Madrid-based artist Rayden revealed to EFE on Thursday that, after releasing his latest album, he intends to retire from music to devote himself to writing. He plans to complete a tour to present The Impossible Victory and officially bid his audience farewell on stage.
Since childhood, he says he has felt guided in life by a kind of inner force, the younger brother who chooses everything, notices the faults of the older, and discards them. He explains that he did not grow up with a direct path in music, but with a calling tied to writing, and this conviction has become a major reason for stepping away after a recent creative phase, including his newest novel.
David Martínez Álvarez, better known as Rayden, published earlier this year The Cactus Woman and the Balloon Man’s Approach. The work reflects contemporary love and loneliness, themes he has long explored across a versatile career that began two decades ago as a musician. Over the years he has released seven albums and written more than a hundred songs, in addition to poetry collections and other literary projects.
He shares that he had envisioned a six-part album hexalogy since 2009, fitting any intriguing story a person could tell into that 100-song arc. It was unusual, he notes, that he could not envision beyond 2021 at the time, yet the body of work ultimately shaped a narrative that continued to unfold in surprising ways.
His collaboration on the track Crying Street in the same year, performed before a large audience at the Wizink Center in Madrid to mark twenty years of his career, helped cement a milestone just months earlier. This moment, he recalls, reinforced the sense of a career reaching a turning point and underscored the significance of the creative journey so far.
The moment of standing before the crowd and hearing people say, You did it, resonated deeply. Despite the hunger to keep creating, he felt as if he were already saying goodbye to certain aspects of the music world. He reflects on what that moment represents, especially in light of the pandemic, which prompted many to rethink essential life priorities.
Just a month after releasing his eighth and final album, a project he is proud of, he acknowledges a paradox: he is arguably at one of his most creative phases even as he contemplates stepping away. He is also preparing for his television debut as an assistant consultant on Atresmedia’s The Voice, expanding his presence beyond studio work into a different form of contribution to the arts.
When the recording phase ended, a sense of calm settled in. He believed the path moving forward was clear: to quit music as a primary vocation and redirect his energy toward prose and storytelling. He emphasizes that this decision is rooted in sincerity, and he does not want it distorted by pressures or misinterpretation.
A tour is planned to accompany the release of The Impossible Victory on April 21, a celebration of the album, the fans, and the band that endured the pandemic. The tour will span a year and a half, with the intention of concluding in Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, his hometown. He explains that this farewell will be definitive, unlike others who left music temporarily and later returned, choosing to explore new roles in the industry, such as A&R or songwriting for others.
Rayden confirms that his long-term focus will shift away from full-time performance while not closing the door entirely on music. He hints at ongoing collaborations, including work with Álvaro on a second novel and other projects that may involve joint ventures with peers in the industry. This evolving artistic stance reflects a renewed commitment to literature and storytelling without negating the influence and memories built through music.
In speaking about his future, Rayden emphasizes honesty and clarity in his public statements. He wants his transition to feel natural and grounded, allowing listeners and readers to witness a continuous evolution rather than a disruption in form. The narrative he has shaped—through songs, poetry, and prose—remains a thread that connects his past with whatever the future may hold, both on stage and on the page. A new chapter awaits, built on the foundation of everything he has learned from fans and collaborators alike.
As he closes one era, he opens another with intention and purpose. The artistic journey continues, not through nostalgia, but through a deliberate reorientation toward writing, where he believes the deepest and most authentic stories reside, ready to reach audiences in fresh and intimate ways.