Cecilia Bracamonte Chocano This October 31 marks the 60th anniversary of an extensive artistic career and will celebrate it on November 13 in a concert at the Great National Theater in San Borja. Infobae He spoke with the outstanding exponent of music, where he told us about his long career as a performer of Peruvian music, the closeness that social networks have given him with his audience and his position regarding the distancing that young people have from our music.
In addition, he referred to the Latin Grammy nominations of his colleagues Eva Ayllón and Susana Baca, and the recent statements by Bartola, who raised controversy for saying that she does not consider herself Afro-Peruvian.
Cecilia Bracamonte also gave us details of the documentary ‘Cecilia Bracamonte, pure energy′, a work that narrates the key moments of his successful musical career.
Sixty years of artistic career, what has all these years of career brought you?
The affection of my audience that I see on social networks and in shows.
What is the secret to staying current all these years?
I have an audience that is demanding and I like that because challenges make me grow. I am an athletic person and that makes my life balanced. I adopted sport in my career, they are things that have to go hand in hand, at least for me. Sport makes you vital, lucid and all of that is transferred to the public.
And on the professional side?
Learn to reinvent yourself all the time and look for new things in every way, in music and in life.
What has been the hardest thing you have had to live with throughout your career?
There are difficult moments like everything in life, in my case when I suffered from cancer twice, thank God I got over it, but you never know what might happen next. But after that I acquired a gratitude to God, because I still have things to do in my country.
How is your health now?
I’m fine, my last cancer was in 2007, now I have to do my checkup. I feel absolutely fine and in good health. In the pandemic, in the finals I caught it (COVID-19), I felt it like the flu, I even did my usual exercises.
Recently, the actress Natalia Salas announced that she has cancer, but she has proven to be strong, what can you advise her?
To keep a positive mind, not to go to bed, look for things to do and surround yourself with friends and family. One always has to be positive to receive the same. My friends did me a lot of good, they made me a kind of love bunker.
People are still not aware of preventive check-ups…
No one is free, they have to go for their annual check-ups, there are so many free campaigns, there is no excuse. This disease does not discriminate, men and women can give it to anyone.
In a recent interview, Bartola said that she does not consider herself Afro-Peruvian. Do you have any opinion on this?
I agree with her, she recognizes herself as Peruvian. She is fine, only that they have misunderstood her, they don’t have to put Afro-Peruvian labels on her, she is Peruvian because we all have inda and mandiga.
Have you suffered discrimination in Peru?
There is still discrimination, I suppose there is, it hasn’t happened to me, but we are all Peruvians and quite Creoles.
Regarding your career, has it been difficult as a woman to develop in the genre of Creole music?
The truth is that no, I have not felt discriminated against or harassed for being a woman. I am a person who makes me respect, I have never been exposed to that kind of thing. And if it had happened, I clarify quickly and without filter.
Talking about Creole music is also talking about Augusto Polo Campos, who was also an important part of your professional and personal growth. What is your feeling?
For me, it is a source of pride, I would have liked to have been honored more in life. His songs have become hymns. I feel proud because he is the father of my daughter Selena, because his songs will prevail forever.
What memories do you have of Augusto Polo Campos?
I have the best memories, we ended up being good friends, plus he composed so many songs for me, including her ‘Came back’. I was able to see him in his last weeks of life, I filled him with kisses and hugs. We had friction as happens in all couples, but everything changed and we ended up as good friends.
Very soon we will be able to see a documentary about your career, how was the process to carry out this project?
I was very happy that UPC Cultural paid me this tribute, which not only talks about my life, but also images of some concerts like the one I did at the Peruvian Japanese Theater. It fills me with so much pride and happiness. The news came through my production company, it is something that I am very grateful for. I feel happy because I feel that through this material many people will rediscover me.
How will they rediscover it?
My audience has continued to grow and rediscover my career, now they will be able to see this Cecilia as a positive, joking and loving person because people have had the wrong idea that I have been arrogant. I love transmitting what happens to me, good and bad, to my audience.
We also see this communication with his followers on his social networks. How have digital platforms helped you?
The networks have allowed me to open my heart, get closer so that people really know me as I am, how I think and how I see life. The messages from my followers move me, especially the blessings they send me, it breaks me a lot. There are also very funny comments that also make me laugh. I myself manage my personal Facebook account and my fanpage.
Do you feel that young people distance themselves from Creole music for preferring other fashionable genres?
The issue is that there are no programs like the ones before that promote the singers and composers of Peruvian music. Just as there are formats like ‘I Am’, ‘The Senior Voice’, There should also be programs to spread the talent that sings Creole music. It is something that identifies us, it is part of our country.
What kind of audience follows you?
I do different genres like waltzes, boleros, ballads, cumbias, black music, tango, everything. An artist must have the ability to recognize that you can sing different genres to reach different people.
Do you think that there are still people who celebrate and preserve the customs that were made on the ‘Day of the Creole Song’?
I imagine so, but he fights a lot with Halloween. There is an audience for everything, just as there are people who celebrate Halloween, there are also adults and children who cultivate Creole music.
What song can not miss to celebrate this October 31?
You can not miss a good jarana and made with the heart.
His colleagues Eva Ayllón and Susana Baca have been nominated for Latin Grammys…
I love it and I really like them. My comadre Eva Ayllón, the little worker of Creole music, as I call her, has an impressive rhythm and works hard. The same, Susana Baca who travels a lot and is always producing. It’s good that they are recognized internationally.
And would you like to be recognized like this?
I love that the public recognizes me, the other things are additions.
On November 13 you celebrate your anniversary, what can your audience expect at this great concert?
Because of the Creole Song and the anniversary of My Diamond Wedding, I am going to celebrate it in a big way at the Gran Teatro Nacional. In this show, my audience will have the best of me and as always I will not let them down, I will give all my energy.
They will have Peruvian, international, flamenco, tango music, among others. In addition, there will be a guitar show that has accompanied me throughout these years. And as if that were not enough, with Cecilia Barraza and Regina Alcover let’s reminisce a bit about the show ‘Three women for the show’, which people remember fondly.
When will the documentary ‘Cecilia Bracamonte, pure energy’ be presented?
On November 2, my documentary will be presented at 7 pm at the San Isidro campus of the UPC. I’ll be there to find out what’s going on, and I’m sure I’ll sing some songs.
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