St. Pedro, the twenty-year-old who prefers to look like Perales than Quevedo, the big favorite to win the Benidorm Fest 2024

In a previous life, Pedro Hernández (Tenerife, 27 years old) was a Canarian musician who had a rock band. He was also a young promise who reached the final of The voice versioning pop classics. And an emerging talent in reggaeton and urban sounds based in Miami with the support of Rosalía's discoverer. Since this Thursday he went to the final of the Benidorm Fest 2024, it is the big favorite for the betting houses (49% options and rising) with a bolero. Multiply by three the possibilities of the second most valued proposal, the festive and demanding one. Bitch from Nebulossa (15%). But, in this edition, anything can happen.

The Canarian, now converted into St. Pedro, refused to embrace the fashionable sound in the city of recording opportunities, returned to his native Canary Islands and found himself. He is preparing an album that includes the Latin roots in the music of the islands and that advances in Two strangers, with an unprecedented sound among the Spanish candidates to win Eurovision. He says that he wants to be a singer like the old ones and that he would rather live off his music for the next 50 years than dominate the ephemeral charts.

Ask. In recent years, you had focused on urban music, why didn't you opt for such a fashionable genre for the Benidorm Fest?

Answer. two strangers is part of a disk [Esta vida que elegí, a la venta el 16 de febrero] which investigates why merengue and salsa continue to be so popular in the Canary Islands. It's what sounds like at village festivals. We reviewed the Los Sabandeños vinyls, from the year 68 onwards, until we found a common denominator and united it with those background sounds that we heard in mom's or grandparents' car.

Q. The topic has a subtitle String Quartetbut the piano is wonderful.

R. If you like the piano in the song, in the original version, the one on the album, go there. It's more tropical jazz.

Q. The professional jury and a good part of the eurofans. But there are those who say that it is too slow for Eurovision.

R. Well, it ends with a cha cha chá… The good thing is that people are being very respectful, even when they are showing contrary opinions.

Q. At Benidorm Fest there are always two opposing positions: support the proposal with more options in Europe (such as Chanel and Agoney) or wear something with which we feel identified and proud, regardless of the result (Tanxugueiras, Blanca Paloma).

R. Music excites each person in a way, even sharing references and culture, so any option is valid. I understand the eurofans, but if I have to go to Malmö I am going to defend what I feel, that I am the one who shows my face on stage. I don't want to lose myself to please other people. I already went through that. And I was pretty screwed for a couple of years.

Q. Are you referring to when you moved to Miami after being a finalist for The voice and collaborated with reggaeton stars?

R. I was in a new country, in a new industry and with a new team. You listen to other people's opinions more than necessary. It was not me. I didn't connect with the genre, with the artists I had to work with, or with the producers, even though I admire them. I lost myself in the inertia of continuing to work.

I don't want to lose myself to please other people. I already went through that. And I was pretty screwed for a couple of years.

Q. What decision did you make?

R. Return to the Canary Islands, return to my lifelong friends, Ioné de la Cruz and Nelson Hernández, with whom I have done two strangers and the rest of my album. Now it's so clear to me that it's hard for me to get out of my way.

Q. There is a generation of young musicians who genuinely explore, out of respect rather than fashion, Hispanic musical roots. Guitarricadelafuente, Rosalía, C. Tangana…

R. And it was time. We've been depending on people who want us to make music quickly and cheaply for a long time. And the genres of before were neither quick nor cheap to make. Speaking badly and quickly, today's music is made to be heard from midnight to six in the morning. It seems to be telling the same story over and over again. I don't want to collaborate on that. And let it be known that I respect Quevedo a lot, because it is very difficult to connect with the public with the same theme as everyone else.

Q. It is clear that you are in the camp of bringing something authentic to Eurovision, even if it is less competitive.

R. It's just that we have [José Luis] Perales in our songbook and I can't tell you someone better in terms of quality.

Q. Well, according to the betting houses, whoever invests money in his victory in Benidorm is not going to get rich…

R. Well, I would put money in it Bitch from Nebulossa. She, Mery, seems like an incredible diva, the new queen of Spain. And her husband, Mark, the perfect squire, who lifts her up, accompanies her, knowing what her role is and giving her her place.

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