The United States was represented at the OTI Festival 1985 with the song "Te canto de mi raza", written by Frank López Varona and María Teresa López and performed by themselves as Zobeida and Frank. The participating broadcaster representing the country, the Spanish International Network (SIN), selected its entry through a national televised competition. The song, that was performed in position 5, was not among the top-three places revealed.
| United States in the OTI Festival 1985 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OTI Festival 1985 | ||||
| Participating broadcaster | Spanish International Network (SIN) | |||
| Country |  United States | |||
| Selection process | VIII Festival Nacional de la Canción SIN – Camino a la OTI | |||
| Selection date | 24 August 1985 | |||
| Competing entry | ||||
| Song | "Te canto de mi raza" | |||
| Artist | Zobeida and Frank | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Placement | ||||
| Final result | Finalist | |||
| Participation chronology | ||||
| ||||
National stage
editThe Spanish International Network (SIN) held a national televised competition to select its entry for the 14th edition of the OTI Festival. This was the eighth edition of the Festival Nacional de la Canción SIN – Camino a la OTI. In the final, each song represented a SIN affiliate, each of which had selected its entry through a local pre-selection.
San Antonio pre-selection
editOn Wednesday 17 July 1985, KWEX-TV held a televised pre-selection at the Lila Cockrell Theatre in San Antonio, beginning at 20:00 CDT (01:00+1 UTC). This edition of the San Antonio Local OTI Festival featured ten songs. It was broadcast on Channel 41 on Saturday 20 July, beginning at 19:00 CDT (00:00+1 UTC).[1]
The winner, and therefore qualified for the national final, was "¿Dónde estás?", written by Efraín Sánchez Palacios, and performed by Noé Pro; with "La respuesta", written and performed by Sergio Ruiz, placing second; and "Con un poco de amor", written by Ricardo Flores and performed by Gloria Regil, placing third.[2][3]
| R/O | Song | Artist | Songwriter(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Al poeta" | Jonathan | José Villareal García | N/a |
| 2 | "Pajarilla" | Cecilia Noel | David Cooper | N/a |
| 3 | "Por ella" | Jerry Quintero | Jerry Quintero | N/a |
| 4 | "Este loco corazón" | Aixa | Miguel Nacel | N/a |
| 5 | "Amigo mío" | Fey Libertad | Alberto Ruiz | N/a |
| 6 | "Con un poco de amor" | Gloria Regil | Ricardo Flores | 3 |
| 7 | "La respuesta" | Sergio Ruiz | Sergio Ruiz | 2 |
| 8 | "¿Dónde estás?" | Noé Pro | Efraín Sánchez Palacios | Qualified |
| 9 | "Busquemos latinos" | Luis Julián | Luis Horacio Silva | N/a |
| 10 | "No sé por qué" | Pablo Robles | Jesús Z. González | N/a |
Los Angeles pre-selection
editOn Sunday 21 July 1985, KMEX-TV held a televised pre-selection at the Cocoanut Grove of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, beginning at 20:00 PDT (03:00+1 UTC). This seventh edition of the Los Angeles Local OTI Festival featured eight songs, shortlisted from the 400 received. It was presented by Manuel López Ochoa and María Elena Salinas, and was broadcast live on Channel 34. The show featured guest performances by Danny Rivera and María Conchita Alonso.[5][6]
The jury was composed of Teddy Fregoso, Albert Hammond, Marisela, Guadalupe Pineda, and Pepe Peña as chairperson. The jurors scored each song between 1 and 5 points.[5]
The winner, and therefore qualified for the national final, was "Regálame un minuto", written by Bob Cisneros and performed by Memo Valdés; with "Patria de amor", written by Erick Bulling and performed by Ari Vivavoz, placing second; and "Cuídate", written by Antonio de Marco and Moki de Marco and performed by Sara González, placing third.[5]
| R/O | Song | Artist | Songwriter(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Hijo de tierra" | Martín Roca | Juan Carlos Ochoa | N/a |
| 2 | "Qué hiciste de mí" | Jovany | Elvira Cristal | N/a |
| 3 | "Patria de amor" | Ari Vivavoz | Erick Bulling | 2 |
| 4 | "Alguien vendrá" | Elia Alvarado | Armando Noriega | N/a |
| 5 | "El cielo o el infierno" | Melón | Memo de Anda | N/a |
| 6 | "Algún día" | Alex Enamorado | Alex Enamorado | N/a |
| 7 | "Regálame un minuto" | Memo Valdés | Bob Cisneros | Qualified |
| 8 | "Cuídate" | Sara González |
|
3 |
El Paso pre-selection
editOn Saturday 10 August 1985, KINT-TV held a televised pre-selection at the El Paso Civic Center in El Paso. This first edition of the El Paso Local OTI Festival featured eight songs. It was broadcast on Channel 26 on Sunday 11 August, beginning at 20:00 MDT (02:00+1 UTC). The show featured guest performances by Jacqueline Fournier, Alberto Ruiz, and Oskar.[8]
The winner, and therefore qualified for the national final, was "La verdad es la verdad", written and performed by Luis Chávez; with "Soñar, soñar, soñado", written by Enrique Izquieta and performed by Tony Solo, placing second; and "Tierra buena", written and performed by Gustavo Munguía, placing third.[8]
| R/O | Song | Artist | Songwriter(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "La verdad es la verdad" | Luis Chávez | Luis Chávez | Qualified | |
| "Soñar, soñar, soñado" | Tony Solo | Enrique Izquieta | 2 | |
| "Tierra buena" | Gustavo Munguía | Gustavo Munguía | 3 |
Tampa pre-selection
editW50AC held an internal pre-selection. The song selected for the national final was written by Antonio Eduardo López and performed by Gaby Gabriel.[10]
Final
editThe final was held on Saturday 24 August 1985 at the James L. Knight Center in Miami. It was broadcast live on all SIN affiliates.[11] The winner was "Te canto de mi raza", written by Frank López Varona and María Teresa López and performed by themselves as Zobeida and Frank; with "Regálame un minuto" representing KMEX-TV–Los Angeles, written by Bob Cisneros and performed by Memo Valdés, placing second.[12] The festival ended with a reprise of the winning entry.
| R/O | Song | Artist | Affiliate | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Te canto de mi raza" | Zobeida and Frank | 1 | ||
| "¿Dónde estás?" | Noé Pro | KWEX-TV–San Antonio | ||
| "Regálame un minuto" | Memo Valdés | KMEX-TV–Los Angeles | 2 | |
| Gaby Gabriel | W50AC–Tampa | |||
| "La verdad es la verdad" | Luis Chávez | KINT-TV–El Paso |
At the OTI Festival
editOn 21 September 1985, the OTI Festival was held at Teatro Lope de Vega in Seville, Spain, hosted by Televisión Española, and broadcast live throughout Ibero-America. Zobeida and Frank performed "Te canto de mi raza" in position 5, with Héctor Garrido conducting the event's orchestra. The song was not among the top-three places revealed.[14]
Notes
editReferences
edit- 1 2 "KWEX-TV advertisement". Express-News. San Antonio, United States. 12 July 1985. p. 5-C. Retrieved 17 April 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Palacios-Pro duo captures top OTI Festival honors". Express-News. San Antonio, United States. 19 July 1985. p. 3-C. Retrieved 17 April 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Una bella canción representa a Texas". La Gaceta (in Spanish). Tampa, United States. 23 August 1985. p. 2 – via Florida Digital Newspaper Library.
- ↑ Festival OTI San Antonio 1985 (Television programme) (in Spanish). San Antonio, United States: KWEX-TV. 17 July 1985.
- 1 2 3 Valuvi, Jahulé (21 July 1985). "'Regálame un minuto'; primer lugar del OTI, letra de Bob Cisneros, en la voz de Memeo Valdez". La Opinión (in Spanish). Los Angeles, United States. p. 3rd-1 – via Google Books.
- ↑ Solís Hernández, Salvador (30 June 1985). "Tele-radio". La Opinión (in Spanish). Los Angeles, United States. p. TV-11 – via Google Books.
- ↑ VII Festival OTI Los Angeles 1985 (Television programme) (in Spanish). Los Angeles, United States: KMEX-TV. 1985.
- 1 2 Silva, Guadalupe (11 August 1985). "Border cities contestant is song festival champ". El Paso Times. El Paso, United States. pp. 1-B, 9-B. Retrieved 17 April 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ I Festival OTI El Paso 1985 (Television programme) (in Spanish). El Paso, United States: KINT-TV. 10 August 1985.
- ↑ "Gaby Gabriel, lo mejor de lo nuestro intérprete escogido para el Festival OTI". La Gaceta (in Spanish). Tampa, United States. 16 August 1985. p. 2 – via Florida Digital Newspaper Library.
- ↑ "Phoenix and Tucson TV Listings". Casa Grande Dispatch. Casa Grande, United States. 24 August 1985. p. 8 – via Casa Grande Public Library.
- ↑ Macías, Alberto (26 August 1985). "Vibraciones". La Opinión (in Spanish). Los Angeles, United States. p. 2nd-1 – via Google Books.
- ↑ Final del VIII Festival Nacional de la Canción SIN – Camino a la OTI 1985 (Television programme) (in Spanish). Miami, United States: SIN. 24 August 1985.
- ↑ XIV Festival de la canción OTI 1985 (Television programme) (in Spanish). Seville, Spain: Televisión Española (TVE). 21 September 1985.