Beatriz Luengo: Sometimes silence is better after a word

USPA NEWS - Beatriz Luengo (Madrid, 1982) is a singer, actress, dancer and, above all, a Spanish composer who has become an important space in the US record industry writing for Latin artists such as Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and Alejandro Sanz, among others. This week she received the 'De pura cepa' award in Logrono, capital of the Rioja wine region, and spoke exclusively with USPA News.

Beatriz Luengo is petite, she shows vitality and she is eager to achieve her goals. Born in Madrid on December 23, 1982, she soon discovered that her vocation was music, but understood as a set of artistic activities that includes dance and composition. In this last field, her inspiration is Alejandro Sanz. She lived in France and, currently, in the United States, where she has a house and contract with Sony USA.

How is your American experience?

Very good, much better than I expected. At first, arriving as a Spaniard in Miami is difficult because in the USA there is a Mexican, Puerto Rican and Cuban public. Spain does not represent much as a community. This is reflected in music and in the art world because television and record companies want people to identify with the products they bring out.

Do you feel well treated?

They treated me so good. The truth is that I arrived with very low expectations, eager to learn. But immediately I saw that there was a place for me as a composer, I did not know if as an artist. Then I signed Sony USA and started working my career in all of Latin America. With the composition I have been spectacular, I have composed for all the most important Latin artists, I have had eight Grammy nominations and I have won a Grammy for composing all the latest Ricky Martin album. I have also composed for Ruben Blades, for people that I never thought would happen to me.

Alejandro Sanz is the one who most influences you?

Alejandro has been my artist. I suppose there are people who have many idols of the photo in their folder and in their room. The only one of mine has been Alejandro. For me it has been a very big inspiration. When I was singing in my room Mariah Carey and Withney Houston, and Alejandro appeared, through his music I learned that I wanted to sing my own words. It is very important because I would not have been happy just singing, I am happy when I can tell people that this song I wrote for this, for my son, for my situation, and the feeling that it generates is what makes me happy. I owe the happiness of my work nowadays, to have been able to compose for others. I invited him to a song and at the beginning, imagine, everyone wants to sing with him and he told me: "I do not sing songs of others, but send it to me", and the truth is that he liked it. It is a very special song.

And very beautiful

The other day, we already finished the whole process of mixing, mastering, I said: "I want to thank you because, beyond singing with me, you have taught me a lot in the whole process because in the subject of production, the arrangement, the mixture, has taught me that less is more, that the best is the enemy of the good... These are phrases of him. I, having Alejandro, put together an orchestration, a string sextet, I made it super big. Then, when we had made it very big, he said: "I do not know, he lost the magic of the demo, the simple demo, guitar, voice, you and me singing this lyrics. Why do we have to be invented? Why do not we focus on the feeling?" For me it has been a great lesson because I believe that music is that, simply connect. The strings are wonderful, I like them a lot as an instrument, but sometimes they add up and sometimes silence is better after a word.

And from now?

Last year I was practically half a year in the USA and half a year in Spain. Last week I came with my bags and prepared. I schooled my son here and said: "This is going to be my place." I'm going to be traveling, I have my house in Miami, I'm going to rent it ... What happens is that I have work things to do there, especially composition, and facing this record because I'm signed there. The company is going to work for me in the USA in the Latin territories. I believe that this year will be more Mexico and Spain. They gave me a golden record for this song that I just sang in Mexico, without ever having gone, just because of the strength of social networks, my video went viral with the song, and Spotify. I will go to Mexico for the first time in January, receiving a golden record for this song. The people had discovered it. Mexico has become a very special place because, without having gone to fight it, it has happened to me and I want to dedicate time this year.

Do you feel a woman of pure strain?

Yes. Today I was thinking when it came: what does it mean to be a pure strain? Let me look for the real meaning, but suddenly I thought: what is it for me, what I feel it means? For me it is to have courage, to be authentic. It has a lot to do with that, with being real. It is my emotional feeling. He identifies a lot with me that I have always tried in my career to do what I honestly felt. My songs talk about me, I've never thought if I was going to do well or badly. In Spain, many times, there are people who tell me: "In Spain you have not been given the love you deserved." I feel the affection of the people and I do what I want with my music. What else can I ask?