Public Republic

Sofia Papazova talks with musician and composer Yoni Vidal

Video: “Ksido” EOOD

About today’s concert you say that you’re coming to Bulgaria for the third time in a year to play for “one of the most incredible audiences” you’ve ever seen. What do you like most about Bulgaria and the Bulgarian fans?

They are very open, they are very curious and they receive our music very well. I don’t know why I didn’t expect that people from the Balkans would respond like this to our chill-out music, our Latin music, and they really feel the music – they start to dance – they’re a fantastic audience and I really mean it.

Photo: “Ksido” EOOD

Thank you! How did it feel to represent Belgium on its National Day here, in Bulgaria? What mood did you create with your music on that special day?

It represents a lot for us, because we all live in Belgium and we all owe a lot to Belgium. Belgium has been good to us and it’s been a good concert. In the meantime, there are Italians, there’s one Belgian, a Spanish, and we all work and live there. So it was a big honor for us to be invited by the Ambassador to make this thing.

The thing that we prepared, It’s in this kind of event, it’s like a reception, so we need to just play some background music and for this chill out my idea was interesting, because it’s music that is there but doesn’t bring too much attention – you just enjoy the conversation with a guest, or whatever.

And after, we were thinking, OK, now we’re gonna play Latin music, we need to dance, to party, and it was a very nice evening.

Photo: “Ksido” EOOD

“Chill out my waves” – a fresh blend of Spanish guitar, Buddhist thoughts, flamenco singers and electronic sounds. What is the message of this amazing new album?

The message… I don’t think there’s really a message in the album. The only thing I intend to do is that… to put in this album all the knowledge that I have in music and all the things that I love.

I don’t have conditions from record companies, so I can do what I want, and I always love to mix different influences, different sounds from around the world. I’m always looking to play the right notes, not to play too much, and to make something nice, and this is what we attempt to do – trying to make nice sounds, nice music, something to please the listeners, to relax them, to put a smile in their face…

Photo: “Ksido” EOOD

The members of your band, Estrellas, are also here with you. Can you tell us a bit more about them – who are they and how do they like it here?

Ok, on the piano we have Fabio Picchi – he is a very brilliant piano player, he plays jazz… and is very good for Latin music.

On the drums I have Angelo Crisci – fifty years experience as a musician in the music business, background is huge, he can play from one set to the other… On the bass I have Alain Rinaldo – a fantastic drum player, he just brings something to the music, he just doesn’t play the notes as he is supposed to, he brings his little… every bass… but the way he plays is awesome.

And on the other guitar I have Juan Manuel Camus – beautiful singer, really has this Spanish, typical voice, we’ve known each other and we play together since… I don’t know, twenty years, we know each other very well and I don’t need to look at him – I know exactly where he would go, where I would go, that’s fantastic.

Photo: “Ksido” EOOD

Tonight you played at the STUDIO 5 club in Sofia – how was it? Would you like to say something to your fans?

Of course, I’m very proud to be back – it was a very big surprise to be invited to play again in this place, I just want to tell them “Thank you” for receiving us and for coming to see us again tonight.

Photo: “Ksido” EOOD

Will you have time to walk around and explore Sofia when you’re done performing?

We did this afternoon, for the first time we did it. We just took the afternoon for us, we took a map and we walked to visit the Cathedral, the big monuments of Sofia, some street painters – it was a beautiful afternoon, the sun was shining, and we took pictures, it was very nice.

Photo: “Ksido” EOOD

What does music mean to you? Does your life inspire your music or does your music inspire your life, or is it both?

I would say it’s both – it comes with no effort to me to make music because I’ve always been into this, when I was a child, I was playing good guitars. Didn’t play guitar of course, but I was very attracted to it. It’s the natural way for me to be. I choose this life, it’s not the easiest life of course, but it brings me a lot of joy and I try to do it as good as possible.

Photo: “Ksido” EOOD

When do you find time to compose?

The composition process is very weird, very strange. There is no plan to compose – it comes or it doesn’t come. It’s very… I don’t know… But what I do now of course, with recorders, telephones or computers is, if I have an idea, I write it down or I work in my studio and I put ideas in. One day I put everything together and make new recordings.

Photo: “Ksido” EOOD

When you sit down to listen to music, what do you listen to?

Oh… I used to listen first to music and then to to lyrics, and I think I’ve become more experienced, I try to pay a lot of attention to the ensemble and to the lyrics.

It’s hard for me sometimes, because you really need to stop thinking and take music as it is which is not always easy – you always have to what the guitar players do, the piano, so I try to receive it completely and just feel the atmosphere and listen, just listen.

Photo: “Ksido” EOOD

What are your plans for the rest of the summer? When can we expect to see you again in Bulgaria?

Ok, the plans for the rest of the summer are in Belgium, Germany, Holland, a couple of festivals, and then I also want to take a holiday, I want to visit Spain, my family, and I really think seriously about planning…

Because it’s always frustrating to come and go directly, with no chance to socialize, to visit, go shopping or visit the mountains…

And Bulgaria again – we are waiting for you!

Thank you very much, of course – I really love the place.

Thank you!

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Questions: Jasmina Tacheva