NIÑA PASTORI, FLAMENCO CANTAORA. INTERVIEW

“Flamenco isn’t easy music, and therefore can’t be for the masses”

Silvia Calado. Madrid, February 2009

Niña Pastori, cantaora. If anyone had any doubt at all, the album ‘Esperando verte’ clears it up forever. A soleá alone with Diego del Morao. A sugary minera with Josemi Carmona. Some fragrant fandangos de Huelva. Some bulerías recorded on the spot in San Fernando itself. The great guitar of Vicente Amigo... and of course, her cante por alegrías. The artist from La Isla feels “like delving a little bit inside of me and searching through my things, my beginnings, how I started singing”. Of course, that is just half of the album. The other half has that trademark which, drawing tangos and rumbas up close to pop, has made her a star of the masses. A soleá was never born destined to be so listened-to.

	Niña Pastori (Photo Daniel Muñoz)

Flamenco-world.com’s readers must be happy to finally hear you por soleá...

Yeah, I think so. And more so coming from ‘Joyas prestadas’, which was an album of versions from outside of flamenco. I think people felt like it, but above all, I felt like it. I go with the flow of what I feel like at the time and what I have the urge for. Getting across what you’re feeling is what matters, whether you make it more flamenco or less flamenco. This was what I felt like; singing a little por soleá, a little por alegrías, por fandangos, there’s a minera, too... And we’re happy and satisfied with the result.

We asked you some time ago if you’d make a flamenco album. And the time has come. Why?

I think it’s because I always like to cross over to the other side. I don’t think any of my albums sound like the previous one. There’s always a difference there and coming from ‘Joyas prestadas’, I felt like delving a little bit inside of me and searching through my things, my beginnings, how I started singing... And it’s not for any special reason; I just go with the flow.

Have you noticed that Niña Pastori, the cantaora, has grown?

I hope so. I hope to have evolved and to have learned. I think that’s what it’s all about; although they’re different things, always taking a little step forward.

Tell us about those cantes that are on the album. Your voice is heard alone with a guitar like in the soleá with Diego del Morao...

In the soleá, I think Diego has played breathtakingly. He always plays well; I’m a fan and great admirer of his. But in this case, I think he plays por soleá really well, above all, he accompanies me. And he’s one of the guitarists who I’ve felt most at ease with, I have to be sincere. He’s done a bit of a revolution in guitar; he’s gotten more than one guy on the go.

And when you’re singing por soleá, do you have any references?

I don’t have a special reference, either. When I sit down and sing por soleá, I remember my stuff, what I’ve listened to, what I’ve lived, my way of seeing flamenco and my way of feeling it. Nobody in particular and nothing special. I think I base myself a little on myself, on how I see the soleá, on how I feel it.

Niña Pastori (Photo Daniel Muñoz)

I know from artists like Esperanza Fernández that singing when you’re pregnant, other feelings appear. Has that happened to you?

I think it’s a feeling in your life that you’re unaware of. And especially when it’s the first time, you’re at a moment of new excitement, trying to see, know... There are fears too, responsibilities you see coming upon you, and joy and something really nice. When you’re pregnant, and when everything’s going well as in my case, I felt supple, just the way I am, then you enjoy everything much more, you have your feelings skin-deep. I was happy, content each day, I’d get up looking forward to seeing my little belly getting bigger and bigger, you go to the doctor, you hear the little heartbeat... there’s something new each month. They’re feelings which build up inside you and the explosion comes when the baby’s born. It’s the sense of everything, there he is, there you remember your father, your mother, what your parents have gone through for you at certain moments... a load of important things.

In this flamenco repertoire there’s a fandango de Huelva, but arranged differently...

I think the fandangos have turned out really cool, Diego plays there, too. The truth is that they’ve turned out great. We felt like a fandango but with a chorus, with rhythm. And I think it gives the album a nice air and color.

	“It isn’t easy to sing and the more time goes by, the more complicated it seems to you”

Performing that style of cante is demanding, isn’t it?

Everything’s demanding of you. It isn’t easy to sing and the more time goes by, the more complicated it seems to you. Doing things well is hard.

You sing the minera with Josemi Carmona on guitar...

The truth is that Josemi is excellent there. I think he’s a really complete guitarist, he’s capable of a lot, of the deepest flamenco and whatever comes his way. Musically, I’ll dare say he’s one of the most complete musicians there are in Spain.

However, you’ve chosen him for a really traditional toque and cante, haven’t you?

For that very reason, because I think Josemi’s capable of other things. He’s lived it, he’s grown up with it from his father, Pepe Habichuela, he has all the knowledge. The thing is that then he does the group Ketama and people know another facet of his, but he’s a complete, capable guitarist.

How is it that you opted for cantes mineros?

Niña Pastori (Photo Daniel Muñoz)

I felt like doing a little display of different styles. The alegría was fundamental because it’s the style from my native land, one of the first ones I wanted to be there. Then, I think the soleá is a cante where you can put a lot of heart into it, of what you feel. I think the fandangos give it joy and feeling, a bit of both things. The minera gives it the touch of free cante, of something really flamenco, but without rhythm... I wanted to have a little bit of everything.

And bulerías...

There are three bulerías, counting ‘Vagabundo’ by Vicente Amigo. Two of them are really flamenco. ‘Pintaré de azul’ is played by Diego del Morao with his cousin Pepe Morao, oh, they’re all ‘Moraos’! And the truth is that it’s really nice. I think it’s a different bulería, since within it being a bulería, it has a different air. Then there’s another really flamenco one recorded live in San Fernando, with Manuel Monje ‘El Pelu’. And it’s a new wager Chaboli and I have this year; we’ve decided to collaborate with other musicians. El Pelu, one of Camarón’s nephews, comes in, and Ricardo Rivera, Anabel Rivera’s brother, also plays; she’s done choruses with us. Both of them play the bulerías, live, one does a little falseta, the other does a little falseta. And in concert Samara Amaya, Remedios Amaya’s daughter, also comes in. She sings very well and has been a surprise for me. I really like how she sings. Ana Núñez, who is Rancapino’s daughter, also comes in. All of them are new blood; they’re people who have done some stuff in flamenco, but perhaps not along my wavelength. The truth is I’m happy to give a little air and a chance to young people, who have a lot to contribute. Luis, the son of Periquín, the guitarist from Jerez, comes in and we squeeze him a little like a lemon because he plays percussion, does clapping and also choruses. That’s what Chaboli always tells me; that we squeeze him like lemons! Ha ha ha.

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