Lydie Ursuegui

**Lydie Ursuegui** (born 28 December 1947) is a Maronan Chasque singer, songwriter, guitarist, and former beauty pageant titleholder who achieved significant popularity in the Chasque folk music scene of the late-1960s and 1970s.

Born to a Chasque father and Maronan mother in Saneguiste-Chevère, Ursuegui began playing music professionally after completing her secondary education in 1966. Seeking an opportunity to further her music career, she was crowned Miss Terre Chasque 1966 that year and went on to place as the fourth runner-up at Miss Marone 1967, the first edition of the pageant to be broadcast live on TM1. Following the pageant, Ursuegui signed with Uterga Records. Her debut studio album *Emaidazu maitasuna* (1968) went to become a commercial success in the Maronan Chasque community, and launched her into stardom. She later went on to release the critically and commercially successful albums *Lydierecan abesten* (1969), *Lydierecan abesten #2* (1970), *Lydierecan abesten #3* (1971), *Agur nescatoa* (1972), and *Maitagarrien printzesa* (1973).

Following the death of Spanian dictator José Manuel Ferrero and the return of democracy to Spania in 1973, Ursuegui performed at the 1974 Traveling Chasque Folk Festival, which performed shows throughout the Chasque Community and Terre Chasque in the summer of 1974. Her participation in the festival furthered her career and introduced her as an artist to the Spanian Chasques, the largest community of Chasques in the world, whom had been barred from listening to Chasque music while living under the Ferrero regime. She subsequently went on to release the albums *Elcarrecan ospatzen dugu* (1974) and *Lydierecan abesten #4* (1974), becoming her first albums to be released in Spania. Ursuegui's success continued with the release of the albums *Trenera itzuli* (1975), *Berdea da colorea* (1976), *Haizea* (1977), and *Laino grisa* (1978), *Ortzadarraren debozioa* (1979), and *Ilargiac zure begietan* (1980). Entering the 1980s, Ursuegui's career began to stall as she began to prioritize motherhood and the folk genre began to fall out of popularity. She has since released four additional studio albums in her career and embarked on several concert tours, but has referred to herself as "semi-retired."

## Early life and education

Ursuegui was born on 28 December 1947 in Saneguiste-Chevère to parents Gar Ursuegui (1920–2004) and Pauline Goulot Ursueguirena (1921–2009). She grew up in an artistic family; her father was an illustrator in the advertising industry, while her mother was a homemaker and sculptor. Her father was a Maronan Chasque, while her mother was a Maronan from Languedoie who met Ursuegui's father after relocating to Terre Chasque to work as an artist. Ursuegui was raised bilingually in the Chasque and Maronan languages, and is the elder of two daughters; her younger sister is Nadine (born 1950).

Ursuegui began her education in 1953, attending public schooling in Saneguiste-Chevère. Initially being inspired to pursue the visual arts like her parents, Ursuegui transitioned towards the performing arts at age nine, after being inspired by her primary school music teacher. She learned how to play the guitar at age 12, and began writing her own songs at age 13. Ursuegui completed primary school in 1960, and later graduated from *collège* as well in 1963. She subsequently enrolled in a *lycée académique* program to study literature and languages, and graduated with honors in 1966. Following her graduation, Ursuegui had initially planned to study Chasque literature at the Chasque University of Perpiroux, but ultimately decided not to enroll after winning Miss Terre Chasque 1966.

## Personal life

Ursuegui never married, but was in relationships with Maronan Chasque folk musicians Beraun Narbais from 1972 to 1975, and Joan Olasagastia from 1978 to 1982. With Olasagastia, Ursuegui had a son: Eladi (born 1981). After Ursuegui and Olasagastia ended their romantic relationship in 1982, their son was primarily raised by Ursuegui, although both Ursuegui and their son remained close with Olasagastia.

Since 1969, Ursuegui has resided in Perpiroux. She is fluent in Chasque, Maronan, and Ditrovian, but performs her music exclusively in Chasque.

## Discography

*Main article: Lydie Ursuegui discography*
* *Emaidazu maitasuna* (1968)
* *Lydierecan abesten* (1969)
* *Lydierecan abesten #2* (1970)
* *Lydierecan abesten #3* (1971)
* *Agur nescatoa* (1972)
* *Maitagarrien printzesa* (1973)
* *Elcarrecan ospatzen dugu* (1974)
* *Lydierecan abesten #4* (1974)
* *Trenera itzuli* (1975)
* *Berdea da colorea* (1976)
* *Haizea* (1977)
* *Laino grisa* (1978)
* *Ortzadarraren debozioa* (1979)
* *Ilargiac zure begietan* (1980)
* *Lydierecan abesten #5* (1985)
* *Nire ezpain eguzcatsuac* (1989)
* *Lurrean ibiltzea* (2002)
* *Lydierecan abesten #6* (2016)

## Awards and nominations

*Main article: Awards and nominations received by Lydie Ursuegui*