patricio Espósito, a former futsal player who played in Italy.[6] Espósito lived in the Buenos Aires neighbourhood of Parque Patricios during her childhood and then moved to the district of Banfield, Buenos Aires.[7] Espósito is of Italian descent through her great-grandparents.[8]
Espósito made her television debut at the age of 6 on the children's program Caramelito y Vos in 1998, as a contestant impersonating Uruguayan actress and singer Natalia Oreiro.[9] After wandering into a producer Cris Morena audition by mistake in early 2002,[10] Espósito was cast in Morena's children television series Rincón de Luz, making her acting debut as part of the children's supporting cast, portraying Malena "Coco" Cabrera. Rincón de Luz ran on Argentina's Canal 9 and later América TV from 18 February 2003 to 18 December 2003. Espósito also made her singing debut in the Rincón de Luz soundtrack album, singing a duet with Agustín Sierra. Due to Rincón de Luz's success in Israel, Espósito was part of a stage adaptation at the Yad Eliyahu Arena in Tel Aviv, which ran for two weeks in April 2004.[11]
2004–2006: Settlement as a child actress: Floricienta and Chiquititas
In 2004, Espósito was cast as Roberta in the juvenile telenovelaFloricienta, also created and produced by Cris Morena, which ran for two seasons on El Trece from 15 March 2004 to 2 December 2005. Floricienta was a record-smashing success in Argentina, Latin America, Israel and Europe, and has been broadcast in over 70 countries since its original run.[12] The series helped to establish Espósito as a child actress of the likes of former Cris Morena Group stars Agustina Cherri, Marcela Klosterboer, Luisana Lopilato and Camila Bordonaba.[13] Espósito was also part of the stage adaptation of Floricienta, ableit portraying different versions of her character, which ran for over 100 shows in 2004 and 2005 at Teatro Gran Rex, 10 shows at the Luna Park arena and 4 shows at the Vélez Sarfield Stadium, as well as a national tour in Argentina.[14]
In 2006, Espósito led the children's cast in the remake of Cris Morena's highly successful children's series Chiquititas, released as Chiquititas Sin Fin, portraying Agustina Ross. Espósito also sang "Me Pasan Cosas" and "Por Una Sola Vez", two of the songs in the Chiquititas soundtrack album 24 Horas, which was one of the top ten selling albums in 2006[15] and participated in the stage adaptations in mid 2006 at Teatro Gran Rex.[16][17]
2007–2010: Success with Casi Ángeles and Teen Angels
In 2007, Espósito landed her first leading role on television, as Marianella "Mar" Rinaldi in Casi Ángeles (Almost Angels), also created by Morena and produced by Cris Morena Group. It became one of the most popular adolescent television programs in Argentina, Latin America and Israel.[18] The series lasted from 2007 to 2010 and held high viewer ratings and earning four Martín Fierro Awards for Best Juvenile Program.[19]
Teen Angels disbanded in 2012,[35] and held its last concert on 11 October 2012 in Córdoba.[36]Teen Angels, el adiós, a 3D concert film about Teen Angels, was released in 2013 and marked the end of the group.[37][38]
2011–2013: Cuando me sonreis, The Crucible, Solamente vos and "A Bailar"
After the end of Casi Ángeles, Espósito adopted her nickname Lali, by which she had been known to her friends and family, as her stage name.
Since January 2013, Espósito had starred the Pol-ka series Solamente vos (Only You), along with Adrián Suar and Natalia Oreiro, as Daniela, one of its leading characters.[44]
In 2013, Espósito announced she would release her first album as a solo artist,[3] titled A Bailar.[1][45] When asked about the album's genre, she described it as mainly dance with hip hop influences.[3][45][46] The album's lead single, "A Bailar", was released for digital download on her website on 5 August,[47] causing the website to crash because of a spike in traffic.[48] On 2 September, Espósito presented the music video for "A Bailar" at the prominent La Trastienda Club.[49][50] "A Bailar" received 100,000 YouTube views on its release day, and the single entered the top 20 on iTunes Latin and iTunes Israel.[51] It also was popular in music charts and radio channels in Latin America, Italy and Israel.
2014–2015: A Bailar, A los 40 and Esperanza mía
Previous to the release of her debut album, Espósito released A Bailar EP, which included the tracks "A Bailar", "Asesina" and "Del Otro Lado". The music video for "Asesina", the second single, was uploaded to the singer's official YouTube account on 10 March 2014.[52][53][54] The ten-track album A Bailar (English: Let's Dance) was released on 21 March 2014.
In support of the album, Espósito embarked on the A Bailar Tour of Argentina, with several later stops in Uruguay, Chile, Spain, Italy and Israel.[55] The tour earned million in the first five shows at Teatro Opera Allianz and was later named the highest-grossing tour of 2015 in Argentina.[56][57] Following the tour's success, more dates were added, and the tour concluded on 25 April 2016 at Menora Mivtachim Arena, Tel Aviv, after a total of 74 dates.
In May 2014 she starred in the Peruvian film "A los 40" (At 40), directed by Bruno Ascenzo.[58][59] In the same year, she became the first ever Argentine artist to win a Kids' Choice Award in the United States for Best Latin Artist.[60][61][62]
In later 2014, the singer signed an exclusive publishing contract with Sony Music Entertainment Argentina and released "Mil Años Luz" as the third single from A Bailar. To celebrate her incorporation to Sony Music, Espósito released a deluxe edition of A Bailar, which contained unpublished material including a new song, a remix, several video clips and a documentary of the tour. The album peaked at No. 3 in Uruguay and at No. 5 in Argentina, where it was certified gold a few days after its release.
In 2015, Espósito starred in the Pol-ka telenovela Esperanza mía (My lovely hope) alongside Mariano Martinez as Julia "Esperanza" Albarrazin, a young woman who settles in a convent by posing as a novice.[63][64]
Espósito released her second studio album Soy on 20 May 2016, with El País newspaper writing that "she takes one more step with this album, she experiments, shows herself as she is, and that is always valuable".[66] In an interview with Intrusos, the singer referred to the album's title (Soy, English: I Am) saying that "it is called Soy because I am sharing the truth about what I think and feel. It is super personal".[67] It sold more than 20,000 copies in Argentina in just three hours, being certified gold by the Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers (CAPIF).[68] The album debuted at No. 1 in Argentina, Uruguay and Israel, and at No. 5 and No. 6 in Italy and Spain, respectively. Its lead single, "Soy", was released on 5 May and peaked at No. 5 on the Monitor Latino Argentina Top 20 chart and at No. 15 on the Ecuador Pop Songs chart. The second single, "Boomerang", was released on 5 September 2016. As of June 2017, its music video has been viewed more than 17 million times. Soy was listed as one of the best albums of 2016 by Billboard Brasil along with Beyoncé's Lemonade, Lady Gaga's Joanne, J Balvin's Energía and others.[69] In the same year, Espósito was featured on Abraham Mateo's remix of the song "Mueve" from the re-issue of his album Are You Ready?, on Brian Cross song "Firestarter" from his second studio album Darkness to Life and on Baby K's Spanish version of the international hit "Roma-Bangkok".
In August, Espósito starred in the romantic comedy film Permitidos as Camila Boecchi alongside Martín Piroyansky. The film, which was directed by Ariel Winograd, grossed US$1.9 million and has been viewed more than 370,000 times. The review aggregator website Todas Las Críticas assigned the film a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on 42 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[70]
The singer embarked on the Soy Tour of Latin America, Europe and Asia on 8 September. Reviews of the tour performances generally praised Espósito's vocals and the show's staging, which is said that "fulfills the expectations of a nowadays international pop show."[71]
In July and November, respectively, Espósito released "Una Na" and "Tu Novia" as the first two singles from her upcoming third studio album.[72] The former one rapidly reached the top of the Argentine National Songs chart.[73] In November, the singer kicked off her second concert tour in support of Soy, titled Lali en Vivo, with two sold-out shows at the Luna Park Arena.[74]
In that period of time Lali was the most popular in the global ranking of different topics in multilingual Wikipedia.[75]
In the last months of 2019, Lali took her Brava Tour to Europe, the United States and the Rock in Rio music festival in Brazil,[88] where she also received a gold certification for "Caliente."[89] It was in these months that Lali officially kicked off her fourth music era: in October, she released her fourth studio album's lead single, "Laligera", which peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100;[90] in November, she released "Como Así", which features boy band CNCO, with whom she co-hosted the 2019 Premios Juventud ceremony back in July.[91][92]
In 2020, the filming of the Netflix series Sky Rojo became a significant chapter for Lali, requiring her to relocate indefinitely to Spain. Commencing in November 2019 in Madrid, the originally planned four-month shooting schedule was disrupted due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, halting production.[95] This unforeseen circumstance not only interrupted the series' filming but also impacted the release of Lali's album, Libra. Amidst the uncertainties, Lali managed to return to Argentina before the nationwide lockdown and underwent quarantine in her Buenos Aires residence.[96] In November, she disclosed testing positive for COVID-19, a challenge faced by many members of the Sky Rojo team between June and November.[97] Despite the setbacks, Sky Rojo premiered in March 2021, showcasing Lali in the role of Wendy, one of three prostitutes seeking freedom while evading their pimp and his henchmen.[98] The series garnered an enthusiastic response from both audiences and critics alike.[99][100] Sheena Scott of Forbes acknowledged Lali's impact, noting that the series topped Netflix's charts as the number one TV show in Argentina during its launch weekend.[101] Described by The New York Times as "sheer excess" for its "simultaneously minimal and over-the-top" plot, Sky Rojo not only secured widespread acclaim but also earned a renewal for two additional seasons.[102] The culmination of this success came with the third installment in January 2023.
Between June and September 2021, Lali took on the role of coach for the third season of La Voz Argentina, the localized rendition of The Voice, where she ended up in third position. The following year, Lali came back as a coach for the fourth season of the competition and ended up as the runner-up.
2022–2024: Lali and El Fin del Amor
After a hiatus of over two years from the music scene, Lali made a return in early 2022 with the trilogy of singles "Disciplina" "Diva" and "Como Tú". These releases served as a preview to her upcoming fifth studio album, marking a significant shift from her previous urban sound as she embraced a return to pop music.[103] Concurrently, Lali announced her Disciplina Tour, which kicked off in June 2023 and promptly became a record-breaking sensation selling out arenas and stadiums across Latin America, Europe, and Asia.[104] In the same month, Lali dropped "N5" a chart-topping single that soared to number nine on the BillboardArgentina Hot 100, her highest entry on the chart. The track achieved gold certification in the country, symbolizing its widespread acclaim and success. Notably, "N5" also marked a pivotal moment in Lali's career, as it became the first song where she openly embraced her bisexuality, garnering admiration for her authenticity and openness.[105][106] The year 2022 continued to be a prolific one for Lali, witnessing the releases of "2 Son 3" and "Motiveishon", the latter coinciding with the Buenos Aires Pride, showcasing her commitment to inclusivity and celebration of diverse identities through her music.[107]
In March 2023, Lali reached new heights as she brought her Disciplina Tour to the iconic José Amalfitani Stadium in Buenos Aires, captivating a sold-out audience of over 50,000 and etching her name in history as the first Argentine woman to achieve a stadium sell-out at this grand scale.[108][109] A mere month later, the singer unveiled her highly anticipated fifth studio album, Lali. This marked a triumphant return to her pop music roots, a departure from the Latin sounds of reggaeton and trap explored in her previous records Brava (2018) and Libra (2020).[110] The record was hailed as "an ode to pop music" where the artist revisited her diverse musical influences, creating a nostalgic yet contemporary piece.[111] Described as her "most pop album", Lali blended sounds and elements reminiscent of the late nineties and early two-thousands pop era, drawing inspiration from icons like Britney Spears, NSYNC, and Jennifer Lopez.[112][113][114] Music critics lauded the album for its production, lyrical content, concept, and clever references to pop culture.[111][115] Commercially, the album made an impressive debut at number one in Argentina within a mere three tracking days, maintaining its dominance for six weeks. Mirroring its success, Lali also claimed the top spot in Uruguay. Fueled by the infectious melodies of the top 20 single "Obsesión" and the witty track "Quiénes Son?" the album solidified Lali's status as the "Queen of Argentine Pop".[115][114] To complement the album's success, the Lali Tour embarked on a global journey, captivating audiences across France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Israel, Mexico, and Argentina.
She produced and played the lead role in the Prime Video series El Fin del Amor in 2022. The series is based on the 2019 essay El fin del amor, querer y coger by Tamara Tenenbaum, aboutan Orthodox Jewish woman walking away from her traditional life.[116] At the 2023 Silver Condor Series Awards, Lali won the Best Lead Actress in a Comedy or Musical Series award for her role as Tenenbaum.[117] Originally commissioned with a straight-to-series order of 10 episodes, El Fin del Amor garnered acclaim for its thought-provoking exploration of societal norms and personal growth.[118][119] The series resonated so profoundly with audiences that it earned a well-deserved renewal for a second season, scheduled to premiere in 2024.[120] In 2024, Lali became a judge on Factor X, the Spanish version of The X Factor.[121]
Other work
Modelling
Espósito has been a spokesperson for numerous brands, either independently or with her Teen Angels bandmates.[28] Her first commercial was for the children's fashion label MCbody Jeans. In 2007, she signed an exclusive contract with the Argentine lingerie brand Promesse,[122] and she has done most of her photo sessions with Luisana Lopilato.[123][124] In 2009, Espósito and Peter Lanzani did a special promotion for KEFF body spray for the Israeli market.[125] Between 2013 and 2014, she has been the spokesperson for the lingerie brand Lara Teens. In 2014 she starred in a commercial for hair conditioner Biokur in Uruguay and a commercial for feminine wipes company Carefree in Argentina.
In 2014 to 2016 she starred in commercials for Claro. Also from 2015 to 2017 she was an ambassador and star in commercials for the hair care brand Sedal, she would again be an ambassador and star in a commercial for the brand in 2021. In 2018 she starred in commercials for Panacom and Terma. In 2019 she would stars commercial of Toyota and M&M'S, Espósito starred a commercial it would be one of the official faces for Garnier.
In October 2021 Espósito along with Bizarrap, L-Gante, Nicki Nicole and Duki starred in commercials for the beer brand, Brahma. In 2022, she starred a commercial for Gancia.
Espósito's logo as a solo artist
Espósito has been the cover model for magazines such as Billboard, Galore, Vogue Latin America, Caras, OnMag, Las Rosas, Twees, Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, Luz, Viva, Watt, Nueva, Upss and Fack, among others.
Entrepreneurship
On 21 September 2013, Espósito launched her own line of eponymous perfumes.[126][127] In 2018, she launched a clothing collection with 47 Street.
Philanthropy
In May 2010, Espósito and her Teen Angels bandmates participated in an action organized by the Biodiversity Foundation on the occasion of the World Biodiversity Day and raised awareness of the importance of preserving biodiversity.[128]
Espósito has been named "Godmother" of Dono x Vos foundation, a nongovernmental organization dedicated to raising awareness about organ donation. In 2017, the singer joined forces with Red Solidaria and River Plate Football Club to launch a solidarity campaign named "Amor Es Presente". The campaign received donated toys that were later gifted to more than twelve-thousand children as part of Christmas festivities.
Following Milei's victory in August 2023, Lali, disillusioned by the outcome, tweeted, "Qué peligroso. Qué triste" (English: "How dangerous. How sad").[142] This tweet garnered strong support from Milei's opponents but also triggered intense hatred and harassment from his supporters, party, and the candidate himself. As of October 2024, the tweet gathered over 62.6 million impressions. Lali's words evolved into a rallying cry for both sides, symbolizing either support or protest against Milei.[143] Following the criticism received by Milei's fanatics, Lali added:
"I'm not bothered at all by being insulted for considering it dangerous and sad that there are people who vote for an anti-rights stance. The violence with which they insult and the arguments reflect exactly what they are voting for. We've become accustomed to thinking that if someone has an opinion, it's because they're on "the other side," but the only side I'll 'always' be on (within the current political and economic decadent context we're in) is the one that doesn't disregard the rights we've gained. That is what I think as a responsible young Argentine voter who doesn't only think about themselves. I could choose not to express any opinion, of course, it's the most 'comfortable' option, but I'm not like that, so... yes! For me, it's truly sad and dangerous to vote for such an anti-rights stance."[144]
In light of Lali's words, Lucía Peker of Infobae noted: "The concern expressed by Lali Espósito on social media about the 'danger' of the election results reflects the fear of many women regarding the advance of an electoral force that denies gender violence, wage inequality, and digital violence affecting young women when explicit sexual images are shared."[145]
Despite initially finishing second against Massa in the first round of the 2023 Argentine general election, Milei emerged victorious in the runoff, securing the presidency of Argentina.[146] Since Lali expressed her stance back in August, she has faced relentless backlash. Notably, she has become a target of misinformation propagated by the media aligning with Milei's and Mauricio Macri's positions.[143] False information and distorted figures regarding her participation and compensation for state-organized free shows have been disseminated.[147] While numerous artists, some earning even larger sums, have been engaged by the state for similar performances but have not voiced an opinion, they remain untouched by persecution from the president and his supporters.[148] The spread of these fake news stories has subjected Lali to continuous online and in-person harassment from Libertarian fanatics, turning her into a consistent topic of debate in the media and even resulting in doxxing.[149]
After dismissing such an "absolute delusion" and explaining that the compensation is not only for her but for the more than 200 people working on her shows, Lali metaphorically explained that the hostility towards her was like "foam" created by the president and his media to cover up something bigger. Many connected this to the treatment Omnibus Law proposed by Milei Government.[150]
Political persecution persisted for months, involving ongoing interactions and social media posts by the president directed at Lali. In February 2024, the singer took the stage at the iconic Cosquín Rock festival. During "Quiénes Son?", a song characterized as a sarcastic commentary on online hate culture, she altered the lyrics of one verse to "Que si vivo del Estado" (English: "That I live off the State") in direct response to the actions of Milei and the media.[151] Days later, the president expressed his opinion once again in a interview with La Nación:
"When Córdoba hosts Cosquín Rock, which is a private event, it receives one billion pesos in subsidies. All the artists who were there, for example, Lali 'Depósito,' were paid by the State. But Lali 'Depósito' received payments from various governments. In one of the concerts, she received 350 thousand dollars. So, are you willing to finance those expenses against the VAT that takes away food from poor children in Chaco? To finance that culture, you'll burden it on two-thirds of the children are in poverty conditions. So, what are the priorities [of the governors]? Giving food to the people or filling the pockets of Lali 'Depósito' and having her criticize me at a festival?"
He further explained that he selected "Depósito" (English: deposit) to refer to the singer because, according to him, "she lives off tax payers at the expense of children's hunger."[143]
That same day, Lali posted an open letter directed at Milei in which she shared her work history since the age of 10, highlighting her success in television and her dedication to music for over a decade. She also expressed pride in her achievements, including buying a house for her parents and performing in sold-out stadiums. While she stated her respect for Milei's stance on culture, she criticized the demonization of the industry and the unfair perception in his speech. Additionally, she asked the president to choose a path that benefited all citizens and advocates for the freedom to think differently. Finally, she invited him to attend any of her concerts to demonstrate her professionalism on stage.[153][154][155]
The case was compared by many to Trump's and Bolsonaro's political persecution of Taylor Swift in the United States and of Pabllo Vittar and Anitta in Brazil, respectively.[156] It prompted Axel Kicillof, governor of the Buenos Aires Province, to assert the importance of investing in culture and to create policies that foster cultural events and protect artists, which was called "the Lali effect".[157]
Public image
In March 2014, 23-year-old Espósito was ranked third sexiest Argentine woman in a survey reported by Radio Continental.[158] That same year, she was ranked the 27th-most influential Spanish-speaking celebrity on Twitter.[159]
Personal life
Espósito's nickname and stage name, Lali, was originated by her eldest brother who mispronounced the short form of her name "Mari" as "Lali".[160] She attended primary school and high school at the Colegio San Vicente De Paul in Parque Patricios.[5]
Relationships
From 2006 to 2010, Espósito was in a relationship with her Chiquititas and Casi Ángeles co-star Peter Lanzani,[161] whom she called her "first love".[160] The couple is still a fan favourite in Argentina and they remained good friends after their breakup.[162]
In 2010, Espósito began dating singer and actor Benjamín Amadeo after they met in Casi Ángeles.[160] Espósito and Amadeo announced their breakup in 2015,[163] but they and their families remained close friends,[164][165] making several public appearances together.[166]
From late 2015 to early 2016, Espósito was in a highly publicized relationship with her Esperanza Mía co-star Mariano Martinez.[167] In 2017 Espósito began dating sound engineer Santiago Mocorrea;[168] they broke up in 2020.[169] Since 2024, she has been in a relationship with media personality Pedro Rosemblat.[170][171]
^Pizarro, Emilse (22 June 2014). "Delirio pop". LNR (La Nación newspaper's Sunday magazine) (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
^Nicosia, Gisela (1 September 2015). "Delirio pop". Big Bang News (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
^"¿Se separan los Teen Angels?". www.sonicomusica.com (in Spanish). 20 January 2012. Archived from the original on 1 November 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
.jpg)
.png)
