6 minute read
Up close and personal with Luis Fonsi
Credits: David Fitt exclusively for On The Move
Credits: David Fitt exclusively for On The Move
LUIS FONSI
The past two years have been a whirlwind of a time for Luis Fonsi. After meeting him for the first time in April 2017, the Latin singer unveiled one of the most successful songs of the decade «Despacito» that shined a new light on the Latino music community. Two years later, the artist originally from Puerto Rico released his long awaited album «Vida» about which he’s very proud of. Up close and personal with the Latin superstar.
Credits: David Fitt exclusively for On The Move
On The Move: Hi Luis, we are happy to have you back. Last time we met it was in April 2017 right after the release of the original version of «Despacito». You told you at the time that you feel you haven’t written your best song and album yet. Do you feel like you’ve done it with «Vida» now?
Luis Fonsi: I’m so happy to be back in France and meet up with you guys again. Thank you for the continued support! I think it’s my best album yet but I think there are always better things to come. That’s how I always face life. I think «Vida» is my best album in my 20- year career, no doubt. I think I am at a stage where I am growing, learning and evolving so much that I always want to do bigger and better things.
« Music is one language »
On The Move: Speaking of this new album «Vida», how would you describe it?
Luis Fonsi: It’s where I am at the moment as a person, as a musician, as a songwriter. It’s how I see and feel music. It’s the mixture of many things: of dance songs, Latino, fusion, up-tempo songs, beautiful ballads, personal life stories are told through music.
On The Move: In this album there are a lot of ballads and everything is minimalistic.
Luis Fonsi: It’s honesty. It’s purely honesty: being organic and truthful, and minimalistic. Maybe that’s my hidden message. There are some songs that have a lot of production on but there are some songs that are very simple and that’s who I am. I travel between those two worlds but at the end of the day I am a simple guy.
On The Move: Your fans have waited for so long for this album to come out and with «Despacito» you created a real momentum. What was the strategy behind the release of the album?
Luis Fonsi: It takes time to write songs and choose the right ones. It took me about one year and a half to get all the songs in the album and then we unveiled the first single «Despacito» which really took off for one entire year. Then we released several songs after that. We decided to show this album little by little before releasing the whole album.
On The Move: «Despacito» opened a lot of doors for you but also for Latin artists to break into the international market. What was the biggest lesson you’ve learned from this success?
Luis Fonsi: Yes, it really opened my eyes and made me really realize that music is one language and that the world just wants to dance and have a good time and songs like that make the world a little smaller in a good way. We are a little closer. That specific song opened my eyes and made me realize that I - and other Latin artists - could do music for the rest of the world and not just for Spanish-speaking countries.
On The Move: This song really had a huge impact not just on the charts in 2017 - 2018 but on the whole industry!
Luis Fonsi: I think there’s a before and after in Latin music because of «Despacito» worldwide but I don’t think it’s solely because of me or because of the song. I can’t sit here and take credit. I think I am a part of a movement that has been strong for many many years and I’m proud to be a part of this movement. Of course the song was big and it broke all kinds of records but it takes more than one song and one person to change the game. I’m glad that I have an amazing group of artists that are my brothers and sisters who are doing amazing things. At the end of the day what we all want is for Latin music to leave a good legacy and to share what we do with the world.
« There’s a before and after in Latin music because of “Despacito” worldwide »
On The Move: In your new album «Vida», all the songs are in your native language, however you still have three remixes in English. Is it important for you to still make music in English somehow?
Luis Fonsi: «Sola» for example was an easy translation. When we wrote it in Spanish and then saw the result in English I decided to keep to two versions because the two were good and brought something different to the track. I didn’t put much thought into it, I was just like let’s do it. I did this with a few songs, I didn’t put them all in the album though. I speak English and I’m 100% comfortable speaking and singing in English and there are some songs that can be translated well and some can’t.
Credits: David Fitt exclusively for On The Move
On The Move: But you still keep your language alive!
Luis Fonsi: Exactly. At the end of the day, success or not, I am still a Latin artist and I will always be one. I might sing some songs in English but it’s not like I’m changing my perspective or the way I approach music, my audience or the way I’m going to market myself. I’m as Latino as it gets (laugh). I love my language and I love my culture. I think English helps me to open up to other audiences but I don’t see it as a shift.
« I am a part of a movement that has been strong for many years »
Luis Fonsi’s debut album «Comenzaré», released in 1998.
On The Move: You recently collaborated on the song «Baby» by Clean Bandit with Marine. The song is amazing and also really different from what he can usually hear from you. Do you have other collaborations on the work?
Luis Fonsi: Yes, I am doing all kids of collaborations. Just like my albums, it’s very eclectic. I don’t stick to one specific sound. I love to change it up, to sing in different languages, to do more traditional stuff or more urban. I’m doing a country song and everything. It’s about the music, not the genre so I love the surprise factor.
On The Move: Now that your album is out, what comes next?
Luis Fonsi: For now I’m still promoting the album and especially the song «Sola». I will go on tour in June and start a world tour. I don’t know what the next single is going to be, it’s too early. I start the rehearsals for the tour in May, so I don’t know what it will look like yet. I’m putting ideas down on paper with my team but it’s going to be a great show. Hopefully I’ll see you guys there!
«Palabras del Silencio», released in 2008, was a huge success in North/South America and in Spain.
Credits: David Fitt exclusively for On The Move
Credits: David Fitt exclusively for On The Move
Credits: David Fitt exclusively for On The Move
INTERVIEW BY Pam Charbit & Naoumi Benattar PHOTOS BY DAVID FITT
Luis Fonsi’s 10th album «Vida», released worldwide in February 2019.
