5 Things

Last year, Enrique Bunbury was on the verge of calling it quits. “I started having a convulsive, nocturnal cough that made me unable to sleep at night,” says the Spanish superstar, who went through his greatest moments of uncertainty while on tour celebrating his 35-year career. “I felt sand in my lungs. I accepted that it was the end of my career on stage.” But he did not retire, and the former frontman of Héroes del Silencio lived to tell the tale.
Bunbury chatted with Billboard during the virtual edition of LAMC 2023 about his upcoming album Greta Garbo, due out in May, why Los Angeles turned out to be the perfect place for him to live in anonymity and why he was on the brink of quitting the stage altogether.

Here are five things we learned from Bunbury, in his own words.

A severe allergy that he was unaware of almost led him to retire from the stage.

The last year has been complicated. The hardest and most traumatic part was at the beginning of 2022, when we started the 35th anniversary tour. I started having a convulsive, nocturnal cough that made me unable to sleep at night. I felt sand in my lungs. I had had a few episodes on previous tours, but it was on this one that I lost my voice and couldn’t sing. We came to the conclusion to end the tour. I accepted that it was the end of my career on stage. After several months of tests with a specialist, [we discovered] that the problem came from a chemical component in the smoke on stage called glycol. [It was] a source of satisfaction to know that I physically had no health problems, other than this reaction to a toxic component. I can lead an absolutely normal life and continue with my work.

His single “Invulnerables” is a sample of what he has experienced during the last year.

Almost all the songs on the new album [Greta Garbo] were composed in this period and have a very direct relationship with what was happening to me. There are some songs that show the most dramatic part and the circumstances of the lowest moments, and others in which I lived a certain euphoria and a certain enthusiasm thinking that nothing is over. In the end you move on to another stage, and there are new horizons that opened up and I started to get excited about the possibilities of expressing myself in other ways, and to be able to continue my career in a new direction. These ups and downs exist and are shown in the album.

Surprisingly, he found anonymity in Los Angeles.

I’ve been living in Los Angeles for 13 years. I’ve been a pretty nomadic person. I’ve moved around to different cities and I like to change houses and locations. It helps to have new perspectives to your outlook regarding music and the profession. I think musicians are observant in that sense. I can live a life of near anonymity. Sitting in a café and being able to observe and write is something I have not been able to do in some places because I have felt observed. Being known in cities in Spain or Latin America has hindered me a little bit. [In Los Angeles] I’ve been fortunate enough to be anonymous enough to be able to go to a supermarket, go to a movie, walk down the street. It’s something I’m especially grateful to the city for. 

At the same time, L.A. is a big capital — it’s a place where a lot of things happen on many levels. Not only Hollywood, there is also independent cinema and porn cinema, there is all kinds of cinema. The same in the music world, there are big and small record labels, and clubs with a very alternative vibe. It is a city where all the big artists want to go. Culturally, it’s a city that offers a lot.

He takes meticulous care of his wardrobe

I try to accompany the music with an image that corresponds to each of the albums or creative moments I’m in. I’ve always liked that artists on stage take care of their stage presence. It seems to me a form of respect for the audience. Dressing, let’s say, is like when you go to a special celebration, when you go to a birthday party, or when you go to a funeral or to a church. You try to dress as dignified as possible. I think there’s something ceremonial and festive about a concert. All that I want to show also with the costumes, with the lights, with the stage. It’s a way of respecting the public, the audience and the profession.

He identified with the Greta Garbo Syndrome.

The title [of my new album] comes from the actress Greta Garbo. At the age of 36 she decided to step away from public life. We call that the Greta Garbo Syndrome. It’s something that flitted through my life during this period. The thought that I wasn’t going to have that contact with the fans made me reflect in many directions. What was going to happen to me? To what extent was it going to be a total farewell? To what extent was it going to isolate me from not having that ceremonial contact with the fans? To what extent am I going to miss it much? Is it going to be a blessing? All these reflections appear on the album. 

Musically, it’s an album that we recorded organically, with analog tape, together with producer Adán Jodorowski. It may seem a bit retro or vintage, [but] I think it’s finally fresh, direct and electric. I have the impression that people are going to pick it up with interest for the fact of seeing me somehow so naked musically and in the texts.

The LAMC 2023 virtual event takes place this week, April 26-28, with back-to-back panels on mental health, music publishing, localization strategies and more. For the fourth year in a row, LAMC is offering free registration for all panels, workshops and presentations. Watch the full virtual program on Twitch.

As música urbana continues to permeate all corners of pop culture — from the charts to Billboard magazine covers and in the global music festival circuit — the genre now makes its way to a TV-competition series as a Netflix Original. 

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La Firma (The Signing), the first-ever Latin music competition show on the streaming platform, seeks to sign the next big Latin music star with the support of some big names: Rauw Alejandro, Tainy, Nicki Nicole, Yandel and Lex Borrero. 

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to give artists from all over Latin America a platform to be heard, [and] what better home than Netflix and in front of some of the biggest names in Latin music,” Borrero tells Billboard Español via email. 

In a similar spirit as The Voice and Making The Band, La Firma places 12 hopeful contestants in a mansion, and follows them for the chance to secure a record deal with Neon16 — a talent incubator founded by Borrero and Tainy. Spectators are introduced to budding talent from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Perú, and the U.S.

“What makes La Firma unique is that we are not just looking for talent, but artists with something to say in the world. To stand out, you have to be original,” affirms Borrero in the first episode of the eight-part series which premiered last week (Apr. 4); that’s the premise of La Firma, which you’ll read below.  

There are plenty of highlights in the five episodes that are now streaming — the remaining three will premiere on Wednesday, April 12. Here are five things we learned: 

“There are many people with talent but few with something to say”

Throughout the series, the all-star cast of judges share valuable industry wisdom with contestants (and spectators). Although Borrero is the first one to be brutally honest with the dozen budding artists, his feedback is always constructive. “Nerves and falsetto don’t go well together,” he offers — or, “There is a big difference between being a good writer and being an artist. Work on your artistic image, because in music you have it.”

Another side of your favorite Latin music superstar  

Seeing Tainy, Yandel, Rauw and Nicki Nicole outside of their usual musical persona is appealing. Beyond the celebrity role, the four superstar judges act like coaches, even cheerleaders at times. They share their own experiences to help elevate their contestants. Rauw and Nicki Nicole lighten up the intensity of Lex Borrero’s hard criticism. Yandel and Tainy offer deep insight into a field they’ve seen evolve from its roots in the ’00s. Shots outside of the judging/coaching element are charming too; there’s a scene where Rauw is at the barbershop and Yandel coolly interferes in the fading process and buzzes his hair. “That’s some real Puerto Rican s–t,” said my La Firma viewing partner, who is Boricua himself.

Borrero is intimidating, but it makes for great entertainment 

The entertainment mogul knows how to intensify the scene, in a nail-biting kinda way. “You have the best in the industry, and impressing them is not going to be easy,” Borrero says early in the show. His astute criticism and wise one-liners come equipped with advice that’s meant to endure, like good ol’ tough love, the kind that can stick forever in a budding artist. 

Then there’s the process of elimination, which will have some at the edge of their seat. Bodyguard Tony isn’t one to mess with; he gives Borrero the unsigned contracts of those who run the risk of losing the round. After all is said and we learn who has lost, Borrero presumes to shred the contract in two with his bare hands, thus building for classic competition-based reality TV sensationalism.

An intimate look at the backgrounds of a diverse casting 

The show wastes no time spotlighting their rising stars. As soon as the hopeful crew arrive at their Miami mansion, they are immediately told they’ll be put to the test on day one. That night, they make their way to the E11EVEN club, where we learn the type of style each player is bringing to the table. But beyond their individual talent, the show goes at lengths to shed an intimate light on the dozen, who some come from humble beginnings. We get a glimpse of their world back home, but also the struggles that some of them have faced in their own lives.    

As the show evolves, the artists grow on you — and La Firma is able to capture their big transition, especially for those who still remain. Their personalities shine, they become less shy and they begin to write and perform better music. Neon16 had built a rep for developing compelling acts, and they display that on the show. 

Key elements that Latin industry heads look for in aspiring artists  

Aside from making an entertaining series that highlights the genre in a new light, La Firma offers a deeper look at the Latin music industry. The five star judges take the reins in examining the various components of a contestant’s potential star power: from their artistic image to vocal range, song themes, stage presence and ability to shine even in unfamiliar and perhaps uncomfortable settings.

Each day, the contestants are put through unique challenges that push them to think outside the box, and how well they handle pressure — even if it’s random, like assuming the role of Borrero’s assistants for a day. Judges test their willingness, discipline and creativity, all while contestants simultaneously write original songs alongside some of the best songwriters and producers in the industry: Elena Rose, Albert Hype, Jota Rosa, Gaby Morales, and The Rudeboyz. They also travel to Puerto Rico to discover reggaetón’s foundations, see iconic venues like El Choli, meet with genre pioneer Luny and more.