Alejandro Sanz
a.k.a.
Alexander Sanchez Pizarro
KING OF SPAIN
Alejandro Sanz' Soul Heads Skyward
Prefab Latin pop stars come and go, but Spain's Alejandro Sanz has clearly got something that sticks. Unlike so many other singers who rely on a team of songwriters and producers for that next chart-topper, Sanz pens all his own tunes. And it's easy to see why audiences around the world find so him attractive: Apart from his rugged good looks, Sanz' lyrics are gallantly poetic, with a romantic bent that steers clear of syrup. Like an Iberian counterpart to Sting, his multilayered musical arrangements make a seamless blend of R&B, jazz harmony, and flamenco. With its urbane orchestrations and sumptuous stylistic blends, his 1997 effort Mas is the bestselling album in Spanish recording history. Sanz spoke with Barnes & Noble.com's Abe Vélez from his home in Madrid about the inspiration behind his enthralling fifth album, El Alma al Aire, and the glory of a Grammy nomination.
Barnes & Noble.com: Congratulations on your Grammy nomination for Best Latin Pop album. This is your first, yes?
Alejandro Sanz: Yes, and it's such a delight. It means a lot in that it signifies a real interest by people in the U.S. in what I'm doing. You know, when I was 14 years old and dreaming of being a performer, I always imagined getting to play some huge, climactic concert. And for me, being nominated for a Grammy is the realization of just that sort of moment; it's the greatest honor you can be given in popular music. And to win would be even better, but I'm not going to be a boxer, you know? It's really about the music, after all.
But I will say that I think this new album is very good! [laughs] I think it's my best.
B&N.com: In the musical sense, it seems like you were reaching for something bigger and higher with El Alma al Aire. How do those songs differ from what you did on Básico or Más?
AS: Well, really, I didn't plan it that way exactly; I'm always looking to reach higher in every production I do and stay as open and blue-eyed as possible! [laughs] At the same time, there's always a need to transcend the fear of not selling such-and-such many copies of the album, and remember that what's more important is to just feel good about the music I make in this life of mine.
B&N.com: The back of the album shows a photo of you with the sky and clouds filling your chest and heart. So how'd you fit all that in there?!
AS: Well, that was taken by a Mexican photographer friend of mine. I like to play with images like that, and the truth is, the picture happened that way sort of by accident. I was just running back and forth through a hallway with this special flash umbrella behind me, and we somehow ended up with that super-bright effect.
B&N.com: What inspires you to make your music?
AS: Really, what inspires me to do what I do is the music itself, what I hear inside. The ability to think out loud -- musically -- is in itself something great. But you know what else? It's also about the ability to heal the hardening effects of life with music. Somewhere here between the sea and sky we [artists] have been given the power to create moments of paradise.
B&N.com: You write all your own songs. Could you describe your creative process?
AS: Everything begins in my studio. The first phrase of a song is always the most difficult part to write, and I create an environment in which to allow that to happen. [For an album,] I take at least six months to seclude myself in my room with the piano and guitar, and compose for as much as 16 hours a day. I record everything I do. Then I take it all to the producer; we think about the arrangements and eventually get everyone together in the studio to record. But it starts out as a very personal process for me.
B&N.com: There's often a strong element of flamenco in your music.
AS: Flamenco really makes up 90 percent of my music. It's there in every song, even if you can't hear it directly. From since I was little, I've listened to flamenco. It's my source.
There's a whole world of rhythm in there, and a whole way of understanding music and life. Flamenco at its core is something really savage; yet harmonically it can be fantastic and grand. Nowadays there are many artists with a very high level of technique, playing some very complex forms of flamenco. But it's difficult to watch, because they haven't all gone through what the music is really about.
B&N.com: Who are your greatest influences?
AS: Well, there's of course Camarón de la Isla. He was a man of the earth, having never really studied with anyone, and came to produce something that was totally genius. But I also like Sting, and I really like Aretha Franklin. Eric Clapton, the Corrs -- we're going to be doing duets on each other's new albums -- and Rachmaninov too. Really, I listen to all kinds of music. I've got hundreds and hundreds of CDs here, but I don't remember all the names because a lot of them are in English! [laughs]
January 16, 2001
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