The global success of Peruvian gastronomy is often explained by the fact that it is a medley of cultures perfected in Peru. Can the same be said about Peruvian music, which is a mix of cultures?
Yes of course. This characteristic that Peru has as a multi-diverse, multi-cultural country is present in all expressions – in music, theater, dance and, above all, as was highly appreciated, in gastronomy. For example, there are young people who try to make sauces with forest fruits, they do not come from the forest, but they are inventing, learning, getting to know the land.
How can we notice this mix in your music? Is it very Afro-Peruvian? Is there also the native element present?
There is an indigenous element, yes, for example because of the coexistence of indigenous peoples with settlers and African slaves. The Andes went to the coast in search of work and stayed at the entrance of the villages until they were hired to harvest cotton and sugar cane. So there, in the countryside, they share the pain of a life that is half-slave for some and totally enslaved for others. Thus, they share beliefs, music, because at a certain time of the day, in the rest time before returning to work, they sang their songs and shared with other people.
Now he goes back to Portugal, he has three concerts. What are you going to sing? Always the more traditional themes but also the new compositions?
I’m going to take the last album I recorded and the one I called to Portugal Urgent words. I always sang poems, love songs, traditional songs that I renew, I always used this material, but I also had a lot of successes, especially in Latin America, with themes of corruption, the exposure of the corruption that existed in our countries. At that time it was not possible to continue singing about love, I had to say very strong things, like in this great composition that appeared in Argentina and is a very famous tango – Cambalache – and very old, but whose words are very current because it is about corruption and the corrupt. In recent years, almost all former presidents in our country have been imprisoned for corruption.
So your music is also about political intervention?
Yes of course. I speak of the pain of discovering how we were deceived by politicians, I sing in praise of the independence of Peru, the independence of America. I start the disc with the song the dark heritage, and I also sing an Argentinian’s song that pays tribute to those who fought for the independence of Latin America. The album has tributes, it has harsh songs, criticisms and also love songs.
He spoke about the influences of Latin American music, for example the Argentine tango. Can it be said that there is music from Latin America? That Peruvian, Cuban, Brazilian and Argentinian music have a lot in common? Is there a Latin American cultural community?
Yes there is. Artists, in difficult times, and there were really difficult times like the pandemic where we couldn’t do concerts, which was terrible, always came together. We started sharing music, playing a recorded show and then broadcasting it. We artists did not want to remain silent. During that period, for example, I worked with Omar Sosa, a Cuban musician with whom I recorded an album that will be released soon and pays homage to Bola de Nieve. These were the paths we found and when countries opened up after the pandemic we went to Argentina, Chile and Uruguay where we shared music with artists from those places and sang together. The pandemic has been very sad for all of us artists.
She is trained as a teacher. Do you think one of the problems in Latin America is that many countries have not won the battle for education, that inequalities are related to the need to educate people?
I think education is fundamental, and this is said by great thinkers and by simple, sensible people, such as family parents who say that education is the only way to lift their children out of poverty. That was the legacy of my mother, who failed to get my older brothers to college, the only one who went to higher education was me, the youngest daughter. So that I could apply to the National University of Education, she sold her sewing machine, she sold what she could to get the money. That’s why I think the leaders we’ve had have been very busy with other things and not committed to working so that education is a democratic right and that we all have access to education. There are still regions in my country where young people have to migrate to other cities because their villages do not have schools where they can study.
Your country has gone through a recent political crisis with a president accused of being a coup plotter and then a contentious change of president. Are you optimistic about Peru and the future of Peruvians, do you think it is a country that can succeed?
I am optimistic and trust young people. I trust young people because they are alert, also in the music sector. There are musicians singing about the country’s problems. There is currently a renewal in the political song in my country. I have hope. Why? Because we have suffered a lot, there have been deaths in recent times. Murdered people, victims of racism because they are peasants, they come from the mountains, ignorant, because they are considered people who do not know what they want… All this is wrong, completely wrong, people know their rights, they know what they want to. These people came out to protest for their rights. The rulers cannot want to run the country and destroy agriculture, introduce norms that have no place, so people have to come to the street and tell them they are wrong. That’s what people did.
But do you believe that young people will change the country for the better?
Yes, I believe, I feel it. We don’t want politicians who promise but don’t deliver. That’s why I think through voting or protesting in the street, we will say what we feel and what we think.
She was Minister of Culture for ten years. One thing Peru is very strong at is culture. Is the spread of this culture, this heritage, a way for the country to promote itself abroad?
Naturally. Peru is a country with many good people. I remember the women of such an important area as Machu Picchu, beautiful ruins close to Cusco. When I was working there with some local ladies, they said to me: “We are going to receive tourists here, we are going to give them a real experience, we are renting them a room in our house where they can have breakfast, with the butter made by us , with milk milked by us…” Therefore, these people think about how to get out of poverty by serving tourists in a great way, welcoming them into the family. We suggested a cable car and we went to this place to hear what the people wanted because there are many people who want to meet and the access is very difficult. It would be something very important to that region and it was up to me to work on the pre-consultation bill that was passed unanimously in Congress. It was up to me to legislate so that the big companies that produce oil, minerals, etc. reach the villages and meet the people so that they can see the pros and cons of these works. The law exists so that both sides can sit down and talk face to face, as equals. This is an intercultural relationship.
Your career is already very long. Did the Grammys make a difference?
Yes of course. My country had never won a Grammy and suddenly…
Was it also a national pride?
Yes that’s right. I didn’t win one, I won three!
Sing on the 4th in Lisbon, the 6th in Espinho and the 7th in Braga. Are there any Portuguese musicians that are special to you?
Yes, Portuguese music is great. There are many girls and women… I like Cristina Branco. Mariza is a great artist. Then there was a group, the Madredeus, how beautiful! I have a relationship with fado through my mother, because she loved Amália Rodrigues. Listened to the radio. My mother raised me musically.
Is your mom your hero?
Yes, it’s my heroine!
Source: DN
