When Mau and Ricky Montaner returned to Venezuela last year after nearly 10 years away, they both admit they were a little worried.
“Ricky and I were really worried,” Maw says, before Ricky chimes in, “When we left [Venezuela], our cousins and best friends were left behind. They always told us, “Oh, you're not Venezuelans anymore. You're a gringo.” And that was really our identity. So we felt a lot of those nerves. When they opened the doors of the plane and I stuck my head out, and I saw the girls who came in the wheelchairs getting excited, I thought, “Okay. They were good.'”
The three-month stay was an essential part of the adventure of creation Caracas Hotel, the brothers' new album, scheduled for release in July. Two singles, “Pasado Mañana” and “Vas a Destrozarme” have already been released. In total, the project will feature 16 songs, along with corresponding music videos and a documentary, as it showcases the brothers in a different musical light. This time, they work with entirely acoustic arrangements, lean more towards pop and use lots of horns and brass, teaming up with producer Malay Ho, known for his work with artists like Frank Ocean. The album was created as a tribute to the brothers' homeland, Venezuela. The return, they say, was a “personal purpose”.
“We found ourselves in a country that, despite the complicated situation, […] I can't say enough about the love we felt from the people and the sense of belonging to their land,” says Ricky.
“People talk a lot, but everything they say is about the negative,” adds Mau on the Venezuela issue. “We want to help continue the conversations that have been had, but also, we want people to remember how great my country's music is, my country's cinema and culture in general. People are desperate for this to happen.”
Mau and Ricky Montaner have been musical adventurers for as long as they can remember. Born three years apart (Mau is 30, Ricky is 33), the brothers have been making music together since they were kids and have experimented a lot along the way, trying sounds that range from urban pop songwriting to multi-genre creations. songs – from reggaeton to tropical.
Dressed in their own version of gray suits (shorts instead of pants and Converse high tops), the brothers spoke to Advertising sign about Caracas Hoteltheir trip to Venezuela and of course the series Los Montaners.
Watch the full interview above.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/mau-y-ricky-interview-venezuela-hotel-caracas-album-1235617811/