La Oreja de Van Gogh (English: The ear of Van Gogh) is a Latin Grammy-winning and Grammy-nominated Spanish pop band from Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain. The name of the band refers to the famous post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh who cut off the lobe of his own ear. Their characteristically poetic songs (both lyrics and music) are written mainly by band members Pablo Benegas, Xabi San Martín and (until she left) Amaia Montero. The themes of their songs typically include love, friendship and relationships. Since their debut, they have sold more than 8 million albums worldwide.
In November 2007, lead singer Amaia Montero announced that she would be leaving the group to begin a solo career. Her replacement, Leire Martínez, was announced in July 2008; the first single featuring the new singer, "El Último Vals" (The Last Waltz), was released at the same time. The album from which the single was taken, A las cinco en el Astoria, followed in September 2008. Leire was discovered on the Spanish reality show Factor X.