INTERVJU / INTERVIEW
Everyone sings that song, but few know what it means or represents. "Bamboleo actually stands for this gyp- sy life. To take life as it comes and as it is. I live my life. I live as I am, straight with- out bending. And every day anew. This is Bamboleo!” You are seemingly always on tour. What’s it like spending so much time on the road? “When we're on the road, we're not really on the road. We're still family and we feel that way. On the one hand, we like to be on the road, but if there is an opportuni- ty to go home for a few days in between, we all want to go! You cry when you leave and you cry when you arrive (laughs).” Your band has been active since 1978. What does it take to maintain musical longevity for over 40 years? “Honestly, it is always a surprise for us. There is certainly ‘80s nostalgia, but that alone wouldn’t explain everything. We always kept and keep singing with passion and with our heart. We think people feel that emotional connection, including the youngest audiences that weren’t even born in the ‘80s…” Spanish music has become increasingly global, to the point at which the songs are hummed by people who don’t even know the language. What is your perspective on that? “That is exceptional and fantastic for us. Our songs are known and sung all over the world, even if the language isn’t known. You can only do that with songs that bring love and joy and a sort of “fi- esta-spirit” to the people.” Your music has been embraced by audiences worldwide, including in Serbia. How does it feel to see your music connect with people from such diverse backgrounds? “You know, it is a real pleasure for us to see that everywhere we go to per- form, there is always so much joy and fun in the audience. People dance and sing along – they have done so since the very beginning and still do so now- adays. It is fantastic to see that. And we are grateful for that, because we know it isn’t a given.”
Porodica je glavni fokus svih Roma. Isto je i sa nama / Family is the main interest of all gypsy people, and it’s the same with us
The Gipsy Kings present a unique blend of traditional flamenco music with pop and Latin influences. Could you tell us about the creative process behind this fusion? “There isn’t a real process of writing songs or composing. Many come to us by playing and jamming together and sometimes they develop within the fam- ily. That’s because we can say that this kind of music and the influences and blend of styles are innate and inscribed in our DNA.” Your music incorporates traditional instruments like the flamenco guitar. How important is it for you to preserve and showcase these traditional elements in your songs? “The Flamenco guitar is the backbone of our music. It is the element that makes every song so easily recognisable to au- diences worldwide. And, for every one of us, it is his very unique, personal gui- tar that matters. We have to preserve this Flamenco element at all times.” Your band is known for its infectious rhythms and energetic performances. How do you maintain the same level of passion on stage after all these years? “You know, we sing with our heart, with our passion. And we want to share this and we want the public to feel it with us. I still want to share this after so many years of touring. Because it is both giv- ing and taking – the energy with which the audience pays us back makes us both joyful and grateful for doing what we love to do.” What’s in store for your Belgrade performance this time around? What kind of setlist is planned? “The setlist will include all the famous songs, including Bamboleo, Volare, Djo-
bi Djoba and many others. But we will al- so play new songs that will be on our next album. We are going to release 5 – 6 new singles and we hope they will be as loved by fans and listeners as the old hits.” The songs of the Gipsy Kings often convey a sense of joy and celebration. What emotions do you hope to evoke in your audience during your Belgrade show? “We want to give joy to the audience. We want to share music, feelings and good vibes with all the people. And it is may- be easier, with the rhythm of the gypsy style, to transfer these feelings and emo- tions to audiences wherever we go.” What message do you have for the fans in Serbia who are eagerly awaiting your performance? “The message is simple: "Come and cel- ebrate with us a real “Gypsy Fiesta” – to celebrate life, joy and happiness together, singing and dancing along to our songs.” Looking back, what are some of the most memorable moments or highlights of your musical journey? “Well, that’s likely 20 worldwide tours, 20 million albums sold worldwide, the Grammy etc., but also the moment a concert ends and we hear the audience clapping for another encore. These are memorable moments, and we are grate- ful for that.” Are there any new projects you can already talk about? “We are preparing an album with new songs, originals, as well as covers of songs that only became famous in some countries, but not worldwide. We hope we can reignite some of them to be known by the whole world. And we have already included some of them on the playlist of this current tour.”
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