Belén Barenys

{{Infobox person

| name = Belén Barenys

| image = (Belén Barenys) Goyas 2025 - Rigoberta Bandini 02 (cropped).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Barenys in 2025

| birth_name = Mari Belén Barenys González

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1999|11|28|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|actress}}

| years_active = 2003; 2009–2015; 2019–present

| children = 1

| family = Paula Ribó (cousin)

| module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes

| genre = {{hlist|Alternative dance|hyperpop|rap{{cite web|date=25 March 2022|title=Memé, la prima de Rigoberta Bandini, toma el relevo de Las Bistecs en su primer single|url=https://jenesaispop.com/2022/03/25/430548/meme-la-contrasena-del-gmail/|access-date=28 April 2023|website=Jenesaispop|language=es|archive-date=28 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428033246/https://jenesaispop.com/2022/03/25/430548/meme-la-contrasena-del-gmail/|url-status=live}}}}

| instruments = Vocals

}}

Mari Belén Barenys González,{{cite web |title=Rigoberta Bandini - A concert to enjoy one of the current benchmarks of the Catalan independent music scene |url=https://temporada-alta.com/en/shows/rigoberta-bandini/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523233214/https://temporada-alta.com/en/shows/rigoberta-bandini/ |archive-date=23 May 2022 |access-date=19 May 2022 |website=Temporada Alta}} known as Belén Barenys (born 28 November 1999), is a Spanish actress and singer, sometimes known by her stage name Memé ({{IPA|ca|meˈme|lang}}).{{cite web |last=Segovia |first=Marina |date=30 January 2022 |title=Rigoberta Bandini: No sin su corista. Así es Belén Barenys |url=https://www.rtve.es/television/20220130/rigoberta-bandini-belen-barenys-corista-eurovision-benidorm-fest-ay-mama-himno-feminista/2273660.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510231648/https://www.rtve.es/television/20220130/rigoberta-bandini-belen-barenys-corista-eurovision-benidorm-fest-ay-mama-himno-feminista/2273660.shtml |archive-date=10 May 2022 |access-date=10 May 2022 |website=RTVE.es |language=es}}{{cite web |date=28 January 2022 |title=La prima y la pareja de Rigoberta Bandini, protagonistas de su actuación en el Benidorm Fest |url=https://www.europafm.com/noticias/musica/prima-pareja-rigoberta-bandini-protagonistas-actuacion-benidorm-fest_2022012861f39d7f6902180001c724bc.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512063125/https://www.europafm.com/noticias/musica/prima-pareja-rigoberta-bandini-protagonistas-actuacion-benidorm-fest_2022012861f39d7f6902180001c724bc.html |archive-date=12 May 2022 |access-date=21 May 2022 |website=Europa FM |language=es}} Having performed as a dubbing actress since childhood, she rose to prominence as part of the group Rigoberta Bandini. She co-created and stars in the Filmin series {{ill|Autodefensa|es|Autodefensa (serie de televisión)}}.

Career

Barenys began dubbing roles in 2003, when she provided additional voices for the Catalan release of Brother Bear.{{cite web|archive-date=26 October 2021|title=Fitxa Actor de Doblatge Belén Barenys|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026133439/https://www.eldoblatge.com/actor_doblatge/belen_barenys|access-date=28 April 2023|website=El Doblatge|url=https://www.eldoblatge.com/actor_doblatge/belen_barenys|url-status=live}} In 2009, she also began voicing films in Spanish, with two roles in the dub of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.{{cite web|archive-date=21 June 2021|title=Belén Barenys - Ficha Doblaje|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621013103/https://www.eldoblaje.com/datos/FichaActorDoblaje.asp?id=72509|access-date=28 April 2023|website=El Doblaje|url=https://www.eldoblaje.com/datos/FichaActorDoblaje.asp?id=72509|url-status=live}} The next year, she dubbed the voice of Princess Elizabeth in The King's Speech into both Spanish and Catalan. She continued dubbing through 2015, providing voices in one or both languages for films including Up, Brave, Frozen, Cloud Atlas, Maleficent, and as Riley in Inside Out. She first acted live in 2019 series El muerto vivo.

In 2020, Barenys and her brother joined their cousin, Paula Ribó, in musical project Rigoberta Bandini; they began performing live shows as a group in 2021. The siblings joined Ribó (as did Ribó's partner) when she realised she needed a band, turning to her family as she had composed music with Barenys since they were young. In March 2021, Ribó and Barenys performed their popular single "Perra" at the 13th Gaudí Awards.{{cite AV media|title=Rigoberta Bandini - Perra - Actuación junto a Belén Barenys en los Premis Gaudí|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S46adDdGx0I|access-date=28 April 2023|language=es|via=YouTube}} At the end of this year, they released the single "Ay mamá", with which they competed in Benidorm Fest 2022 for a chance to represent Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest later that year. The single went viral and reached number one in Spain.{{cite web |date=25 January 2021 |title=Hablamos con Rigoberta Bandini sobre ser una Perra |url=https://binarymag.es/musica/pop/hablamos-con-rigoberta-bandini-sobre-ser-una-perra/ |access-date=8 June 2022 |website=Binary Spain |language=es |archive-date=22 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422000044/https://binarymag.es/musica/pop/hablamos-con-rigoberta-bandini-sobre-ser-una-perra/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |date=18 January 2022 |title=Así es Rigoberta Bandini, una de las grandes favoritas para representar a España en Eurovisión |url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/television/20220118/7994046/queria-atleta-conocido-exito-gracias-musica-asi-rigoberta-bandini-mmn.html |access-date=8 June 2022 |website=La Vanguardia |language=es |archive-date=8 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608014128/https://www.lavanguardia.com/television/20220118/7994046/queria-atleta-conocido-exito-gracias-musica-asi-rigoberta-bandini-mmn.html |url-status=live }}

In early 2022, Barenys started her own music project, with the stage name MEMÉ.{{cite web|title=MEMÉ — liveindallas|url=https://www.liveindallas.es/MEME|access-date=28 April 2023|website=Live In Dallas|archive-date=28 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428024515/https://www.liveindallas.es/MEME|url-status=live}} This name was a childhood nickname, from her brother unable to say her name correctly when they were young.{{cite web|date=20 November 2022|title=Belén Barenys, mucho más que la corista de Rigoberta: "Me da mucho miedo dejar de ser punki, hacerme muy adulta y muy aburrida"|url=https://www.elmundo.es/cultura/2022/11/21/637a2b3bfc6c83d27c8b459e.html|access-date=28 April 2023|website=ELMUNDO|language=es|archive-date=28 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428043034/https://www.elmundo.es/cultura/2022/11/21/637a2b3bfc6c83d27c8b459e.html|url-status=live}} ABC noted that the stage name is somewhat reminiscent of the lyrics of "Ay mamá", but that fans of Rigoberta Bandini would recognise her from the performances.{{cite web|date=3 May 2022|title=«Deja de violarme, déjame drogarme»: así es el debut de Memé, la prima de Rigoberta Bandini|url=https://www.abc.es/gente/abci-deja-violarme-dejame-drogarme-debut-meme-prima-rigoberta-bandini-202205031632_noticia.html|access-date=28 April 2023|website=abc|language=es|archive-date=3 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220503151009/https://www.abc.es/gente/abci-deja-violarme-dejame-drogarme-debut-meme-prima-rigoberta-bandini-202205031632_noticia.html|url-status=live}} She sang and rapped on song "KSA" (by group Habla de mí en presente) as featured artist, released in January 2022{{cite AV media|title=Habla de mí en presente - KSA (feat. MEMÉ)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhra2vmhV_o|access-date=28 April 2023|language=es|via=YouTube}} on Habla de mí en presente's album Vivir más. Mondo Sonoro wrote that "KSA" had "crazy rhythms" and imagination, showing that "with a good base, you can make any lyrics into a hit".{{cite web|last=Disturbios|first=Don|date=18 February 2022|title=Habla de mí en presente, crítica de su disco Vivir más (2022)|url=https://www.mondosonoro.com/criticas/discos-musica/habla-de-mi-en-presente-vivir-mas/|access-date=28 April 2023|website=MondoSonoro|language=es|archive-date=28 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428024515/https://www.mondosonoro.com/criticas/discos-musica/habla-de-mi-en-presente-vivir-mas/|url-status=live}} In March 2022, she released her first solo single, a hyperpop song called "La contraseña del Gmail" that was considered likely divisive because of its irreverent lyrics and tone. Barenys explained that the song was about sad things so she put it to an upbeat track so she could "dance to her own shit".

In November 2022, Filmin premiered their third in-house production, {{ill|Autodefensa|es|Autodefensa (serie de televisión)}}, an irreverent sitcom co-created by and starring Barenys and close friend {{ill|Berta Prieto|es|Berta Prieto}}. After Barenys and Prieto recorded a video about a trip in Peñíscola while intoxicated and shared it on Instagram saying it should be a Filmin documentary, director Miguel Ángel Blanca approached them to create the series. It was nominated for two Feroz Awards in 2023, including one for Barenys, Prieto, and Blanca with Best Screenplay for a Series.{{cite web|url=https://www.formulatv.com/noticias/lista-completa-nominados-premios-feroz-2023-119510/|title=Lista completa de nominados a los Premios Feroz 2023|website=Formula TV|date=24 November 2022|accessdate=24 November 2022|language=es|archive-date=24 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124114015/https://www.formulatv.com/noticias/lista-completa-nominados-premios-feroz-2023-119510/|url-status=live}} El Mundo described Autodefensa and Barenys' first two singles as Memé as transgressive and "certainly not suitable for boomers."

Personal life

Barenys studied philosophy at university but dropped out in her second year to pursue acting full-time. She has a daughter.{{cite web|date=15 January 2023|title=Belén Barenys, prima de Rigoberta Bandini, madre primeriza|url=https://www.rtve.es/television/20230115/belen-barenys-madre-hija-bimba-rigoberta-bandini-corista-benidorm-fest-meme-delacroix/2415850.shtml|access-date=28 April 2023|website=RTVE.es|language=es|archive-date=28 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428043034/https://www.rtve.es/television/20230115/belen-barenys-madre-hija-bimba-rigoberta-bandini-corista-benidorm-fest-meme-delacroix/2415850.shtml|url-status=live}}

Discography

=Singles=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" \|+ List of singles (as MEMÉ) ! scope="col" style="width:16em;"\| Title ! scope="col" \| Year ! Album
scope="row" \| "KSA" {{small\|(Habla de mí en presente feat. MEMÉ)}} \|rowspan="3" \|2022 \| Vivir más
scope="row" \| "La contraseña del Gmail" \|rowspan="2" {{n/a\|Non-album singles}}
scope="row" \| "Mátame"{{cite AV media\|title=MEMÉ - mátame\|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhSk6I7I8lc\|access-date=28 April 2023\|language=es\|via=YouTube}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ List of singles (as MEMÉ)

! scope="col" style="width:16em;"| Title

! scope="col" | Year

! Album

scope="row" | "KSA" {{small|(Habla de mí en presente feat. MEMÉ)}}

|rowspan="3" |2022

| Vivir más

scope="row" | "La contraseña del Gmail"

|rowspan="2" {{n/a|Non-album singles}}

scope="row" | "Mátame"{{cite AV media|title=MEMÉ - mátame|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhSk6I7I8lc|access-date=28 April 2023|language=es|via=YouTube}}

Filmography

=Television=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Title ! scope="col" \| Role ! scope="col" \| Notes
2019 ! scope="row" \|El muerto vivo \| \|1 episode
2022 ! scope="row" \|{{ill\|Autodefensa\|es\|Autodefensa (serie de televisión)}} \|Belén / Cristo \|Also co-creator and co-writer

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" | Role

! scope="col" | Notes

2019

! scope="row" |El muerto vivo

|1 episode

2022

! scope="row" |{{ill|Autodefensa|es|Autodefensa (serie de televisión)}}

|Belén / Cristo

|Also co-creator and co-writer