A self-described tourist of different musical genres, Latin Pop sensation Camilo has quickly become one of Colombia’s biggest musical exports in recent years. And for his new album, cuatro, the genre-blurring artist did anything but play by the numbers, exploring the tropical music for the first time.
Featuring collaborations with his wife, Evaluna Montaner, Cuban salsa artist Alexander Abreu and his band Havana D’Primera, and Música Mexicana superstar Carin Leon (who sings salsa on the album for the first time in his career), Camilo said this album was an opportunity not just for creative discovery, but self-discovery.
“This album challenged me to learn and to play new instruments, unleash my creative freedom, explore places and emotions that reside within me, and also dare to incorporate sounds made with everyday objects that are not musical instruments.”
Debuting the album in four separate “moments,” which recall the countdown that introduces a new song: “un, dos, tres, cuatro,”—and Camilo made use of Spotify’s countdown pages to build anticipation for each release.
For the Record caught up with Camilo from Casa Spotify Bogotá in his home country to talk about the new album.
You’re at Casa Spotify Bogotá. What does it mean for you to be there with your fans?
Any chance to return to the city where I experienced the most beautiful moments of my life is one I’ll gladly take. With my album just released, it felt essential to come here and celebrate in the place that inspired the sounds now integral to my creative process. Being here at Casa Spotify, a place I’ve never visited before, is wonderful.
How has Spotify contributed to your career and the creation of your new album?
From the very start, Spotify has been a crucial part of my career. I remember an important moment as an artist when I was on the phone with my team, setting up my Spotify profile. I had zero monthly listeners, just my first song uploaded.
Spotify has stood by me through the release of each of my four albums. “La Tribu,” my community, has grown with the support of the projects we’ve done together with Spotify. It’s wonderful to see that, four albums later, we’re doing even cooler, bigger, more creative, and interesting things. It fills me with joy and gives me a lot of hope for all the future holds for La Tribu and Spotify.
Which Spotify features do you find most useful as an artist?
Personally, Spotify is part of my daily life. My wife and I have a habit of creating a playlist every month, and we make ourselves listen only to the music on it, or new music we discover to see if we like it and add it. It helps us immortalize moments of our lives with memories in a playlist. When we listen to it, it’s like going back to those moments. Like keeping a journal, but in playlists
How does Colombia inspire you and what role does it play in your creative process?
It’s very difficult for me to talk about my creative and artistic identity without mentioning my origin and roots, the seeds that have grown into fruit. It’s impossible to talk about myself without talking about Colombia. Especially at this point in my career, where I have an album full of memories of a child who was immersed in many genres, dreaming of one day embracing them from his own identity.
I feel very fortunate that so many countries and my community are discovering sounds that have been real to me since the first day I picked up a guitar. Today, seeing that I can play Pambiche, Guaguancó, Salsa, Merengue, or explore African sounds, I feel blessed.
Which artists inspire you?
I constantly draw inspiration from the artists I listen to. I am also blessed to have had the opportunity to work with many of the artists I’ve admired throughout my life. I want to highlight the Colombian tropical music artists, our salsa orchestras, and those who continue to uphold our folklore. I continue to learn from them, adding more color and richness to my work.
Which artists, songwriters, and producers would you like to collaborate with?
In my list of creative goals, I was certain that the dream of writing with Omar Geles would come true. I had imagined it many times. I was greatly influenced by Omar Geles’ style. When I learned of his passing, it hit me very hard.
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