Aitor Mendiluze Gonzalez was born in Andoain in 1975 and is one of the leading figures in contemporary Basque bertsolarismo. He first encountered bertso at school and later trained at the bertsolari schools of Hernani and Andoain. He studied Engineering for a time and earned a diploma in Social Education. He won the Gipuzkoa Bertsolari Championship in 1995 and 2007 and was runner-up in the National Bertsolari Championship in 2017. His style combines precision, creativity, humour and emotion. He has also made an important contribution to passing bertsolarismo on to new generations, teaching at various educational institutions and helping young people develop their oral expression, use of the Basque language and public-speaking skills. His distinguished career in public performances and championships has made him a prominent figure in contemporary Basque culture.
