Behind the Scenes No. 4 Interview with Juandas

We spoke with Juandas, a singer-songwriter from Bogotá, about his years making music, the company he has given us on some of our best nights, the magic behind his music, and his influences. This is Tras Bambalinas by Isla Presenta!

1. To start, I'd like us to travel back in time and for you to tell us a little about yourself. You started out in music in 2012. What were those early days like for you?

Well, actually, the project as such began in 2012. In music, I started when I was very young in the Children's Program at the National University, where I began my education. That's where I learned my first musical tools, then when I was older I participated in the first version of Factor XS and that's where I got a little more into popular music, so to speak. Then I had several groups, a rock band, a reggae band, and after all those processes, I started my project as a singer-songwriter, Juandas y los Dementes Conscientes. The first few years have been wonderful, full of beautiful experiences, of coming together with the band, of starting to create. We've had some great moments, great gifts from the universe that have brought us here.

2. We'd like you to tell us a little about your influences. We know they're quite diverse, from songwriting masters like Joan Manuel Serrat and Sabina to Calle 13. How have you connected that diversity in your music?

Well, at first, those artists did influence me, but over time we've broken out of the mold. Juandas y Los Dementes was a group that started out very much as singer-songwriters, and we've always wanted to make music that is very organic around the lyrics; the lyrics are the center of our music. Personally, I connect very much with any artist who I feel speaks honestly, from their truth, because I feel that when they do so, they end up being a channel for energies greater than human ones. Those are the artists I connect with regardless of genre, and that's the kind of music we try to make regardless of genre. Lately, we've explored a lot of rhythms thanks to the internet and the diversity we have access to. On our latest album, we've done singer-songwriter music, reggae, even rumba chocuana, so it's becoming increasingly difficult to categorize us into a genre.

3. You have been part of two Isla Presenta shows. On the one hand, alongside Rózalen, and as a guest alongside Manuel Medrano. What have these moments meant to you?

The two shows with Isla have been great gifts for us, opportunities to sow our seed and, of course, always a great opportunity to deliver what we want to deliver on the best stages and at the highest levels. So we are absolutely grateful for these opportunities and always aware of being able to continue creating together and spreading a positive message through art.

4. Despite all the definitions surrounding your project, Latin, pop, reggae, and more. Tell us, Juandas, how do you define your own project?

Our project is not yet fully defined. I am a singer-songwriter, and in Spain they call this “canción de autor” (songwriting), but I think that's biased, because as I said, musicians today have access to too much information. You're no longer born in a certain place and develop your genre based on your surroundings. With a search engine, you can go and study African music, Indian music, so it's very difficult to remain biased in terms of genre and rhythms. I am a music explorer. I believe that music is one, it is vibration in reality, so I am a singer-songwriter who explores the music of the world with minimal use of machines and with all my soul, always with the purpose of giving, serving, and being useful through the gifts that have been given to us.

5. And looking ahead, what can we expect from you and your project in the coming months?

We are finishing up an EP, our first EP, which has been a wonderful work, very permeated with life. I am a person who is constantly on a spiritual quest, and in recent years I have made great strides in those areas, so that the messages and lessons I have been finding naturally now permeate my music. Regarding the projection, a little more tangible, what comes next is to leave the country. We have been presented with a couple of opportunities to go to Mexico and Spain. So, very grateful and happy, I am doing everything I can and preparing myself to go after those goals of bringing the message to neighboring countries.

6. To finish, we would like you to recommend a Colombian artist and another Latin American artist that we should be listening to right now.

I would recommend an album made by two Argentine singer-songwriters in collaboration, called La Mirada Prestada, by Niño ETC. and Facundo Galli. It is an absolute work of art that I question a lot, as it still does not have a much greater reach than it does. I would dare to say that it is currently my favorite album.

Interview by Jaime Cortés