Entrevista with the artist Santiago Ortiga

In the panorama of Galician music, Chicho – aka Ortiga– It is chosen as the main pillar of the modern stage. His new album, “Obra Social” (Raso Estudio, 24), is a testament to his ability to bring the essence of verbena to life by adapting it to modern times. In this interview Ortiga nos cuenta cómo el disco pays homage to Brazilian influences and the tradition of Galician orchestras, while presenting a fresh and original musical offering. La verbena, goodbye Ortigasigue siendo el núcleo de su música, an aspect he not only celebrates but also rediscovers, offering his followers a unique blend of tradition and modernity.

This new disco comes after five years from the beginning of your project as Ortiga, from “Chicho y Sus Chichas” (Ernie, 19). I gustaría saber cómo var sentido la evolution de tu music, tu directo y tu identidad artística en este tiempo.
En estos cinco años de trajección, it marked a profound evolution in both my music and my artistic personality. Using experience, I suspend my creativity. Decide on different options for the disco: trabajé con la MPC Livecon la que también produzco para Boyanka Kostovaand brought together foreign musicians to play various instruments. Durante mucho tiempo, había querido adder una sección de vientos, ya que es un pilar en la musica que escucho y en la tradición de las orchestras Galician that I admire. This is the repetition of music Los Satélitesoriginal referents for mí. This evolution is also reflected in the direction of a group that now consists of four winds, two saxophones, a trumpet, a trombone and a choir. Every time I get closer to the sound I've always wanted: a great merengue band. This whole process took a lot of time and effort, but I think it's the right moment to bet on more ambitious productions. You can look at me with great pleasure.

Ortiga es inevitable pensar en la verbena ¿Qué important musical and cultural, y cómo sigue influyendo en tu sondo?
For me, verbena is an important part of Galician popular culture, a traditional form of recreation that has always been present in my life. Although I have no connection to traditional instruments like the pandereta, my connection to Galician culture comes from the verbenas, which offer a diversion in the festive context of traditional music. Since childhood, these festivals have influenced my personality and music, and I believe that verbena deserves more recognition as part of our cultural heritage. Although traditional music has more prestige, verbena also has a great value that is often underestimated. My goals are to have a standard and bold culture.

“La verbena deserves more recognition as part of our cultural heritage.”

There is a version “Papa and Mama”Los Satélites is a classic and one of the oldest orchestras in Galicia and Spain.
Often orchestral classics Los Satélitesa veces me encuentro con Letras que, aunque expresan ideas valiosas, pueden parecer desfasadas deboto al leguaje y estilo de hace varias decasas. case “Papa and Mama”me pareció que la letra representeda de manera exageda el proceso de ligar with a clear and detailed story of that time, but in a language that may sound old. Decide to reinterpret with Canción modernizándola. Instead of the subtle allusions of the past, he opted to adapt the context to the present, substituting elements such as social networking interactions and launching projects such as the use of sunglasses for more modern interactions. My goal was to relate the song to the reality of listeners between the ages of twenty and forty. As an artist, I tried to respond to my desire to listen to something that reflected my own experience as a listener. The process of reinterpreting the song was surprisingly easy because I had a clear idea of ​​the changes I wanted to make. I think it's one of my favorite songs from disco because I feel like I've been able to bring the original essence of the song into a completely modern context.

Producer Heavy was once again with you in the preparation of the disco. A pesar de su discretion, sigue siendo una clave figure en la música galega ¿Qué destacarías de su aporte en el disco y por que que que que que que es importante vindicadora su figure, más allá de que los grandes artistas sigan trabajo con él?
Heavy I don't think you can solve problems with “coche escoba”, whether it's logistics or craftsmanship. You configure to solve the inconvenient and unnecessary for the orientation. Heavy It has been the basis for all relevant groups in Galicia since its inception. Very sensitive, many “padres” and many important gangs Novedades Carminha, Ataque Escampe, Boyanka Kostova, Grande Amore, Caamaño and Ameixeiras. Compared to the last great figure of Galician music production, Juan Pardo, Heavy It's a great producer, allowing music to be presented on a large scale. Yo, al igual que muchos otros artistas, le debemos mucho a Heavy. You can use any effect to listen to music. This is especially valuable in a place like Santiago, where the environment can be more provincial and less centralized in big cities like Madrid or Barcelona. It has the ability to compromise in an irreplaceable region. Although his work is often overlooked, it is crucial to the development and success of many of us.

Returning to Ortiga's new disco, Obra Social, the cover pays tribute to Jorge Ben Jor.
1969 disco from the beginning of my career Jorge Ben Jor ha sido una gran effect para mí. Although this is a deeply Latin work, the ofrece una mezcla de elements que van más allá del janr, y su arte de portada, typical of the finale of the sixties and seventies, has always fascinated me. The name of the discotheque, “Obra Social”reflects the idea that the group makes a positive contribution to the lives of those around them. Comment on the requirements Jorge Ben Jor a través de la portada was a form of combining our musical roots with the influence we wanted to have, al igual que el disco de Jorge Ben Jor mí en su momento.

Have you contacted 2025 Ortiga?
By 2025. There is no disco that excites me more than the previous ones. Desde dentro, claro, siempre lo ves diferente, but this illusionado estoy. It is the best format especially for concierges. Real divertido and creo que es bastante original; Spain has no groups. You can perform the latest disco function, it is the best choice for you. However, in the end, estoy agradecido por levantarme every mañana y que me llamen para tocar. Siento bien to me. Estoy listo para lo que venga y con muchas ganas de compartirlo con todos.