One of my earliest memories is travelling to Andalucia in a SEATt 127 with my parents to visit my dad's hometown, listening to 80s radio cassette music.
I decided that I wanted to play guitar after listening to Mark Knoffler's Sultan of Swing. I was 11 years old. Then I found a way of expressing feelings and moods, I started a relationship with my guitar, singing and exploring, writing about things that otherwise may not find a way out of me.
Flamenco is a big influence, but guitarists so different as Paco de Lucia and Mark Knoffler were important in the early stages, but as a teenager I would listen anything on the radio then.
The biggest inspiration in my life are my parents... to see them loving each other and to support me in my life has taught me a lot. If I could go back in time, I wouldn't mind experiencing a bit of the 60s and the 70s, so much great music then!
British people are very open to new things, they love music, and they love Spanish music, anything that reminds them to the holidays, the beach, the good times, so my music is very well accepted and enjoyed, booking me for parties and celebrations. I find that difficulties arise when you don't follow your instincts, when you try to do things to please others, rather than doing what you love. It makes me happy when people enjoy my music, touching them with a song, or to see a small children singing one of your songs is an incredible feeling.
I opened Cafe Barcelona the same year I won the LUKAS as Best Vocalist in 2014. On the artistic side my band Los Amigos was working very well, performing Spanish and Latin American music, from the Gipsy Kings to Buenavista Social Club, Santana, and Latin and Spanglish pop. I also recordedrecording a second album with my wife Claudia, who is a fado singer (LUKAS winner 2018)
I decided to release a bachata version of one of my songs 'Dilema' after showing it to my Cuban friend and percussionist Sergio Marciano, who is also based in London, we agreed the song would work really well as a bachata version, so together we worked on it. This is a journey, a journey within yourself and with others, where your music evolves with you. Fame and fortunes is not important, although recognition in your career boosts your confidence. The most important thingis to enjoy what you do, and to keep moving forward, the rest will come.
