On Friday, Francisco Javier Álvarez Beret, better known by his stage name Beret, will fill WiZink Center. The Madrid venue marks a high point in his career, as the spotlight falls on the second album he unveils there. Durability is his most ambitious work to date, featuring collaborations with Omar Montes and Do Not Pull. He is set to take the stage the following day with hardly any time to rest. The Kings League final, a football competition created by Ibai and Gerard Piqué at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, mirrors the scale of attention surrounding the 27-year-old who began by building his own ventures. He started sharing mix tapes on YouTube after a push from a friend, and his audience grew to more than four and a half million followers. A recent milestone saw him perform at the Vatican before the pope and 6,000 young people from around the world, alongside Italian artist Mr. Rain, as he juggled this moment with debuting as a presenter alongside other notable personalities.
All this whirlwind does not seem to shake Beret, who is known to friends as Fran, and who remains open to photo sessions and interviews during breaks in the studio. He recalls how his career began in 2013, almost accidentally. He didn’t plan a path; he simply recorded friends rapping in his neighborhood using a second-hand sound card and later shared his early work privately with his circle. One friend uploaded a track to YouTube without telling him, and suddenly many people started talking about it. He didn’t quite grasp the buzz at first. He once disliked his friend for pushing him, but now he appreciates that moment for breaking his fears, he laughs as he remembers.
“One of my friends uploaded a song to YouTube without telling me anything. I hated my friend then, but now I love him because he pressured me to get rid of my fears.”
Understanding the scale of his success becomes clearer when considering that the former Sports Palace of the Community of Madrid can hold over 15,000 people. Beret notes that his first concert drew 30 attendees, and now he is preparing to fill WiZink. He acknowledges that the early years were brutal: a lack of knowledge, a life that clashed with the rising fame, and no family background in music. He had to learn on the fly while gaining public attention. He had never held a regular job and was still in high school. Therapy helped him manage the stress, and today he feels calmer than ever.
Honesty about his vulnerabilities does not dampen his excitement for the challenges ahead. He promises that Friday’s show will be the best he has ever played, a long performance that blends old favorites with new material. He hopes the concert will speak to that kid who was 13 and dreamed of sharing his music, inviting him to hear his voice at 20, to hear collaborations that his schedule allows. In a full WiZink, he expects the crowd to sing every word with him.
It all started with rap
Beret’s creative roots lie in hip-hop. He cites Violadores del Verso and SFDK as early inspirations, alongside reggae and Spanish singer-songwriters such as Sabina, the latter influence coming from his father. He emphasizes that rap remains a core part of his identity because it carries meaning and insight. Over the years, he has built a versatile artistic profile that blends pop, urban sounds, and international collaborations with artists like Sebastián Yatra, Estopa, Aitana, Melendi, Pablo Alborán, and Lola Indigo. He notes that some listeners want him to stay tied to his old style, but he insists that his music evolves with time. The fans who have stuck with him understand that his art reflects growth rather than stagnation.
“If I want to release a reggae track I’ll do it, but I’ve spent a long time in rap and I’m not tired of it yet.”
He continues to riff on creative balance, saying he still writes rap and even explores reggae at home with peers. If a reggae song comes up, he could pursue it, yet he finds that singles can capture moments better than albums. He loves the process of creating songs that capture a scene or a moment, even if the project format itself sometimes feels secondary. He concedes that, in ten years, he might change his stance again, but for now, albums add a narrative to tours while singles keep the momentum alive. The studio remains a space of exploration, where collaborations satisfy the appetite for variety.
In a landscape where staying true to one’s roots feels essential, Beret keeps the focus on authenticity. He is not chasing the flash of television stints, though he admits enjoying the chance to explore new avenues. He is candid about his preference for Sundays over showbiz gimmicks, and he anticipates many future projects ahead of a more expansive 2024 tour. The rhythm must continue—no slowdown in sight.
Attributed to Beret’s candid approach is a sense of grounded resilience. His journey demonstrates how early passion can translate into broad influence without losing personal voice. The artist remains engaged with his origins, even as he expands his creative scope, and his fans watch closely as he layers new experiences on top of the core sound that first drew them in.