Kevin Johansen is an Argentine American singer-songwriter who fuses the music of his country with alternative rock and pop. The artist has managed to win the affection of his fans thanks to his versatility in composing and performing various musical genres. Recently, he arrived in Peru to have a special meeting with his fans at the concert he gave with Liniers in the exhibition park last February 22.
In conversation with La República, the artist opened his heart to admit that he wants to record a song with the Peruvian Susana Baca in the future, tells how he forged his knowledge in various musical genres and provides details of his new musical album.
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—Kevin, you have revolutionized music by fusing various genres with alternative rock and American pop. You have called this fusion degenerate, why?
—Yes (laughs), once in Spain, several years ago, it happened to me that journalists asked me: “But what genre are you doing, man?” And I started to think about the genre because when I started, at the beginning of the 2000s, I didn't know where to place my career as a solo artist and there was doubt from people about whether they would put me in pop, rock, alternative. I said: “I don't know, what I do are songs.” My answer is that my genre is the song and so far I'm going that way. It was a funny way of saying that I am a 'degenerate' and this term stuck until now.
—You have made it very clear that you can navigate through all possible and existing genres, but is there one that is your favorite and is there another that you have said “no, I will never play this”?
—Of course, there are genres that in themselves are more accessible due to training, from what I heard when I was a child. I had a very folkloric upbringing from my mother: folk, Yankee, Bob Dylan. I also listened to Latin American folklore, songs from Chile, Argentina, and Afro-Peruvian music. You have to learn how arrangements are made. There is the responsibility to put your own imprint on it, put your vibe and your essence on it. That is the challenge.
—So you don't rule out browsing other sounds that are more fashionable?
—No, of course not, I have a 16-year-old son who shows me every last pop song or the latest trap singer. You realize how they produce music now. I can even realize that the genres are cousins and sometimes I remember what I danced when I was young with what the new artists release.
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—You mentioned Peru a moment ago, what appreciation do you have of Peruvian music and could you try to make a new genre with a national artist?
—There is so much in Peruvian music. I already had the pleasure of collaborating with Los Mirlos, Bareto. I think that with Susana Baca it would be an honor to sing something with her, something that is well representative of here and then there are thousands of bands that I like. I don't close myself to anything, I think that when there is a buzz the topic can catch on. When I do collaborations, I like the other artist to be in their comfort zone.
—With your Peruvian fans, you just met again in the Exhibition park, what was the experience of meeting them again?
—Many years ago I came with my first band in the 80s, so that was the first time I felt like an audience understood what I was singing in my songs. Peru was the first country outside of Argentina that I came to. That also for me has a connotation of a lot of real gratitude. At the concert (which was held last February 22), we laughed because at one point there was a kind of Creole milonga to dance to. About 40 people came up. The party was set up. That is the Peruvian public, very happy.
—Now you release a new album that is full of artists, tell us a little.
—I said it was a small album, but the producers told me no, that it was important. It's a little rumbita talking about genres that I find cute. There are several songs with a flamenco orchestra. Natalia Lafourcade is also present in a song called 'Puntos equidistantes' that has already been released. It is to be surprised in this life.
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