Azteca America: Yahir Shines Brightest in Desafío de Estrellas

Following months of weekly singing competitions, Yahir Othón Parra (Yahir) was crowned king of TV Azteca’s musical showdown Desafío de Estrellas. Monterrey’s Parque Fundidora was home to the winner-take-all five-singer final with a crowd of over 15,000 in attendance. In the end, Yahir walked away with $600,000 in cash, a fully-furnished house, a VW Sharan van and 30 nights of free hospitality in the Quinta Real hotels of his choice.

The Desafío victory was the latest gem in the crown of Yahir, who was a contracted singer in a hotel in Tijuana before participating in TV Azteca’s starmaker reality show La Academia. He finished as runner up, but a resulting record contract pushed his Alucinado album to platinum sales, and also helped him clinch the leading role in Azteca’s hit novela Enamórate.

Second and third-place finishers of Desafío de Estrellas were Nadia and Myriam, respectively. Myriam’s third place finish was a disappointment for many of her hometown Monterrey fans, since she finished in first place in the final of the first generation of La Academia. Fourth and fifth place finishes went to Estrella and Erika, respectively.

All 30 original La Academia contestants will be eligible through a weekly drawing to participate in a Sunday concert series Homenaje. The musical show will honor an established artist or composer each week by featuring his or her most favored song list performed by ten lucky former La Academia contestants. Celia Cruz was the honored artist on Sunday following her death last week.