Interview with Antonio Reyes, cantaor

Interview: Sara Arguijo

Over the past year, everyone seems to have conspired to situate Antonio Reyes among the most relevant stars of current flamenco, thanks to his subtle intuitive singing, his sweet delivery and the freshness of his well-cured sound. In this interview he tells DeFlamenco how he's living this fine moment in his career.

«I like feeling the warmth of the audience even more than I like singing».

He has a shyness that comes off as believable.  He appears vulnerable when he unconsciously lowers his gaze, and his answers are short.  And yet, he's accessible, affable and friendly.  The kind of person whom you would be quick to trust with your dog, or whom you would invite to a Sunday barbecue.

Antonio Reyes speaks with a relaxed laidback tone, giving importance to each word spoken, or to none of them.  Just as he does with his singing, which is extremely subtle and intuitive.  His throat is worn, in the most positive sense.  Among flamenco fans, the word is it was precisely these characteristics that earned him the Giraldillo at the last Bienal de Sevilla in the show «Cantaores», in which he shared the stage with another young star, Jesús Méndez.  The jury saw in his performance a capacity for «incorporating his personality into the heritage of the great maestros».  It became a major issue: why was the award for him, and not for the Jerez singer?  Needless to say, he prefers not to give his opinion.  He doesn't like talking about himself, or bragging, and this reinforces his natural sweetness and that way of being.  He says «Jesús is a terrific singer, and I'm sure he'll have his Giraldillo» which closes the question.

In any case, it wasn't the only important award, nor will it be the last for the singer from Chiclana de la Frontera (Cádiz) in recent months.  He was chosen to receive the Flamencoradio.com Prize for most outstanding artist of 2014, and he received the prize for Best Recital of the Year from the Peña «El Taranto» in Almería among others.  It's as if everyone has agreed to promote this singer and situate him among the top stars.  «I'm aware that I have a lot to learn, but it's true that I'm in my best artistic moment right now» he says.

Clearly, Antonio Reyes can afford to make that claim.  He has been a flamenco artist since he was childhood, «I've never done anything else», he points out, and since debuting at the age of six in Ojén, he has never stopped giving recitals at flamenco associations, festivals and theaters, getting his training, and growing, right in front of the audience.  In other words, Reyes has always been exposed to flamenco fans, stumbling and then correcting himself when necessary.  That's why he seems self-assured, «much more self-confident».

«What I aim for is to offer my own truth through singing. I try not to fake anything».

His voice has become fuller and rounder, and what could just as easily have limited him, ended up being his personal sound.  Every singer knows the most difficult thing is to find one's own personality.  And this is, perhaps, what is most appreciated in Reyes.  The freshness of his well-aged sound.  His melodious delivery.  His exquisite taste.  As Félix Grande said of Caracol, being able to make every line a stab in the air, or to the throat of all listeners; whether singing fandangos or zambras, his sound always had the dignity of siguiriyas.  «What I aim for is to offer my own truth through singing» he says, now speaking emphatically.  «I try not to fake anything.  I just remember the great maestros (among whom he mentions Camaron, Mairena and Caracol), and try to be myself» he says.  No more, no less than what you would expect him to say.

«Jesús Méndez is a terrific singer, and I'm sure he'll have his Giraldillo»

With this philosophy, he is currently preparing a record «flamenco through and through», that he hopes to bring out in May, and for which he has already finished a bulería por soleá, and some tangos with Manuel Parrilla.  He also has the collaboration of Diego del Morao, Antonio Higuero and Manuel Valencia.

Of course, despite the busy concert schedule of the coming months, Reyes' intention doesn't seem to be that of becoming a start.   He's one of those singers who needs to communicate in intimate venues.  «You can be inspired anywhere, but in the peñas and flamenco associations you can really appreciate the cante» he says.  He's quite convinced that what makes him feel like a real artist is the spectator, and says «I like feeling the warmth of the audience even more than I like singing».  So we ask him: With this roll you're on, what is your most immediate artistic goal?  He doesn't even skip a beat: «To continue just as I am, living flamenco and enjoying the respect of the audience and my colleagues.  Who could ask for more?»

 

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