Michael Poveda returns to Córdoba, this time to promote a new project titled Type, an album recorded across Mexico, Buenos Aires, and Los Angeles. It gathers thirteen songs that trace the artist’s personal musical voyage, blending Flemish tradition with Andalusian song, Mexican popular music, and even tango and funk. The work reveals how he has evolved over the years, showcasing a wide range of influences and freedoms he has embraced.
This new tour began in February with a premiere at the Teatro Real. How is the reunion with the audience unfolding now that faces are finally visible again?
There is a profound sense of relief, as if voices have escaped a mask that once muffled smiles. It is equally thrilling to read the emotions in the audience’s eyes and to feel how deeply music connects with them. The artist feels grateful and believes the value of music has grown in the experience.
In this tour he presents his latest album Diverso. What was meant by this name?
More than inclusion, the aim is to build bridges and move with complete freedom, presenting everything that has shaped him over the years—from his Badalona roots to the broader range of cultures he encountered after. He collaborated with diverse musical styles in Barcelona, painting a palette of colors on his own identity. When people label him, he notices it is not a simple tag. He begins with classical flamenco, yet his path has always crossed other worlds, a cross-pollination he deems essential. During the pandemic he sought travel and comfort through music, a vehicle that helped accomplish many things.
There is a characteristic moment, singing about climate change, and two songs away from flamenco that focus on transsexuality with Willie Colom’s version of El gran varón.
He is not indifferent to what unfolds around him, and that awareness compels commitments. He observes that audiences are becoming more engaged, even as the music industry faces challenges. Flamenco or not, there is a human question: a commitment to climate change, to justice, to the disadvantaged. He feels that his art should address these topics.
Doesn’t it feel dated to keep arguing about the right to love whom you choose?
Guarding against complacency is essential, because progress can be followed by new setbacks. Still, the struggle continues, driven by the belief that simple and humane issues deserve constant attention.
In Diverso, flamenco blends with ranchera, bolero, salsa, tango, and even funk. It is a travelable album, moving from one sound to another with ease.
An album that travels from start to finish, embracing Cuban rhythms, touching social themes through traditional and popular Mexican music, Brazilian flavors, and Andalusian song. These are the places that define the artist.
He discusses “kill complexes” in Diverso. Which ones have been shed?
Freedom sometimes arrives by shedding some complexes, while new ones appear with time. The greatest liberation comes from art itself. If one possesses talent, it should not be clipped by others. In a world of social media, judgments can be harsh and fast. Yet the belief remains that fear should be overcome and that talent should be shared with the world, for culture itself needs voices that can make the planet feel more livable.
Does life alternate between the joy and drama of flamenco and the intensity shown on stage?
Perhaps not always. On stage, which is the artist’s natural habitat, all emotions are released. In private life, he seeks peace and time to breathe, reconnecting with family, his son, and the home, while still enjoying the energy of the audience.
There is a long journey ahead for him. Is fatherhood making it harder?
It is more demanding because the bond with a child is uniquely strong and hard to describe. He is fortunate to have a thoughtful, mature son who accompanies him whenever possible. The son will join the Córdoba show, and tours these days are never as long as they used to be. He spends substantial time apart, yet cannot resist the pull of family when he travels.
How has fatherhood changed him?
It has brought him back to childhood, placing him somewhere between youth and maturity. Everything feels more relative, and he treasures the simplest truths of life.
What about the Córdoba show on Saturday?
The performance is a traveling show, much like the album itself. It injects values, freedom, and diversity, with many colors in the staging and costumes. He remains himself while continually shifting hues, enjoying every moment on stage.
Is Córdoba a favorite venue or is every place equally meaningful?
Every venue holds value, from grand halls to small, tucked-away corners. The audience, the stage, the culture, and the music are all essential. Córdoba’s historical weight adds responsibility, yet every city and every audience matters equally to him.