Chanel Terrero parts ways with her next theatrical project after Eurovision 2022. The singer and actress will not take the lead in the new musical series MALINCHE by Nacho Cano. The show is scheduled to premiere on September 15 and narrates the love story between La Malincha and Hernán Cortés during the conquests in the Americas. This update comes from a report in the Spanish newspaper ABC.
The excitement around her third-place finish in the Eurovision Song Contest with Slomo propelled her to new musical commitments, according to the same source, creating a busy schedule that makes a constant onstage presence challenging to sustain day after day.
For several months, she collaborated with Nacho Cano and other artists on the musical’s creation before preparing for the European competition. Projects like The Lion King and Flashdance had shown the potential scale of the production. It was reported that Chanel was expected to portray the heroine, and a song titled Destino México was even recorded in anticipation of the role.
Ultimately, Chanel was replaced in the Malinche cast by Andrea Boyar, a Mexican performer who has appeared in both Mexican productions and Spanish stagings of The Lion King. Before the Eurovision participation, Melissa Barrera had been named to play the role, but she later had to withdraw to take a part in the United States film The Scream alongside notable actors.
This is Nacho Cano’s new musical MALINCHE
The narrative centers on 1519, a pivotal year when Moctezuma II’s reign directs the fate of the Mexican people under the weight of fear and reverence from those who live under his rule. Across the Atlantic, provocative stories from the Old World begin to shape a new understanding of power, wealth, and ambition. A powerful empire, rich in gold, draws hundreds of adventurers toward the unknown seas, including one young nobleman from Extremadura, Hernán Cortés, who travels to Spain and beyond in pursuit of a dramatic new world.
In the present-day, in the Tabasco border region, a young girl formerly enslaved becomes Malinatzin, who is often called Malinina. She is sold into servitude to the Mayans at age nine, and her trajectory unfolds into a life as translator, advisor, and diplomat. Her bond with Cortés transforms her into Doña Marina, a respected and influential figure whose actions help alter the course of history. Her influence marks a turning point that resonated through generations, symbolizing a new, mixed heritage flowering across cultures.
In 1519, Malincha—also known as Malinali Tenepal, a name meaning speaking with great vigor—stands at the crossroads between two mighty men. She becomes a central voice in the founding narrative of America, a figure whose courage and intellect left a lasting imprint on the continent’s historical development. Her presence is celebrated as a defining moment in the creation of a new, blended identity that continues to shape the region today.
Notes: The project underscores how personal histories intertwine with global events, offering audiences a dramatized lens on colonial encounters, cultural negotiation, and the emergence of a mestizo heritage that still informs contemporary life. The musical promises to bring to life the drama, resilience, and complexity of a pivotal era, inviting viewers to reflect on the legacies that echo in today’s world. Citations: ABC.