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<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nAT: I agree. For me, it\u2019s crucial to align on how we approach the work. I want to dedicate myself fully, but I need the artist to match that commitment. Sometimes, I\u2019ve felt my dedication to them is strong, their dedication to themselves is strong, but their dedication to me is lacking.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nDS:\u00a0<\/strong>Exactly. That\u2019s something we all face at some point. Like in personal relationships, we sometimes make mistakes professionally. You might think, “This project has potential; I can take it far.” But then the artist places limits that don\u2019t align with your goals. For example, you plan an international strategy involving festivals, but the artist, for personal or ecological reasons, doesn\u2019t want to fly. That can significantly constrain your plans.<\/p>\nAT: Yes, and sometimes they don\u2019t realize the urgency of responding quickly to your needs. Our minds are constantly occupied with these matters. Sometimes inspiration strikes, and you have a great idea. You want feedback immediately but can\u2019t wait a day. There\u2019s an element of creativity and artistry on our side that I think isn\u2019t always understood. We need that spark of inspiration and for the artist to join us in capturing it. Do you feel that way?<\/strong><\/p>\nDS:\u00a0<\/strong>Absolutely, especially regarding immediacy. There are deadlines, whether for submitting a grant proposal or being considered for a festival. You need materials\u2014photos, recordings, and so on\u2014but the artist might not have high-quality content ready. It\u2019s frustrating to realize you can\u2019t move forward because of that.<\/p>\nAT: Yes, or having to cobble something together, like recording a rehearsal just to have something.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nDS:\u00a0<\/strong>Exactly, makeshift solutions.<\/p>\nAT: What do you think are the most common mistakes artists make? You must get approached by artists daily, asking for your support. What recurring issues do you see, or how should they approach you differently?<\/strong><\/p>\nDS:\u00a0<\/strong>Linking this to what I mentioned earlier\u2014materials. When someone wants to present an artistic proposal, they must realize you need solid materials upfront. High-quality audiovisual content is essential, not just a studio recording, which is relatively easy to arrange. But, for example, a multi-camera recording of a live performance, a well-prepared artistic dossier with press references, high-quality photos, a technical rider, and a hospitality rider\u2014these basics are often missing.<\/p>\nThis lack often stems from not understanding the industry. Artists know how to execute their projects and are likely the best at doing so because it\u2019s their creation. But everything beyond the stage, outside the artist\u2019s creative realm, often falls short.
\nSo, the first major issue is the lack of quality materials. The second is a lack of understanding of the industry itself. We, as professionals, deal with administrations and festivals daily. We know how challenging it is to secure a spot in a festival lineup. But artists sometimes have an ego (in a positive sense) that leads them to believe their project is a perfect fit for a festival. They may not realize that 100 other projects are vying for the same spot.<\/p>\n
So, I think there\u2019s a lack of understanding of how a festival or a programming process works. There\u2019s a team behind it that has to put together a cohesive lineup, sometimes with a specific theme. Your project might not fit this year or even next. This can lead to frustration, with artists thinking, \u201cWe\u2019ve been trying to get into this festival for seven years, but I do flamenco, for example, and I\u2019m still not there.\u201d But it\u2019s all very relative.<\/p>\n
AT: Exactly. I\u2019ve had moments where I don\u2019t know how to handle it. I try to be didactic when approached by artists. Sometimes, they even call me directly. I pick up the phone, not knowing who it is, and it\u2019s an artist asking for attention. It feels like they don\u2019t put themselves in our shoes\u2014they don\u2019t realize that when they approach us, they\u2019re asking us to dedicate our resources\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\nDS:\u00a0<\/strong>\u2026for free\u2026<\/p>\nAT: \u2026and our time, with no immediate return, only the potential of maybe recovering something down the line.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nDS:\u00a0<\/strong>Exactly. In our line of work, we often start earning zero. Many times, we\u2019re the ones financing artists\u2019 careers. We\u2019re the ones investing in creating quality materials, drafting strong press kits, and contacting media outlets. We only start to recover some of that investment once we book a concert for the artist, whether at a theatre, festival, or elsewhere. Even then, it\u2019s based on a pre-agreed commission percentage. You\u2019d need to secure a significant number of bookings to recoup your investment. Often, artists\u2014though not all\u2014want to get everything while contributing very little financially.<\/p>\nAT: Or nothing at all. Many times, they want to contribute nothing. I think it\u2019s crucial for artists to read and understand this because I often feel like they believe I have a magic wand. They think I can just wave it and say, \u201cAh, yes, I like you; I\u2019ll place you here, here, and here.\u201d That\u2019s not how it works. They need to realize what they\u2019re asking of us. If an artist comes to me with only five subscribers on their YouTube channel after two years, they can\u2019t ask for anything. How dare you even contact me, especially if I don\u2019t know you, and demand my attention?<\/strong><\/p>\nDS:\u00a0<\/strong>And I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve experienced cases where they see your artist roster and say, \u201cWell, I\u2019m in line with what you do.\u201d And you think, \u201cNo, you\u2019re not in line.\u201d Musically, they might do something similar. But if your roster includes internationally established artists with professional trajectories, and then someone with five YouTube subscribers or 1,000 views in two years approaches you, that\u2019s not the profile you\u2019re looking for. Moreover, it could harm your work with the other, more professional artists you work with.<\/p>\nAT: It\u2019s harmful in terms of opportunity cost. If I dedicate time to one artist, it\u2019s time I\u2019m taking away from others. Their request needs to be highly justified, and they must prove to me that they\u2019re investing in themselves, in me, and in the journey we\u2019ll do together. One of the main issues is that they ask me to do what they\u2019re not willing to do for themselves.
\nAnother question. What would you ask of the Three Kings as we approach Christmas, specifically in relation to your work?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nDS:\u00a0<\/strong>That self-employment fees are reduced, that the taxes we pay translate into better living standards, services, and healthcare\u2014beyond just my work. Professionally, I\u2019d ask for the dismantling of lobbies around certain festivals and power structures within the music industry. Let large music corporations stick to their domain and stop meddling in what we do, which is much more artisanal.
\nMost importantly, I\u2019d ask for recognition of what we do\u2014supporting very specific, challenging projects that are difficult to promote, export, and find a place for. At the very least, our work deserves to be valued.<\/p>\nAT: What advice would you give to someone starting in your line of work?<\/strong><\/p>\nDS:\u00a0<\/strong>Above all, have patience. This is a long-term career. From my perspective, after 15 years, I can say that success doesn\u2019t happen overnight. It requires investing countless hours daily. Everything comes in time, but you need to work consistently, believe in what you\u2019re doing, and present yourself authentically and naturally. Defend the project you\u2019re working on with passion and determination.
\nAlso, be open to advice from those around you who can guide and support you. Find allies along the way. In this profession, it\u2019s much easier to work with partners or friends who can exchange not just work but also conversations and knowledge. That\u2019s important.<\/p>\nAT: Perfect. We\u2019ve covered advice for musicians, professionals like us, and even politicians. We have something for anyone!\u00a0But I have two more questions before we wrap up. How would you define the type of music you work with, especially in relation to this next question: why do you think it deserves a place?<\/strong><\/p>\nDS:\u00a0<\/strong>Most of the music I work with stems from roots and tradition. I believe it deserves a place because it\u2019s part of our cultural DNA and identity as members of a community. This connection ties closely to where you\u2019re from. The majority of the artists I work with engage with the music of their birthplaces, where they grew up, and where they live.<\/p>\nTo me, this intangible heritage\u2014from pizzicas to field recordings and reinterpretations\u2014is crucial. The starting point for most of the artists I collaborate with is traditional music. Many of them draw inspiration from these traditions and integrate elements from other genres, like electronic music or visual and performance arts. But there\u2019s always a foundation in roots music.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s essential to value this music because it reflects where we come from and where we\u2019re going. We can\u2019t disconnect from the land.<\/p>\n
AT: Anything else you\u2019d like to add?<\/strong><\/p>\nDS:\u00a0<\/strong>Just to thank the newsletter readers, you, dear Araceli, and to acknowledge that we\u2019re brave for doing what we do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n| Sierra Contrataci\u00f3n Art\u00edstica works with La Jose. She participated in the last edition of La Voz (The Voice) and I really liked this performance of her. So, check it and, if you want to book her, contact David Sierra!!!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/mcusercontent.com\/993c677d53044839b1b39b2dc\/video_thumbnails_new\/e4210b5732e76d1c3d678f563d398651.png\") <\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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The end of the year is here. I don\u2019t know about you, but I can\u2019t help but take a moment to reflect and analyze, thinking about what to change and what to continue just as it is.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/mcusercontent.com\/993c677d53044839b1b39b2dc\/images\/5acf4865-ce62-9395-37ba-dd4d39d3c43b.png\")
<\/a>It\u2019s also time to take stock of the charts. I\u2019ve had some wonderful surprises, such as\u00a0We<\/em>, Vig\u00fcela\u2019s tenth album, making it onto Mondo Sonoro\u2019s list of the best flamenco and roots music albums.\u00a0It made me really happy because it’s a long-standing magazine and a generalist one, not specialized, so it was a very pleasant surprise.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/mcusercontent.com\/993c677d53044839b1b39b2dc\/images\/45782798-4d45-a5c9-ba80-195f9deec355.jpeg\")
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