wrinkles on your face Juanes They are full of stories. You can feel in them the pain, laughter and doubt that life has to offer them. He carries them proudly as if they were the most precious treasure. In fact, there are experiences deep inside that he later turns into melody. They are so powerful that he never tried to hide them. He sang about love, despair, the universe, fire and tragedy with the power that these lines engrave on the skin. Maybe because he can thus turn the present into a shield for the future. “People learn the hard way. “This made me appreciate everything more when I stepped on stage today,” says the artist, who will arrive in Seville this Thursday to attend the Latin Grammys. He approaches his career with the strength of his years, with full artistic maturity. Popularity is the same, yes. But anger is something else.
Published last May Daily lifeHis tenth emotional attack. It’s probably the most honest album he’s released. There is no craftsmanship or intelligence in her 11 cuts, but rather a confession as pure as the folds of her skin. With a friendly attitude throughout, he joins the world tour of Grupo Prensa Ibérica’s El Periódico de España. It’s only a 20 minute interview but its author black shirt, Makes me fall in love And For you he knows how to provide them with a fast-paced dialogue. Sometimes he stays silent for a few seconds. He looks ahead and clears his throat before continuing. Sometimes you run to regain the time you spent thinking about the answers. Although obvious, almost all of them raise new questions.
Daily life It’s a tribute to his musical and personal DNA. When did you lose your innocence?
As I grew up, I understood the world. It’s weird because, at 51, I want to go back to my childhood and put it back together. As you get older, you will find that you understand less. After all, everything is based on a return to the purity of the soul. I’m on that path now… I don’t know if I’m back or not, but that’s where I want to be.
Did you discover anything about yourself in this process?
A lot of things. That’s the whole point, isn’t it? Introduce yourself. Vulnerability should be recognized as a strength. Sometimes we keep the hardest things to ourselves, so having the chance to share them is healing for me.
There are two cuts dedicated to Colombia in this album: hopeless song (on forcibly disappeared persons) and May (about widespread protests in cities). Has your view of the country changed?
A little, but the date cannot be changed. I learned to look at love from different perspectives. It is not just the case of couples, but also of parents who have lost their children in the ridiculous ongoing conflict. I remember the confusion we had four years ago when the police killed the students. It looked like everything was going to go wrong. It was painful.
Can music heal the planet?
I don’t think art will change the way people behave, but it can be an important element for memory. Unfortunately it’s not that easy.
What worries you?
For example, the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Palestine wars. On the other hand, artificial intelligence attracts my attention. What will we be like in 10 years? How will it affect our profession? Either you join in and use it, or it crashes into you and eviscerates you.
You are used to visiting many countries, how do you see feminism around the world?
100 years ago in the United States, women did not vote. And in Colombia they didn’t even exist. I have two daughters and they are on this wavelength in my home. I think it’s important for women to be involved, but I think the extremes will always be complicated. I want equal rights for everyone. We are here thanks to our mothers.
Have you ever felt like an object in a profession where image is very important?
Yes, people’s perception of you can become a prison. In my case it was very bad. I took it badly. Today it doesn’t affect me much because I know who I am and where I’m going. There was a time when I was presented as a person. Latin lover… I was spending eight hours a day playing guitar for them to call me that. This made me angry. That’s like saying all Spaniards are bullfighters and all Colombians are smugglers. NO!
At the end of August, he revealed that he had been struggling with depression for years. Did showing this vulnerability set you free?
When I published it, I was talking about the 2009-2010 period. I couldn’t stand it anymore. It was good for me to share this with my family. I see there is more openness these days. I have three teenage children, and although they suffer from similar situations, they talk about it more easily. Talking is healing.
What’s it like to get on stage when the inside is destroyed?
It was the saddest moment of my life. I had fought to be there, but I felt like shit. I remember looking back and seeing the band and thinking: What am I doing here? This happens when you live too intensely and don’t take care of yourself.
Faced with money, fame, power… how did he manage not to become bourgeois?
I started music thanks to my family, I was singing and playing guitar at school. It wasn’t something planned. If only five people listen to me tomorrow, I will continue on their behalf. My family, education and home have a lot to do with this. Fame is temporary and causes more depression.
Referencing one of your greatest accomplishments, what do you ask God for today?
My concept of God is different than it was 30 years ago. According to your religion, you have an image created by man’s actions. For me today is more spiritual and more magnificent. However, my family is very important and I pray for them. Moreover, I do this for people I don’t know. Also for plants and animals. Even though we sometimes forget, I thank you too.