Tuesday, July 20, 2004
The Spaniard's new album has been nominated for a Latin Grammy.
MIAMI (AP) -- Alejandro Sanz has been described in many ways during his distinguished career: Master lyricist. Grammy winner. Musical troubadour.
But socially conscious?
Yes, it seems the Spanish singer -- already known for his flamenco-inspired pop sound, emotive lyrics and raspy voice -- is becoming edgy, opinionated and more sophisticated.
His "MTV Unplugged" acoustic album in 2001 allowed the uninitiated to experience Sanz's work in its most organic state, his unique voice and poetic lyrics taking the forefront.
But his most recent album, "No Es Lo Mismo" (It's Not the Same), not only expresses internal emotions -- love, loss -- but also reacts to external events that affect his everyday life. The album is among the Latin Grammy nominees for awards to be presented Sept. 1.
Sanz, 35, spoke with The Associated Press before the start of his recent tour:
Q. What's the difference between touring in the United States and touring in Latin America?
A. In the United States I'm going to places where people don't really know who I am. There's an advantage in that because you know you are establishing yourself in a new place. The United States is made up of nations within a nation. Every state is different when it comes to music.
Q. It seems you chose the perfect title for your most recent album, as it's different from most of your previous work. You seem to have more of an attitude, discussing more socially provocative themes.
A. Yes. It's very different from my past work. There's an attitude there developed from facing the events surrounding our lives ... I was in a phase in which I felt I had to express myself in that way.
Q. Why change now?
A. Songs are composed for two reasons: out of vengeance and out of necessity. This album was a mix of both things. There's a bit of anger directed toward the events surrounding us that make the world a worse place, and I feel the need to express that through my music.
Q. How would you describe your singing voice?
A. My voice is raspy, mainly because I come from flamenco roots. My singing style, perhaps, isn't the cleanest. It's a distinctive style that's related to flamenco.
Q. How much of an influence is flamenco in your music?
A. I can't avoid it. Everything I will ever compose and sing will have a flamenco sound. Listening to flamenco is what induced me to write songs, play the guitar and sing.
Q. Over the past five years, how has your music grown or changed?
A. It's grown as a consequence of what's been going on around me. If you start with the first album, it's a constant evolution. It's a search. Albums aren't finished; you just stop working on them. For me, the important thing is the search, not so much the goal.
Q. How did the success of your "MTV Unplugged" album help you in the U.S. market?
A. The fact that MTV would even want me for an "Unplugged" album is like receiving a gift ... Not only did it help people get to know me in this country, it also allowed me to revisit a way of recording and understand the music that, over time, can get lost in a production studio.
Q. The last track on your most recent CD basically apologizes to those who did not like your singing. You sold so many albums and performed in front of so many people? Why the need for the disclaimer?
A. It's not an apology. I'm laughing a little at myself so that I can laugh at other things ... Sometimes, I'm harder on myself that any music critic can be. I'm laughing at that.
Q. Who do you enjoy listening to?
A. I listen to everything. That's a simple answer, but that's the truth ... At one time, when I was young, I was a heavy-metal radical.
Q. Heavy metal in English?
A. Absolutely. Iron Maiden, Dio, I loved them. But that was too inconvenient. To like heavy metal, you had to like only heavy metal. But that happens a lot ... people get buried within one musical style.
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