Colombian singer-songwriter Andrés Cepeda chatted about his upcoming 2024 “Tengo Ganas” U.S. Tour, and his four Latin Grammy wins.
2024 U.S. Tour
His forthcoming North American Tour will kick off on April 9 at the City Winery in Nashville, Tennessee. Fellow Colombian singer-songwriter Alejandro Santamaria will serve as his special musical guest.
“This tour will be much larger than the tour that we did last year,” he admitted. “This tour will have around 19 or 20 shows and I am very excited. It will be a whole different experience. Last year’s shows were more acoustic and jazz oriented.”
Cepeda noted that this tour will consist of pop, rock, electric guitars, synths, bass, organ, and drums. The tour will conclude on May 3 at the Shubert Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts.
“This tour will showcase the pop side of my music, and I will be dancing through pop, Latin music and a little bit of rock,” he said.
“It will be a little more energetic, and more rock and roll. I hope it inspires people to dance because it has a Latin flair to it,” he explained.
“I hope we continue to have this nice connection with our Latin audiences, but I also hope that it introduces new audiences to my music. It should be a nice mixture of Latin culture and American people too,” he added.
Carnegie Hall show
On May 1, he will be performing at New York’s historic Carnegie Hall venue. Ironically enough, he previously played there back in October of 2022 as part of his “La Ruta Púrpura” Tour.
“Carnegie Hall is amazing,” he said. “We were there last year when I played there for the first time. I was really excited because it’s a great venue with a lot of history to it. To be able to perform there again will be so great. It’s really an honor to step on that stage. I am very happy.”
Music and songwriting inspirations
Regarding his music and songwriting inspirations, Cepeda said, “It has always been about telling my own love stories. I discovered I wanted to write music and sing since I was a very shy teenager. I stuttered and I had lots of trouble communicating but I was able to let my feelings show through music.”
“I discovered that it was a great gift, and I began writing music when I was 12 years old. Then, I made my first album with a band when I was around 16 years old,” he said.
4th career Latin Grammy win
Most recently, he won his fourth career Latin Grammy Award (out of 15 career nominations) at the 2023 ceremony for “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album” for his latest studio offering “Décimo Cuarto.” “It felt really amazing,” he exclaimed. “Each time, it gets better. You would think it fades out but it’s just the opposite,” he said with a sweet laugh.
“As long as you have the chance to continue to celebrate a long career, it’s worth it, and I am very grateful for what I have had. That was very nice. I was very happy,” he said.
Latest endeavors
On his latest endeavors, Cepeda said, “I am working on a new album now, which will be called ‘Bogotá’ like my home city. It is kind of a retrospective of the style from the first half of my career being interpreted by today’s standards.”
“It will be quite interesting to rescue something from the past and bring it to the present. I will be releasing it in the first half of 2024,” he added.
Judge on ‘The Voice Colombia’
He also serves as a judge for “The Voice Colombia” (“La Voz Colombia”) for the past decade. “It has been so nice. It has been 10 seasons now,” he revealed. “I’m recording one right now, and I have been onboard now all these years. I enjoy it a lot. Right now, we are doing ‘The Voice Kids’ and you have a lot of fun with the kids.”
“By working with the kids, you get in touch with those first feelings of being on a stage. You remember all these dreams, anxieties, and expectations when you first start out. I enjoy my partners on that show, and it’s a nice working environment. I really love it,” he exclaimed.
The digital age
On being an artist in the digital age, Cepeda said, “It’s funny because when I started my career, we were still doing vinyl and cassettes. Then, there was the evolution of CDs, and the evolution of digital. It has been an interesting experience because it has been a constant evolution and change.”
Cepeda continued, “I have been a witness and a participant in all these changes. I kind of feel proud to be a survivor too. It is interesting, and it keeps you on the tip of your toes because every six months something new happens. We have to get used to it.”
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Cepeda said, “The nice view.” “I’m in a moment in my career where I can look back and feel proud, and still look forward for some new things,” he said.
“There are so many new things left to do so that’s why I’m so eager to make the best out of my time, and make as much music as possible,” he added.
Dream collaboration choice in music: Juan Luis Guerra
He listed Juan Luis Gerra as his dream collaboration choice in music. “Juan is an incredible composer, arranger, and singer. He is a great inspiration and role model,” he said.
Superpower of choice
If he were to have any superpower, it would be “teleportation.” “That would be great because I wouldn’t need airports and planes to travel,” he said with a sweet laugh.
Favorite motto to live by
On his favorite motto to live by, Cepeda shared, “I chose a path that lets me be free in so many ways. Art is liberty and freedom.”
Pre-show ritual
He shared that prior to each show, he ingests a couple of cups of “aguardiente,” a distilled alcoholic spirit similar to moonshine. “Aguardiente really opens up your lungs, your throat, as well as your mind and your soul,” he said. “A few shots of aguardiente is a good way to start each show.”
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, he said, “Success is being able to do what you love the most and being able to make a living doing that.”
“Doing things that make you feel happy and fulfilled is success. In my case, it is doing the music I love,” he said.
To learn more about Colombian singer-songwriter Andrés Cepeda, his music and tour dates, check out his official website, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.