Born Ignacio Jacinto Villa Fernandez, cuban pianist Bola de Nieve (literally "Snowball"') is one of the big names in Cuban music. After Montaner returned to Cuba, Bola de Nieve remained in Mexico and developed an original performance style as a pianist and singer. He was an elite rather than a popular figure, a sophisticated cabaret stylist known for ironic patter, subtle musical interpretation, with a repertoire that included songs in French, English, Catalan, Portuguese and Italian.