By José Gandue @Gandour Photos by Macarena Denoia and Zeninho –
Let's start by giving some basic information, but one that will help us understand several things: Her name is María Barceló and while we were arranging the interview, her press officer insisted on a detail: Among other activities, she is the singer of No Rehab, an Argentine band that pays tribute to Amy Winehouse. But the main reason for this article is that Maria, under the name of Rojobarcelo He took it out a few weeks ago Nirvana, His first solo album, a compilation of 9 songs (well, actually 7 tracks and two intermezzos (a few seconds). Nirvana, Produced by Esteban Blanca, it's an entertaining album that makes interesting combinations of soul, indie pop, and funk., a good nostalgia for the festive seventies with the sights and sounds of contemporary times. Throughout its sonic journey, Maria's voice is delicately revealed, remaining consistently attractive and solid for the audience, exhibiting varied emotional moments, ranging from mischievous and playful displays in her vocalization to suddenly reaching dramatic moments that erupt like an unexpected ecstasy that elevates the spirit of the song. It all lasts just 25 minutes, but I guarantee you'll have a great time listening to music ready to dance, celebrate, and be moved. Therefore, we set out to contact the artist and learn a little more about her:
How would you describe your album to someone who hasn't heard it?
Ugh, it's difficult, but I think the best definition is an album that tells stories of love, heartbreak, and goodbyes, passing through different musical styles that I've been involved with throughout my career. Indie-pop songs with hints of rock and funk. And it's an album that takes you through different emotional states.
What musical influences do you recognize?
I have several influences that have always been with me, artists like Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, D'Angelo, Prince, James Brown, Etta James, Spinetta, Charly… but for this particular album there were a couple of albums that I took as references, Garden (by Gabriel Garzón), Jaime (by Brittany Howard), and Light a fire, Marilina Bertoldi's music. Also Prince, as always, as well as Illya Kuryaki. And many songs we used for certain audio references. There was a lot of funk and rock mixing.
That's very noticeable; it's an album with many fun moments… was it conceived that way from the beginning of recording?
Yes, absolutely. These were songs that had been around for a while, and when I decided to put them on an album, I wanted to give them a more upbeat feel, take them out of the "dark mood" some of them had, and bring them into this funkier universe, without losing the essence of the songs, of course. And I attribute that to the great work we did with Esteban Blanca (music producer) and the album's drummer.
What is the audience's reaction when you perform the songs live?
Well… the truth is, there hasn't been an official album release yet because it came out right in the middle of the pandemic, but from the feedback and the times I've played solo sets or duos, people have received it with appreciation for the good vibes in the songs and the power they carry in their stories. On the other hand, I pay a lot of attention to the sound quality when I perform live, and people have thanked me for that too; it sounds really great. power and definition. Finally, I feel that people were needing to hear live music again, and the connection with the audience was much more intense.
Has promoting your album been difficult with everything we've been through lately?
A little bit, yes, because I think the best way to spread music is by going out and playing live, sharing it with people, generating that connection with the audience, the adrenaline the artist feels up there performing and the people interacting—that's unique! And there's no Live neither Streaming Let him win. But anyway, the dissemination was a bit via Lives And with the help of my press agent, Énola Beltrame, who helped me promote it through the media. And I'm still promoting it and, luckily, performing while maintaining safety protocols.
How do you combine your career with your own songs with your presence in the Amy Winehouse tribute band?
Hmm… I think they're such different projects that they don't affect each other, and for me, the Tribute was more about enjoying Amy's songs with great musicians and friends, the opportunity to play with a member of the original band like Robin Banerjee, but my focus was always on my own journey as a songwriter and moving forward with my own songs. In fact, Robin heard them and liked them so much that we ended up recording a version of one of my songs. The Bear And there's a "Live Session" type video that you can watch on my YouTube channel.
Finally: what are your short and medium-term plans?
My plans (within the limits of what's possible these days). Short-term plans: I'm going to release an EPK-style video or documentary about the recording of the album. And in the medium term: release new music that I'm already producing. And finally, present the album in Buenos Aires with my band.
