2023-08-21 06:52:16
From the first batch of Operación Triunfo, Juan Camus (Laredo, 1973) was the most cryptic contestant of all. Even though he didn’t arouse the same passion as David Bisbal, Chenoa, Gisela, Rosa, david bustamante o Nuria Fergo, managed to get the public to support him on the four occasions in which he was nominated. They even called him back to return to the Academy. However, the feat was not enough to conquer an industry that did not have a magnifying glass on him. The initial idea was that was part of Formula Open (the group made up of Geno, Mireia, Javián and Álex), but he refused. And he fought for his right to a personal project that was close to his musical truth. The things I never told you (2002) came to light in September, quite distant from the proposals of their respective colleagues. A move that took away its prominence and, of course, its impact.
Refugee in London, he has created a shadow race which already exceeds 49 singles and seven albums. The eighth will arrive in September under the name of Sahara. And the ninth and tenth are already around his head. Now, music has not been his only ally. Also He has designed perfumes, candles, jewelry, clothing, cosmetics… A lover of cryptocurrencies and NFTs is recognized. He has Mark Zuckerberg in line. And he unconditionally defends the LGTBIQ + collective. What is striking is that none of these actions has transcended beyond a handful of headlines that, except for surprise, have not had the foundation of his testimony. One that, as happened in the reunion organized by RTVE in 2016 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the format, has never been without controversy: implacable and subtle, the co-author of the immortal strips naked My music is your voice.
Q. Before Triumph operation He already had his moment of glory.
A. Yes, I entered a competition in the United Kingdom organized by a television channel and I finished second singing Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me. This gave me the confidence I needed to keep going. It made me think that maybe I had a chance. Of Triumph operation I cherish the times the audience saved me. They were significant amounts of money if we take into account that all of Spain saw us. That made me understand that they believed in me, that I had their unconditional support and that they knew, and they agreed, that there was room for me.
Q. In any way, did the contest foster rivalry among the 16 contestants?
R. For my part, there was not. On the contrary. I had no idea what was happening outside, but every week I noticed that my self-esteem was diminishing… Although I always had the strength to carry on, in the end, I understood that fighting for my position in a place where they didn’t want me was useless. After facing four nominations, I felt that it was time to pass the baton and I preferred to give the opportunity to someone else. From camaraderie, not strategy, I asked viewers to vote for another. This and that, obviously, there were more popular profiles than mine caused me to leave.
Q. Was everyone treated equally?
R. As far as I am concerned, the answer is very clear. Although I like to call things by their name, I don’t like to victimize or play the victim. Everything has a reason and it happens when it’s time. Regardless of the deal, I have seven published LPs and two underway.
Q. He was the last contestant of his generation to edit his album: The things I never told you It was released in September 2002, seven months after Rosa López’s victory. Why was it delayed?
R. The dome had everything organized to the millimeter and decided to put me in Open Formula. And what do you want me to tell you… it wasn’t my style. I have mine, so I didn’t see myself in the band. The easy thing would have been to accept the offer, but I felt that those who had supported me deserved more. That made me completely unhooked from a train that, perhaps, would have reached more destinations, but I bet on my artistic integrity. I have never sold myself and I want to die like this, despite the consequences. Like the ones I suffered when they tried to publicly discredit me by sending Telecinco cameras to a London house that wasn’t mine: they said I made up my life there because I made sure that, at the RTVE reunion, three people had their solitary moment in the concert. I am amused by the extremes to which some go when you stand up to them for not having acted as they should have. My decision did not sit well with the upper echelons, but he owed me. And, of course, to those who had believed in me. By disengaging, I was left without a project. That’s one of the reasons I didn’t submit my single on the tour we did around the country. The surprise came when, in the middle of the tour, they offered me to record with Joan Trayter as a producer. At that time, he was working on a remix of the Glitter by Mariah Carey. It was a lesson in mastery that I won’t forget: we connected instantly in a natural and organic way. However, fate had prepared a tragic surprise for me: a few days later, they told me of her death. I have always wondered what would have come of our collaboration. On my own, I went back to looking for equipment, and over the summer, I recorded the album. I was the first artist on the show to come out with a self-composed single: Mia. Good tongues say that The things I never told you It was a gold record, but they never gave it to me. Maybe one day they will dare to do it.
Q. What would your life be like if you hadn’t passed the casting?
R. Before this stage, I had already financed three models that I still have. In fact, The man and the rose, a topic that I wrote with a colleague from the university and that I published in 2019, is one of them. She was about to throw in the towel. I had sent my songs the old-fashioned way in an envelope to record companies in England and Spain, but without success. And, when I was about to leave him, OT contacted me without knowing what it was. A friend of mine had called on my behalf and she was chosen. So, she explained that it was not for her but for me. If she hadn’t gotten in, she’d be working at a London company. Or doing something creative.
P. Exit (2003), Phoenix (2011), You only live once (2019) y Aquarium (2021) are four of his LPs. Can you get to know Juan through them?
A. Absolutely. My music is based on my experiences. I like to be honest and leave a part of me in it. Sahara It will be my eighth album and it will be out on October 23rd. And, in the spring of 2024, it will Geisha. I even already know what the tenth will be like and what it will be called, but I am not going to get ahead of myself.
Q. You have experimented with disparate genres, how would you define your sound?
Q. Versatile. I don’t like to repeat myself, but rather take risks. I love to experiment and push my limits, while respecting the essence. I´m In Love, for example, has a rap. I really enjoyed doing it. I usually write in both languages and that allows me to reach more people and cover more styles. Sahara has oriental influences, while Geisha It is oriented to meditation. It will be a songbook to relax, concentrate, calm the mind.
Q. In not a second more reflects on the danger of social networks and the impunity of anonymous. Did you suffer them?
R. I don’t use TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp… And I barely use Instagram. I don’t want anything to do with Mark Zuckerberg. I don’t like these apps because you waste valuable time on it and also they are run by people who only want to sell your data to the highest bidder. Their goal is to collect as much information as they can to build a profile of you. You’ll only see me active on Twitter and since Elon Musk runs it, I’m not happy with the direction he’s taken. For the youth, this is dangerous. We have lost interaction with our surroundings. Nowadays, it all comes down to messages, photos and posts. Hence Geisha has become essential for me: we have to forget about our mobile phones and enjoy what is around us before it is too late.
Q. You experienced a gigantic fan phenomenon in 2001, did it leave any scars?
R. I try to stay with the positive. Nobody teaches you to be famous. I have learned that everything has a price. For example, if you are fashionable, your music will reach many corners, but you will have to live in hotels, airplanes and highways. A dynamic that will force you to be away from your family. You will lose your anonymity. And you won’t be able to walk without anyone recognizing you. If this makes up for you, go ahead. Living outside of Spain has been the perfect elixir for me. It is true that I have also been recognized abroad, but the probability that it will happen is almost zero. When I return, things change… but the euphoria has calmed down. Now, when they stop me, most of them do it with nostalgia. I learned a lot from that adventure that, thank God, has neither defined nor limited my life. It was huge, but punctual: it opened the doors to other fields and allowed me to make more consolidated decisions. With fame you have to be psychologically strong. It is not for everyone, because it multiplies your personality by 1,000. Balancing privacy with popularity was not easy for me. I prefer to have a quiet life. If I wanted to go from sarao to sarao in Madrid or Barcelona, it would be easy… but it’s not what I want or what I’ve chosen. One of the requirements that you must have to dedicate yourself to this profession is to have a mental health of steel.
Q. In 2019, you tried to go to Eurovision with Forever. Do you still think about it?
R. I did it because I gave myself a challenge: to compose a three-minute song for the festival. And I got it. It was perfect, in five languages.
Q. You have played in Austria, the United Kingdom, Germany… Why, on the other hand, has your project not caught on here?
R. At that time, I was at the mercy of the record company and I was not their priority. Simple. And, making self-criticism, I think my music didn’t connect 100% with people either. I still have my audience, don’t get me wrong. And it’s not as small as you might think. Just take a look at my Twitter: every like, every retweet, and every comment is real, not paid for. And let’s not kid ourselves: it’s not normal. Promotion is vital: listening to a song over and over again on the radio and being the priority of what I call Machine it’s key. This is the one that can make or break you. She has access to contacts, chains, stores, radio stations… and, in different cases, she is the owner, as is the case with the Prisa group. Two decades ago there were no social networks where your followers could follow your steps on a daily basis, so there was no possibility of launching anything on the market if it wasn’t hand in hand with a label. I was limited and I feel that I lost the moment because of these circumstances. Not like today: since the change, I have not stopped publishing music. I am the owner of my own catalogue.
Q. What other ideas have you implemented?
A. I am a Pisces and, consequently, very creative. To be honest, I’ve done so many things that I’ve lost count. I have worked with Amazon when Amazon was not what it is in 2023: strangely, many customers have received my products without knowing that I was the one behind them. I designed a collection of jewelry with Swarovski crystals, a perfume for men and women, a collection of scented candles, a cosmetics brand, a clothing line… I’ve taken it to the margins of my career as a singer. Therefore, when someone laughs at me, it makes me smile.
Q. What do you make music compatible with?
R. Unconditionally supporting the LGTBIQ+ collective is another of my missions. I am also fascinated by cryptocurrencies and NFTs. I worry about how artificial intelligence is going to shake the foundations of our society sooner than we think.
Q. Do you feel that the Spanish industry owes you something?
A. No. I am grateful for how life has treated me. I continue to make music for those who enjoy it and have walked with me from the beginning. My followers will always have something new to listen to as long as God, the universe, whatever you want to call it, continues to give me health. I have it clear: if I could go back, I would do everything the same.
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