Interview with Argentina – Las minas de Egipto

Huelva singer Argentina who appeared on the flamenco scene a couple of years ago with a record called simply “Argentina” that was very successful among fans and critics, now presents her second recording, much more mature and thought out: “Las Minas de Egipto”.

“Las Minas de Egipto”, why such an exotic name?
Well, that’s exactly why we chose the title, because it sounded exotic, original and daring, but it actually comes from a verse of soleá I recorded with the same name and, well, I wanted to highlight this bulería por soleá and the singer who popularized it, Rosalía de Triana.  Even though she only recorded two cantes, as far as I’m concerned she is, and always will be one of the greats, because of her way of singing and her voice, she doesn’t remind you of anyone else, very personal.

I couldn’t see any pyramids in the publicity photos…
[Laughter]  No, of course not, we took the pictures at the Río Tinto mines in Huelva.  First we made the whole record, and when it became clear the title was going to be “Las Minas de Egipto”, we had to scramble to find a place for the photo shoot, and had this great idea of going to Río Tinto where the landscape doesn’t have much in common with Egypt, but it’s the closest thing, or at least similar…they are both very surprising places, full of earth colors, and parts of it even look like a desert.  So we had that idea and started working on the design for the cover, and I think it all came out well.

A second record after the success of the first one is quite a responsibility.
Yes, it is, it’s always difficult to outdo former work, but what I can tell you is this time I was more excited about the work, and we had more time to work out the details in order to guarantee the outcome.

So the soleá of Rosalía de Triana is the first thing you were sure would be on the record, and then you filled out the rest with other cantes.
Yes, I was sure I was going to record a soleá where Rosalía would be present, also something of Antonio Chacón, the bulerías I usually do in live performance with verses of Fernanda de Utrera and Paquera de Jerez, which gives the title “Entre Utrera y Jerez en Casa Vela”, and of course I wanted to record the first fandangos I learned and which I always sang at contests in Huelva.

I read in other interviews where you talk about this record, you mention “flamenco roots with a pop feeling”.  Just how much flamenco is there, and how much pop?
It’s 90% flamenco, only one theme is a little different from the rest.  “Cada Vez” was originally going to be tangos, but with José Mestre’s arrangements it just ended up as a song.

Record companies set conditions, even for flamenco recordings.  In your case, since you made the record yourself, are there still conditions that have to be met?
I think when you start out and choose a path, you should stick to it, because if you change, your audience can get confused.  I had the chance to make my first record and do whatever I wanted, and I was also being advised by my producer and the idea was to create this union of modern and traditional, so my idea is to continue in the same line, but I think the record is very flamenco.

In addition to the solea, we find the bulerías “Entre Utrera y Jerez en Casa Vela”.  What about those bulerías?

Well, I put that title because the verses are from Fernanda de Utrera and Paquera de Jerez, two great pillars in my daily study, and bringing them together in bulerías was one of my dreams for this record.  “Casa Vela” comes from the fact that it was recorded in a bar that belongs to a great friend of mine, a very flamenco place whose walls are covered with flamenco artists like Camarón de la Isla, Enrique Morente, Paco Toronjo, Niño Miguel, etc…

The malagueña and media granaína of Chacón are also done in your own way.
I tried to copy what was recorded as precisely as possible, to get all the subtleties just right, all the arabesques in the malagueña and the granaína, but it’s not so easy to interpret that maestro’s cantes with that prodigious voice of his that he left recorded for us.  Usually the granaína is sung or recorded with the media granaína, but I decided to make a different arrangement, to pick out one of the malagueñas with musicality similar to granaína and media granaína.  I think these are Antonio Chacón’s most noteworthy cantes, and that’s why I wanted to record them.

Fandangos close out the record, just as you’d expect from a good Huelva girl…
Yes, as I said, these are fandangos I’ve always sung, the same styles and the same verses.  When I brought out the first record, a lot of flamenco fans in Huelva said they’d like me to record traditional fandangos on a future recording, so that’s what I did.

Bolita is on this recording again, he was also aware of the responsibility of a second recording.
Yes, of course, more so than me, since he’s the producer and he’s the one who has to have clear ideas.

In the beginning when we met you in Madrid, your voice was compared to that of Carmen Linares and Arcángel…  Perhaps when you hear a new voice you have to associate it with one you already know.  How does Argentina construct her own style?
Yes, I agree with you, when we hear someone new there’s that custom of looking for similarities, and I think studying and working, and the will to improve day after day is what makes you change, and little by little you grow as an artist, but only time will tell.

And for live performance, the recording can be done just as recorded.  What will the format be for your recitals after this record?
Of course, what we most need is many places to demonstrate that the record can be performed just as recorded.  That’s what we did with the first one, we were always prepared to make it sound the same as the recording, and it’s what we’ll do with this one in large format for “Las Minas de Eqipto”.

Where will you present the record?
First in my hometown of Huelva, as is only fitting, then in Madrid and Seville.  We hope to take it all over Spain.

You’ve been in almost all the major flamenco festivals.  Will we see you in Madrid’s SUMA, or Seville’s Bienal?
Possibly in both, to present the record, no better showcase for “Las Minas de Egipto”.

Has there been any concert in recent years that you would consider unforgettable?
Yes, in 2007 I had the opportunity to do my show twice in Barcelona, first, within the Festival de Cajón at the Luz de Gas club, and second at the Fiesta de la Mercé on the avenue of the cathedral in the open air and free for everyone.  We began the show with the most classic cante, and ended with pop themes like the rumbas “Se me Perdió en Sevilla”, “Las Palabras”, “El Árbol”, and I remember all the seats were taken, and halfway through the concert, more and more people began to come, and from my vantage point it looked just like a rock concert, with everyone dancing, jumping and having a great time, they were wonderful moments I never thought would come my way.  

To finish up, name three flamenco artists.
Antonio «El Chaqueta»,El Beni de Cádiz and Sernita de Jerez.

And three women…
Tia Anica la Piriñaca, Isabelita de Jerez and La Perla de Cádiz.

And as far as records, name three that you have that are worn thin from playing them.
«Omega» of Enrique Morente, Tomás Pavón’s and the Albúm de Oro of Antonio Chacón.

And something not flamenco, what would you recommend?
For example, one of the musical styles most similar to flamenco is fado, and I would recommend “Matriz” by Teresa Salgueiro.

We wish you luck with the record, and hope to see you at the best festivals.
Thank you, we also hope so.

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