Juan Luis Guerra Talks About His New EP “Radio Güira”

Should you’re Dominican and have been alive through the Eighties and ’90s, chances are high Juan Luis Guerra’s hits grew to become the soundtrack of your life. They’d play at each household perform, throughout lengthy automotive rides, or on the seaside, and he was doubtless your mami’s favourite artist to blast throughout her Saturday morning cleansing rituals. All through his prolific and four-decade profession, Guerra has not solely reinvented the tropical rhythms of his native Dominican Republic alongside his band 4.40, however he is additionally reached audiences manner past simply the Dominican group. With 30 million-plus albums offered around the globe and greater than 20 Latin Grammy wins, Guerra has turn out to be a legend within the Latin music house and never only for his poetic lyrics — he is sometimes called the Pablo Neruda of merengue and bachata — but additionally for by no means being afraid to innovate or coloration outdoors of the traces of what “Dominican music” is meant to sound like. His new EP, “Radio Güira,” which was launched earlier this month, proves simply that.

“Radio Güira” was impressed by each a radio present Guerra had years in the past, in addition to his love for the güira, a percussion instrument that is usually performed in Dominican folklore music. The progressive EP additionally contains interludes, radio-style commercials, and even certainly one of Guerra’s favourite habichuelas guisadas recipes by Nuna, the girl who cooks in his house. You hear her reciting the recipe within the intro to the “Cositas de Amor” observe.

“I had a radio [show] within the Dominican Republic known as Radio Viva and it performed music from the continents. Then once I began engaged on the album, [and] I noticed it was a whole lot of new issues — issues I have not completed earlier than,” Guerra tells POPSUGAR. “[With] ‘MAMBO 23,’ we had by no means completed merengue that quick. We started mixing it with classical, including French horn to the violins, which usually shouldn’t be completed, and [we] diverse the orchestration.”

Guerra has been fusing completely different sounds and genres because the ’80s, when virtually no different Latin music artist — not to mention a Dominican artist — was daring sufficient to strive. It is what has contributed to his signature sound. If a Juan Luis Guerra track performs on the radio, even when it is your first time listening to it, you will simply acknowledge it as certainly one of his. And with “Radio Güira,” there is a celebration of each old-fashioned and new college Guerra. It fuses genres like mambo, merengue, rock and even jazz.

“I attempted very arduous to attach with a youthful viewers on this album. I’ve already linked with different audiences, those that may take heed to my music as a result of they prefer it — thank God. However I needed to attach with a youthful one,” Guerra says.

Guerra’s inspiration to fuse sounds early in his profession had so much to do with the music he listened to throughout his youth ­— a whole lot of it being rock. He was an enormous fan of The Beatles rising up, for instance.

“The sound of our guitar, the way in which I play guitar, it is vitally rock-oriented inside bachata,” he says. “That is why our bachata has a unique coloration in comparison with others. I’ve all the time been drawn to mixing completely different genres and I believe the end result was superb [and] a whole lot of the youthful era are doing the identical.”

Guerra, who has additionally been in the course of his US tour, is up for 3 Latin Grammy nominations for his track with Colombian artist Fonseca, “Si Tú Me Quieres.” With many years of success underneath his belt, the Dominican artist nonetheless feels humbled by the accolades and assist he receives from the group.

“[It’s] a privilege I settle for with a whole lot of gratitude and fills me with pleasure. I settle for it as a present from God that they’re motivated by my music,” he says. “It’s a nice accountability and an important privilege on the identical time. Keep in mind that at my age, I had the accountability to set the trail in Europe. . . . After we arrived to Europe, bear in mind, every part was salsa. If we did merenge, to them it was salsa . . . I’ve had the privilege of opening doorways, largely with merengue and bachata as a result of salsa was already recognized, and naturally, it’s a privilege for us Dominicans to share our music with them. “

As for his poetic lyrics that may soften anybody’s coronary heart, Guerra credit his religion for every part he is been in a position to write and for carrying him by way of such an extended and profitable profession.

“My religion in Jesus is what holds me. After we collect right here, largely musicians, we pray: ‘Our God, from you comes our capability. Holy spirit take management over every part we’re going to do right here,'” he shares. “The whole lot you hear is impressed by him. We’re merely placing our tasks in his palms and he directs us.”

With all of the devastation occurring on this planet, Guerra desires listeners to expertise pleasure with “Radio Güira.” He refers back to the EP as “excellent news” that’s a lot wanted within the instances we’re presently residing in.

“The purpose of each artist is that this music is known. After I discover or once I know {that a} track can rework the lifetime of one other particular person, I believe that is once I really feel probably the most pleasure,” he concludes. “After I sing ‘Las Avispas’ [a track off of his 2004 album ‘Para Ti,’ which is entirely dedicated to his faith] and the message is obtained and an individual adjustments from unhappy to comfortable, I imagine that is probably the most stunning present that God may give us musicians. Due to this fact, to rework the lives of others is my largest hope with my music.”

Certainly, remodeling the lives of others by way of music is one thing many would agree Guerra has already completed.