Before starting his tour of the United States, Karina Benites He offered an interview to La República to talk about his passion for music and all the challenges he had to face to dedicate himself to singing. She said that, in addition to being forced to finish her degrees in journalism and law, she had to deal with the scam industry, which has a clear predominance of male singers and groups.
Karina Benites, leader of the group Amaranta For eight years, he said that months ago he had the intention of making himself known more under his own name and releasing an album that reflected his musical essence, but he reached an agreement to continue with the family project. In this note, the Peruvian artist also makes a mea culpa for having participated in the video clip for 'Peruanos de Verdad' and refers to her confrontation with Haydée Raymundo.
—Why do they always try to pigeonhole you as a thug singer?
—That's from the first years of Amaranta's career. (They tell me) 'dress like a thug', but my album is not 100% thug. I have Ancashino huaino, Ayacuchano-style ballads, caporales. Or maybe it's because the public really liked the thug style that we had (at the beginning) that they wanted that only to represent us. However, all the time I have been defending myself that we have not always been an eminently thuggish group.
—You have also been criticized for your outfits..
—In some way, I have sought to stylize the Andean woman's costume, highlighting the flowers more because I love flowers and because Amaranta is precisely a flower. And looking to have a middle ground, where I don't have to be partial to a certain region in terms of attire, but they tell me 'if you sing bullshit, you should go out dressed as a jaujina'. So, what do I do if I dress as a jaujina and the song ends? Do I leave the musicians there and change into ancashina to go up and sing an Ancashino huaino? To me, it didn't make much sense. I looked for a middle point, something that represents me.
YOU CAN SEE: Amaranta happy to sing caporales and morenadas: “We are never going to stop doing nonsense”
—How difficult is it to be a woman in the thug industry?
—Since before I started recording an album, I wanted a contemporary production, with new sounds, with acoustic drums. When I was starting the Amaranta project, my manager told me: 'But that's a man's thing, there's William (Luna), Max Castro, Antología.' I told him: 'What's wrong? Why can't there be a woman?' Since the beginning of Amaranta, my struggle began to be able to do what I was born to do, what I like to do, where my musical taste leans. If I am going to show my face, if I am going to make the representative image of a musical group, then I want to feel good with what I do, I want to feel happy with what I perform. He replied: 'We are going to do this dancing, with timbales and we are going to where Sonia Morales and Dina Paúcar are.' I love her music, but it wasn't my thing.
—What did you feel when in the first Amaranta posters you appeared in a big way, surrounded by several male artists?
—(It was like) we won girls! I have a team behind me that has been supporting this work despite the fact that in the beginning there was a doubt because it was a pure gentleman's market. Achieving an advertisement where you feel like you are the main figure and you are surrounded by pure carnations is satisfying. Definitely, I am proud as a woman and that this is also an example for us girls to assert our tastes, our interests, always within morality and good customs.
Karina Benites, from Amaranta, leaves the controversies behind
—Do you regret having collaborated on 'True Peruvians'? What lesson has it left you?
—Analyze the situation and the sociopolitical context a little more perhaps, but it was not just my decision, I have a team behind me. It happens that I have a fairly daily relationship with TV Perú, regardless of the ruler there is, since long before Amaranta even (…). Obviously, there was a tremendous oversight and we made a mistake because it was not the time, it was not necessary and we were trying to defend the indefensible. After this, it is an experience for everyone, I am not the only one who 'screwed up', there are many of us who have been there.
—Have you felt rejection in the interior of the country because of that video?
-Null. Nobody has claimed me, I have not felt any type of rejection anywhere in Peru. When that happened, I made a video explaining the situation, letting it be known that I am not in favor of this or any government in power, because it is not my thing. For me, politics sucks, I'm never going to get into politics. There are many people who have understood it and have received it well, except for the occasional renegade out there, who will always be renegade from life, who will not understand any explanation. I don't live off those 5 or 10 people.
YOU CAN SEE: Amaranta denounces extortion threats and rules out holding concerts in the northern part of Lima
—Some artists have complained because you sing their songs. Has Amanda Portales said anything to you about 'Vasito de cristal'?
-No. She is a woman who is quite open and respectful of the new generations, she has supported many young artists, she has taken them to important stages because she is a mother hen, a mother who loves all the artists she sponsors. I haven't asked her to be my godmother yet so she can help me, but I respect her a lot and admire her work a lot. I will always be respectful of those who come before me, with those who have started this path. They deserve all the respect and admiration; and we must have them on the altar where they deserve.
—Have you already smoothed things over with Haydée Raymundo?
—I have no problem with the lady. I have always referred to her with the title of 'teacher', when I have been asked about her, I have mentioned her with due respect for her because, in principle, she is an older person. Second, she is before Amaranta, she has a long career with a lot of talent and beautiful songs. I will never speak any word to the detriment of her, something she has done not only with me, but with other fellow artists. For my part, she will always be respected and admired.
—Would you share the stage with her?
-I do not have any problem. She would sing with everyone, even with Bad Bunny, and what does it matter (laughs).
The new airs of Amaranta
—Is Karina Benites leaving Amaranta?
—That plan was pending. She was producing an album like Karina Benites, where cumbia, bachata, bolero and waltz are included. The idea, at first, was for Karina to be apart and Amaranta to be apart. That did not mean that I was going to leave the Amaranta project, I was simply going to pursue an independent career with a musical alternative to measure my artistic abilities. Since Amaranta is a family project, a consensus was reached that we take everything as part of Amaranta and see what happens. The respectable is the one who decides what is right and what is wrong.
YOU CAN SEE: Amaranta celebrates her success on YouTube: “It has helped us
reach youth”
—But like Karina you were going to have greater freedom..
—Exactly, it was going to have a more massive audience. For better or worse, our Andean music audience is very large, very loving, that hugs you so tightly and doesn't want you to leave (to another genre). But there is another audience, who is not a follower of Andean music, who wants to listen to something different and who may like 'A mi madre', a waltz that we just released. So why do we have to limit ourselves? We are free, artists are from the world. Let us be.
—Will that album, which was going to be released as Karina Benites and will now be by Amaranta, come out soon?
—It is in the production process. There are even some collaborations that are also in the production process that are coming later, but in due course we will announce it as it deserves, with great fanfare.
—Do you still dream of winning a Grammy?
—What artist doesn't have such a big dream? I think that artists who don't have dreams should talk to them and tell them: 'You don't have to limit yourself.' Why not dream of a Latin Grammy, a Grammy or any other award that God or life can put your way? Dream, aspire and if you don't get there, it will be in the afterlife.
Karina Benites invites her to her shows in Lima
After her triumphant return from the United States, Karina Benites will focus on finalizing details of her two concerts that she will offer during Mother's Month. The first will take place next Thursday, May 9, starting at 8:00 pm The show, called 'I sing to mom', will take place at the Grand National Theater. Tickets are available at Joinnus and at the theater box office.
On Saturday, May 11, Karina Benites and her Amaranta will give the show 'Serenade to Mom', which will take place at the Scencia convention center in La Molina, starting at 7:00 pm For that event, there will be guests of the caliber of Amanda Portales, La Bella Luz, Roxana Gutiérrez, Nueva Expresion Pomapata, among others.
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