Joaquina is a young Venezuelan who lives in Miami who is only 19 years old and is already successful in music, especially after becoming the revelation artist in the Latin Grammy 2023. She has been enjoying our country and meeting many artists.
In Seville he could be with Aitana for which he has composed a song and has met some of the Spanish artists he admires. Without a doubt, they have been very special days for her that he has made the most of.
It was not the first time she visited Spain, a country that she fell in love with. We have taken advantage of her visit to chat with her about how she has lived through these crazy days.
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These days in Spain I suppose are being crazy, what is the first thing you are going to tell your friends about this country when you return to Miami?
Crazy. After a week in Seville we came to Madrid for a couple of days. We have a show here, it’s going to be very special. The first thing I’m going to do is show you the Grammy when I get home… no, no, no… the first thing I’m going to do when I get home is going to rest, sleep for two days, literally. Then, see my friends.
This Thursday you have a concert here, how are you facing it?
Yes, I’m very anxious. It’s my first concert in Madrid, the first time I’m going to do my own performance in Madrid and it’s going to be very nice. I’m going to sing some new songs from the upcoming album. Connecting with people super closely is going to be very special.
Coming album… where is that?
In the middle of the process, starting. The first single has just been released, but we are in the middle of the process.
The night of the Latin Grammys was special for you, how many tissues did you use up that night from crying so much?
Ohhhh, I didn’t know I had cried so much until I saw the video. I was drowning in tears there on the podium giving that speech, but there was no other way, I wasn’t going to stand there without crying as much as I did. We all use a lot of tissues. The whole team was crying, super happy.
It’s something you had imagined at some point, right?
No, it’s strange… well, yes, I had imagined it. All my life I had imagined it. Since I was 6 years old I have practiced my Grammy speech. It didn’t turn out like I practiced in the shower at the moment, but things did come out that I didn’t know were going to come out and I liked them. Yes, I had imagined it, a thousand percent, my entire life, but I didn’t expect it. I had zero expectations, I was very happy to be there and now, I don’t expect to win, but I’m here no matter what.
What is the first thing your parents said to you after receiving the award?
My mom was there with me, she had the chance to come with me and she was the first person I hugged. She cried later the next day because she didn’t understand the shock. And my dad, from home in Miami, called me with my sister crying. I had never seen my dad cry so much, he had to leave work. When my team saw my dad crying, everyone started crying.
Do you have a little sister, also with musical qualities?
Yes, he sings very beautifully, he composes very beautifully, he is starting to play instruments, but for now he doesn’t want to do it professionally. It’s not such a big passion, for now. It’s something he likes and it’s very good. I hope that one day I want to venture into this professionally.
You said in your speech that there were people who had told you that singing your own songs wasn’t a real career, did they listen to you?
I have been singing since I was very little and it took me a long time to develop my voice and discover what I liked to write about and how I liked to do it and it always happens to every musician, there are always people who tell you that you won’t be able to make it. What are you going to study? I’m doing a program to get a diploma in sound engineering and artist development and then I’m going to release my music, sign my first contract and start my career. No, but what are you going to study? It’s just that I’m studying. But what are you going to study? This is my life and many people don’t understand it. For a long time it was difficult for me, especially when I was at school and I was starting to sing, I wasn’t that good, I didn’t know how to sing live that much, I posted videos on social networks because I liked my room and people always make fun of you and tell you things, but even my own parents always supported me. They told me that they supported me as long as I showed that I was good and that I have what it takes. They liked what I did, but they still wanted me to go to college to study music and then a big opportunity came along and I ended up not going to college and here I am.
Where are you going to keep the gramophone?
I was joking with my parents about that when I left the house. I think that under the television, in the living room, that it can be seen in the entrance… no, no, lie, lie, lie.
You were able to sing with the rest of the nominees in the same category led by Juanes, what would you highlight about that moment?
Very nice, Juanes is a very noble being, one of the noblest people I know, one of the most humble people as well, at heart he is an extremely humble person. He is someone who always looks out for new talent, he is always looking for new artists to support. He always tells me about new artists that he listens to, that he likes, that can serve as inspiration for me. He is always hunting for talent, he has been with many artists that he believed in before anyone else. With us he was very special in the show, he looked after our interests and made sure we felt comfortable on stage and that is Juanes. Sharing that moment with the nominees was very nice.
One of them was Spanish, Borja, how about him?
He is a very good friend of mine, one of my best friends. We know each other before, but I think that on this trip we became much better friends. When we were nominated at the same time, he was one of the first people to call me and we were both crying on the phone: ‘Can you believe we’re going to Seville, I can’t believe it, together!’
On social networks we saw how Aitana sent you a message: “What great happiness.” What relationship do you have?
Aitana is beautiful. I’ve had the chance to write for her, write some songs for her. One of them came out right now on her latest album called Darari. I had the chance to meet her a couple of times in her studio working on her projects and since we met she has been very nice to me and she is an artist. A person with whom I have really enjoyed composing for her. Now I had the chance to see her in Seville and she was very nice.
Because, who did you go with to celebrate your Grammy in Seville?
She had an alpha house party and I was there, it was very crazy to see each other in Seville. Everyone has asked me about the Grammy after party, I went for half an hour and went to the hotel to sleep because it was five in the morning and I was very sleepy. I was very late and I spent half an hour at the after party, we celebrated hard and I left.
These days have been a lot of meetings. What Spanish artists have you been able to meet on this trip?
I had the opportunity to meet two of my favorites, Bisbal and Pablo Alborán and it was very crazy. Having the chance to talk to them, have them give me advice and be able to connect with them was very nice. I admire them both very much and it was a very special moment for me.
We said that it is an event with many meetings, and closing some collaboration?
To close collaborations… maybe… I definitely met many people with whom I became friends or got along very well and we agreed to meet in the studio and then… we will see in the future.
You had already been to Spain participating in the AmplificARTE program of the Princess of Girona Foundation, what was that experience like?
It is a very nice project that the Princess Girona Foundation has together with the studio with which I record in Miami. They made an alliance and brought my music and that of other artists who also record in the studio and it is like a program that promotes education through music and it is very interesting because they use the songs to study in the classrooms and it is very nice. The children study the songs. We came to Spain and stayed intermittently for two months, we sang in schools, events, we met the children in the schools and it was very nice.
Come on, you’re in Spain, like at home.
I love it, I have visited many cities and the ones I am missing.
Finally, I was touched to see the joy you expressed because you already had merchandising.
Thank you thank you thank you. I think the first times are something you can’t take for granted.
