Marga Pocoví and Biel Tous triumph at Aranvision with an Aranese version of 'Wind of Change'

PalmaThe singer from Montuïra Marga Pocoví and the musician Biel Tous have been recognized at the second edition of Aranvision, the music competition promoted by the Conselh Generau d'Aran to encourage the creation and adaptation of songs in Aranese. The Mallorcan duo won the second prize in the best adapted song category thanks to a version in this language of the hit Wind of Change, by the Scorpions, which they have renamed as Cambi deth Vent.The award culminates months of work and linguistic learning by the two artists, who have had to adapt the lyrics and work on the pronunciation of a language that until now was not part of their usual repertoire. As they have explained, the challenge attracted them both for the musical aspect and for the desire to contribute to the dissemination of a minority language.

Aranvision is an initiative created by the Aranese government to promote the social use of Aranese through music. The competition, which this year celebrated its second edition, is open to both original compositions and adaptations of existing songs and culminates in a live gala integrated into the Hestau Terson, one of the main cultural events in the Aran Valley.

The rules of the contest establish two categories – young and adult – and allow participation both individually and in groups. In addition to musical quality, the jury especially values the linguistic rigor of the adaptations and the correct pronunciation of Aranese during the performance.

Institutional recognition

Aranese is the variety of Occitan spoken in the Val d'Aran, in the Lleida Pyrenees. Despite having only a few thousand regular speakers, it is an official language in Catalonia and the only Occitan variety that enjoys this institutional recognition. In recent years, Aran institutions have promoted different initiatives to strengthen its social presence, especially among young people, in the face of increasing pressure from Spanish and Catalan.

For Pocoví, the award adds to a consolidated career within the Balearic music scene. The singer-songwriter from Montuïri has released several recordings and forms a duet with Biel Tous on different musical projects, in addition to participating in groups such as Oasis and Divas. In recent years, she has also been recognized in various state competitions for singer-songwriter and composition.

The success of the two Majorcan musicians at Aranvision brings into contact two linguistic realities that, despite the geographical distance, share the defense of their own languages of reduced dimensions. If in the Balearic Islands music has been a fundamental tool for the normalization of Catalan, in the Val d'Aran initiatives like Aranvision aim to become a showcase to guarantee the vitality of Aranese among new generations.