*The following article contains excerpts from an interview originally conducted in Spanish, with both versions on display for your enlightenment.
Two of Latin America’s greatest songwriters, Amanda Miguel and Diego Verdaguer, will be coming together for a special presentation of their ‘Siempre Juntos U.S. Tour 2018’ inside Sacramento’s Ace of Spades on Saturday, September 29.
We spoke with Diego Verdaguer in anticipation of the show in Sacramento and one thing is for sure, family is forever, but the music this family has made lives in the depths of sentimental hearts.
“La vida es una cuestión obviamente individual,” dijo Verdaguer. “Cada uno atravesé por las experiencias del camino de su vida y la música acompaña y hay tanta música allí afuera que podría acompañarte en tu vida, es muy difícil lograr que alguna canción se quede en el recuerdo de la gente y pase de generación a generación. Nosotros afortunadamente hemos logrado eso en un cierto sector de la población del mundo.”
“Life is obviously an individual experience,” said Verdaguer. “Each individual ventures through the experiences in their life’s path and music goes along with it and there is so much music out there that could join you in your life, it’s real difficult for a song to remain in people’s memories and pass from generation to generation. We have fortunately achieved that in a certain sector of this world’s population.”
Through these achievements, Amanda has managed to sell more than 40 million albums worldwide since launching her career in the early 80s, while Diego has sold more than 20 million records and garnered three Latin Grammy nominations.
Always together, Amanda and Diego spend a majority of their time at home in Mexico, while they have also made Los Angeles their home, with a studio and office included. At the time of this interview, the two were lounging in robes at home in Mexico, following a successful solo show for Amanda at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City.
“Aveces se mezcla lo intimo con cosas de trabajo,” dijo Verdaguer. “Es parte de la vida. Hay que saber entenderlo y cuando puede uno, tu sabes también, separarlo verdad? Para que no se enrede y se pueda disfrutar todo.”
“Sometimes you mix intimate times with the job,” said Verdaguer. “It’s part of life. One has to understand it and one can, you know as well, separate it, right? So that things don’t get tangled and one can enjoy it all.”
As the two make their way to Sacramento in the first two days of their new tour, Verdaguer recalls the brief times he has visited California’s capitol, particularly during Arnold Schwarzenegger’s term as Governor.
“Es una ciudad linda,” dijo Verdaguer. “Estado una vuelta, comí allí en el centro, e visitado el capitolio allí por fuera, si, me dio la curiosidad que es la capital obviamente de California.”
“It’s a beautiful city,” said Verdaguer. “I’ve made my rounds, ate in downtown and visited the Capitol on the outside. I was curious because it’s the capitol, obviously of California.”
In fact, he personally got to enjoy Sacramento from the “Governator’s” private view in the sky.
“Un día me llevo en helicóptero hasta allí,” dijo Verdaguer. “Porque el era amigo de otro político, Villaraigosa, y bueno pues allí hubo un encuentro y sucedió que llego a pasear en su helicóptero por allí, era su helicóptero. Si, fue cuando era Gobernador.”
“One day he flew me all the way there in helicopter,” said Verdaguer. “Because he was friends with another politician, [former Los Angeles Mayor] Villaraigosa, and well then, there was an encounter and we happened to get to fly there in his helicopter. Yeah, it was when he was Governor.”
For all the adventures Verdaguer has surely enjoyed in his life, it would be fair to say his greatest joy will always lie in the music. Looking ahead at the show in Sacramento next week, he promises to share all sides of his loving family’s musical journey, surrounded by love and transparency.
“Ojala la gente se vuelta a ver este gran espectáculo que vamos a llevar a Sacramento,” dijo Verdaguer. “Como dije, con llenos de éxitos de canciones famosas y con una presencia fundamentalmente amorosa – nuestra. Si, el show pasa por todo. pasa por mucha alegría, mucha nostalgia, reflexión, a lo mejor alguna emoción – porque se recuerdan de sus propias cosas. Las personas con la música se acuerdan de sus propias cosas, y si el momento se da, pues, hay emoción, no?”
“Hopefully the people come out to see this great show that we are going to bring to Sacramento,” said Verdaguer. “Like I said, full of famous hit songs and a fundamentally romantic presence – ours. Yes, the show goes through everything. It goes through a lot of happiness, a lot of nostalgia, reflection, I’m sure some sort of emotion – because they recall their own experiences. With music, people remember their own experiences, and if the moment is presented, well, there’s emotion, right?”
For more information on Amanda Miguel, visit AmandaMiguel.com.
For more information on Diego Verdaguer, visit DiegoVerdaguer.com.
