Los Secretos push the boundaries with a self-portrayed musical
Los Secretos are a band that never rests. Even while they tour extensively, with a stop at Benidorm Palace this Sunday at 8:00 PM, they draw strength to innovate by presenting a self-performed musical about their career in theatres. Easy trends never fit them; they favor bold, original ideas that challenge the norm.
Their arrival in Benidorm carries the vibe of a traditional concert, a fight against the odds. Next month, on Tuesday the 9th and Wednesday the 10th of April, they head to the Principal Theatre of Alicante with A tu lado, a musical that revisits their entire journey with lights and shadows. To share more about the project, Álvaro Urquijo, the band’s singer, guitarist, and leader, discusses how the idea came together.
How did the notion of turning their songs into a theatrical form arise?
For a long time the group enjoyed a comfortable routine, releasing records on a regular cadence. Yet there was a growing sense of stagnation—a need to push beyond a safe middle ground. They began taking risks by experimenting with new formats. In 2003 they performed a concert with a string section, which left a lasting impression. Later, they explored orchestral arrangements and in 2012 recorded an album with the University of Valladolid’s Youth Orchestra at Madrid’s Teatro Real. Stepping outside the comfort zone to try fresh expressions became a source of pride, and audiences responded with enthusiasm.
Taking their career into a musical stage is a bold move, but the band members believe it is a natural progression given their history. They feel they have a story worth telling and a thread of perseverance that isn’t common in the industry. The journey includes the loss of a close friend and longtime collaborator, Canito, who died in a car accident, followed four years later by the death of their second drummer, Pedro, in another crash. The resilience that music and a devoted audience helped sustain kept them moving forward. During the pandemic, when many communities suffered, Urquijo wrote a book compiling memories—a project that gained wide attention and helped spawn the musical’s development, guided by a production team that saw potential in their story.
In this musical, the performers are the members themselves. At first, the idea faced skepticism. Some thought a live act booming with a band performing their own life story might not work as a traditional musical with actors playing roles. There were no precedents of a current group producing a musical as part of the act. Yet the band feels ready for the challenge and argues that no one else is better suited to tell their own story. The question was, who else would stand up to recount a life in the spotlight with the authenticity they could offer?
Despite initial doubts, the group remains physically and mentally capable of delivering a compelling performance. The project has proved far more rewarding than anticipated. After more than four decades on stage, they rediscover the adrenaline of the early days, stepping fully into an arena that feels unfamiliar and exciting.
The audience response to these new ventures has been profoundly encouraging. The group has always believed that lasting careers rely on a loyal audience that sticks through tough times. Even when faced with personal losses, label changes, and a quiet presence on radio and television, their fans have supported them. They have learned that their songs resonate across generations, with parents sharing their love for the music with their children. In return, the band has given back through memorable performances and fresh ideas that keep the connection alive.
Success, they note, has never been about chasing fashion. They remind themselves that a high number of likes does not guarantee musical value. They have stayed true to their sound, resisting trends even when it meant facing difficult years. A landmark moment in their catalog is the 1995 album Dos caras distintas, which, despite a strong quality, faced stiff competition from bigger names and didn’t achieve the commercial impact they hoped. Yet within that album lay the track Pero a tu lado, which has grown to become a defining hit for the group and remains a staple of their live repertoire today.
Looking ahead, they acknowledge that today’s music ecosystem makes it tougher for songs to endure. The rapid pace of platforms like Instagram and TikTok can compress a song into a fleeting moment, leaving little room for surprise or development. They observe that many beloved classics had more space to unfold, with lasting impact that challenges new music to earn its staying power. They accept that change is inevitable and that adapting to a shifting landscape is part of storytelling—one that still honors the core values that defined their early work.
In the end, the combination of personal history, fearless exploration, and a loyal audience underscores why this musical project matters. It is not merely a show about a band; it is a living document of a journey shaped by resilience, friendship, and a shared love of music that endures beyond trends. The Secret’s story, told by The Secrets themselves, invites audiences to experience their career with honesty, energy, and a sense of shared history. The production is set to illuminate the stage with a blend of nostalgia and innovate performance, inviting fans to revisit the past while leaning into the future.
[Citations: Interview with Álvaro Urquijo; Band archival materials; Production notes and press materials.]