How Juanes rediscovered his musical roots on his new covers album, ‘Origen.’
The last time I interviewed Juanes was in 2017, when we talked for days in Miami. Besides discussing his then-current album. This interview, which took place in several sessions, follows that conversation, exploring how the ending of one cycle is the beginning of another, and how after some years of exploration, the artist committed all his creative resources to a pop-friendly sound, at a personal expense.
At the old house in Carolina de Príncipe, his family played Gardel on vinyl. “We would listen to his songs day and night,” Juanes says. “This connection that I have with music was like the playlist of that moment.” In “Volver,” he offers a carbon copy of the original melody and instrumentation, adding hints of guitar.
When I heard this new record, the first thing I thought was that it’s really risky. To cover these anthems that are so important in Spanish-language music could end up being a major success or a monumental failure. What made you want to take on such a big challenge? Don’t you think there’s a great risk there? Regardless of the quality of the cover, people who love these songs could either love or hate your versions.
Good, man, great. I believe this album marks a path, a new direction I’m heading for a while, maybe for the rest of my life. What I did in “Mis planes son amarte” and “Más futuro que pasado” was phenomenal. I really liked everything I did there. I had the opportunity to work with many artists without feeling completely comfortable. I was in a place I wasn’t 100 percent myself but I learned a lot from there. I thought that was a really cool way of seeing music; it’s a different world.
I really want to make the music that I love, the music I feel comfortable and calm with. During the pandemic, I’ve written like a madman. Clearly, I made this album about a year ago, so after all this time, I’ve studied and got in sync with everything. Besides, I’ve started to visualize the road ahead — from now on, everything is different for me. Now it’s about what I can naturally do better, and do it well, which is singing and playing guitar.
Given how the industry is right now and where it’s heading, do you think this album represents a statement of artistic principles for you? Not every artist has the ability to make ranchera, rock & roll, pop, tango, salsa. How do you excel at all these styles?
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Nintendo's Famicom Detective Club Remasters Show the Value of a Good StoryNintendo has remastered two visual novel mystery games from the '80s for the Switch. How does Famicom Detective Club stack up today, over 30 years after originally coming out?
Read more »
Opinion | 'Lisey's Story' is another great Stephen King adaptation that needed an editorOpinion | Ani Bundel: The adaptation of what is widely considered one of the author's best works is beautifully shot with an amazing cast. But the screenplay needed an editor. - NBCNewsTHINK
Read more »
Exclusive: How amateur sleuths broke the Wuhan Lab story and embarrassed the mediaThe people responsible for bringing the Wuhan lab-leak story to light are not journalists or spies or scientists. They are a group of amateur sleuths, with few resources except curiosity and a willingness to spend days combing the internet for clues.
Read more »
Lil Nas X Honored as Pride Icon With Three-Story-High Philadelphia MuralLil Nas X has already logged record consumption numbers for his debut single “Old Town Road” (14-times platinum in the U.S. alone and counting), proving he’s about as big an artis…
Read more »
Sony Pictures Classics Picks Up Frank Marshall & Ryan Suffern Documentary ‘Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story’EXCLUSIVE: Sony Pictures Classics has taken all global rights to the documentary Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story co-directed by five-time Oscar nominee Frank Marshall and Ryan Suffern (Finding Oscar…
Read more »
Designer reveals story behind one of Princess Diana's most daring looksShe made a major style statement with the black, strapless gown.
Read more »