After a year in which he won his fourth Latin Grammy (Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Décimo Cuarto) and successfully toured Europe, Andrés Cepeda deserves to relax. More specifically, the super-popular Colombian singer-songwriter definitely deserves not to be as nervous as he confessed to being when I interviewed him before his London show earlier this year.
“A little bit, like always to be honest,” Cepeda admitted, on a hot late summers evening, ahead of his concert in September,
There's no need, I found myself strangely reassuring the folk-pop balladist who not only solidified his place in music history with multiple no. 1 albums and singles hits in Latin America, not to mention awards, but whose talent and versatility have made him one of the most respected and loved figures in Colombian music.
“You're going to put on an amazing the show!”
“I know,” he laughed endearingly. “But there's always that little bit of anxiety before a show, about a new journey that you're embarking, but we are here, I have my team and we are ready to give an unforgettable show!”
And unforgettable his performance at Shepherds Bush Empire was. How could it not be? But still, it’s rare to find that honesty in the world of pop hype, and all the more endearing when you hear a successful artist reveal that he suffers, like the rest of us mortals, at the prospect of getting on stage.
How do you handle your nerves and that feeling of being an anxious before a show ?
“It's a very simple recipe that I do,” Cepeda laughs. “A shot of aguardiente.” Us Colombians know that remedy well. And for those who don’t: Aguardiente is a typical (and very strong!) aniseed alcoholic drink that equates to a very good and potentially wild night!
Andrés Cepeda, born in Bogotá, the youngest of five children, started studying piano at the age of five. He composed his first piece of music at the age of twelve.
“I was born into a very musical family and started learning and studying music from a very young age. I started with the piano and then in university I carried on my studies in music. My whole life has been dedicated to music because I love it. I play guitar and piano and I've always wanted to learn a bit more of percussion instruments, maybe some instruments from the wind family or from the string family. It's just trickier as you get older because you don't have as much free time like when you are younger. ”
As a teenager, Cepeda says he was naturally drawn to writing ballads, boleros and romantic music in general.
“As soon as I started to feel those butterflies in the stomach as a teenager and feeling that emotion of liking someone, I started to realise I could use music to socialise, to enchant women and get girlfriends,” he confesses. “When I entered my adolescent years and started having relationships, music just became a great outlet to express all those feelings.”
However, at university, Cepeda set up a rock band called Polinamio, which had some success, with several songs on national radio: Desvanecer and 'My Generation' are now considered classics Poligamia. Now you do romantic music like baladas which is very different to rock pop. How did that transition come about? I asked.
“Polinamio was actually part of a project my bachelors degree and I founded it with friends I had at the time, and then around 2000 I started my solo career as an artist. When the band ended I started to look for alternative ways to express myself through music, I've always liked ballads, boleros and romantic music so I decided to go down that route."
Indeed, after eight years and four albums, Poligamia was disbanded and Cepeda continued his career as a soloist, finding success singing boleros and ballads. In March 2001, his album El Carpintero achieved quadruple-platinum sales in Colombia. His 2005 album Para Amarte Mejor placed three number one songs on Colombian radio and he received a CD Gold and Platinum for its sales in Colombia and Latin America and a Latin Grammy for Best Male Pop Album. He’s toured Latin America, Europe and the US. If that wasn’t enough his 2008 album Día tras Día surpassed all previous successes, producing another three no.1 hits - Día tras Día as well as Besos Usados and Enfermedad de ti - another three Latin Grammy nominations, along with multiple other awards across Latin America and another world tour.
You are known for your romantic music, but what is the music that Andrés Cepeda listens when he's at home?
“It depends on the time of day, in the mornings I like to listen to classical music, in the afternoon jazz and at night salsa and rock”
Perhaps it's this diverse taste in music and influences that contributes to the richness and variety that Cepeda's musical style is known for. Which of all your albums is your favourite? I ask.
"My favourite album I think would have to be Dia tras Dia, I just love how the whole album came together. In the end, I’m always inspired by relationships, romantic love but also all love, as the engine of life, as the thing that moves us all, what motivates us to get up in the morning and push through life. Like the love we have for our family, for our work or hobbies, the love for relationships, it's the fuel for everything we do.”
Cepeda’s ability to tap into this universal energy has certainly been a recipe for success, which he expresses a lot of gratitude for, he says, now more than ever.
“The last 6 years of my career has been very interesting, filled with lots of journeys, travelling, meeting new people, working with many artists, it's a lot of things. I always make sure wherever I go to make the most of wherever I am and to have a good time. I have some of the best memories from New York, Los Angeles, Madrid, Rome because of the experiences I had, the people I met, the lessons I learnt which means a lot to me."
For all the success and jet-setting, it is striking, however, that when I ask him what his favourite of all the concerts, he does not mention singing in London, Paris or Milan, which for most would amount to the definition of success:
“I would say my favourite concert was one I did recently in Bogotá about 6 months ago with my old band Poligama. It was a really special concert which I will remember forever, the opportunity to be reunited with my childhood friends, from my adolescent years was really special to me.”
Indeed, it seems Cepeda is the embodiment of the romantic notions of life that he sings about. When most young artists seek fame and fortune it is clear that Cepeda is definitely guided by his feelings, and feels deep attachment to his craft, the music he makes and the people he makes it with.
“I think no matter the genre, an important step in music is to take it seriously and to study it like any other profession, I think that's especially important to remind the younger generation wanting to be stars…to really study music as a profession. Understanding the nuances and techniques of your craft can help you express your thoughts and feelings more effectively through your art.”
And with that meaningful and insightful advice to the next generation, my interview with Andres Cepeda comes to end. But I didn’t let him leave without playing my favourite "What do you prefer" game…
LL:Bachata or merengue ?
AC: Merengue because i prefer dancing it.
LL: Salsa or cumbia
AC: Hard one, I love Cumbia but I love dancing salsa, so salsa.
LL:Arepas or empanadas?
AC: Arepas
LL: Whiskey or rum?
AC: Neither, it has to be aguardiente!
LL: Café or té ?
AC: Cafe
LL: Bandeja paisa or picada ?
AC: Picada
LL: Sancocho or ajiaco ?
AC: Ufff difficult one but it has to be sancocho
LL: Montaña or playa ?
AC: Montaña
LL: Día or noche ?
AC: Noche
LL: Buñuelos o pan de bonos ?
AC: Buñuelos
LL: Colombiana or pony Malta ?
He laughed almost hoping his Colombian card didn't get revoked and said Coca Cola. Taking it Andres is a fan of neither.
LL: Ranchera or vallenatos ?
AC: Vallenatos
For those of you who missed Andres Cepeda’s concert this year in Europe, the good news is that he’ll back after his tour of Canada and the US next year for some dates in Italy and other cities that he didn’t get to play.
And so to my last question: What can we expect for the future for Andre's Cepeda?
“Definitely more albums, more romantic songs and more stories about love.”
