Jairo Zavala of Depedro: A World Soundtracker
Madrid born in 1973, Jairo Zavala has carried the spirit of Depedro through a life spent roaming the globe. Since pausing the La Vacazul project, he has enjoyed what he calls the privilege of traveling, a journey that widened his sonic dictionary and let him breathe life into a songbook already rich with diverse influences. He has immersed himself in scenes across the Mediterranean, the United States, and Africa, letting each stop pulse through his music. On a typical itinerary, Palma becomes a resting point, Es Gremi hosts a show, and then the tour moves on to Swiss and Austrian roots before heading to Israel and Latin America in December.
Mallorca remains a rare oasis for a musician who never stops moving. The island exerts a magnetic pull, offering a welcoming community, a warm climate, stunning landscapes, and remarkable food. Its cosmopolitan vibe becomes a set of musical benchmarks for him, a reference point that merges portable inspiration with a homegrown sense of belonging. The Madrid artist has always named a few key places and people who have shaped his path, his ideas, and his feelings. When he first heard a life lesson from the city twenty years ago, he recalls a moment when a local bar in Barcelona beckoned with the words that stayed with him. The blues and jazz venues of Bordeaux also entered his radar, and he hums with anticipation for the new voices he might discover in the future, from Sexy Sadie to Antonia Font and beyond.
Depedro will have limited time to observe on this visit to Es Gremi. He arrives with Mercy Machine, the latest studio work released at the end of last year. Inspired by a sentence from a book about the Western Front, the Eric Vuillard work set during the First World War, the composer has crafted a collection of upbeat songs that offer a hopeful note during difficult moments.
“I am not a flag waver, and the audience is bright and perceptive,” he notes, stressing that the goal is a genuine emotional encounter for every listener.
Each track on Mercy Machine carries a heartbeat that connects to a broader idea: every listening experience carries its own emotion. While drawing on others’ lives, he aims to distill conscious experiences into song, making music that feels personal and universal at once.
Audiences in Palma can expect a set that blends melodies from Dark Night with songs like Between Sky and Mud and Prayer of Sorrows, alongside pieces that he may not yet know how to name. He acknowledges there will be favorites he cannot forget, yet he will still decide the order only minutes before the concert begins. He loves variation and spontaneity, cherishing both momentum and moments of uncertainty that keep performances alive.
Depedro promises a show charged with energy and emotion. He often notes how important it is to connect with listeners’ eyes and to witness their shared gratitude. The touring life, once a passport to endless new places, faced a pause during the pandemic, followed by global disruptions. Yet the creative urge did not waver. He found that a lighter suitcase, less burdened by external jolt, could become a space for inner exploration. The period brought a rare clarity, a mirror held up by the times that pushed him toward personal changes that feel meaningful today.