Meet our new Center Stage artist, Chi Chi Peralta.
Born on July 9th, Dominican artist CHICHI PERALTA carries the flavor and music of his roots to the highest level in international music scene. A musician devoted to good taste in his recordings and performances, who from early on demonstrated his musical inclinations, building at age four his first musical instrument: a drum.
His musical evolution leads him to participate in several bands, as well as to create jingles and music for documentary films, and eventually to collaborate with the London Symphony Orchestra on recording of albums “Pa’ Otro Lao’” and “De Vuelta Al Barrio”, album which later won a Latin Grammy award in 2001.
CHICHI PERALTA’S interest always compelled him to go beyond conventionality, and he eventually revolutionized Latin beats, fusing them with “ WORLD MUSIC ” into a fresh and attractive style. He has been able to combine Son to jazz, merengue to pop, African rhythms, hip-hop,rap, bachata, guaguanco, Brazilian rhytms, plena, salsa, ballenato, sonic textures, Arab rhythms, and exotic instruments from India; in other words, a sort of unlimited fusion. And so, the project entitled CHICHI PERALTA is re-defined, where the artist once again delivers the highest musical quality, as on each of his previous recordings, working as producer and creative force
Describe your sound
Latin/world music
What inspires you to make music?
The day-to-day, love, life, tears, smiles, the nostalgia, the stories and dreams.
What aspect of making music excites you the most right now?
Mixed emotions, between making concerts, composing lyrics and music, making music for movies and documentaries.
What are the biggest challenges you face as a musician?
The constant renovation of sounds, and fighting with an environment that hugs mediocrity as an industry.
What's one of your all-time favorite recordings?
There are a lot, it's a very wide question....it goes from Skip James and Dr. Robert Johnson with their Delta Blues to the merengues of Johnny Ventura and then Salif Keita, Papa Wemba, Pink Floyd and the texture of the London Symphony.
Name three people who have influenced your music, and tell us why- Living or dead.
Deep Forest because of the fusion and colors. Sting for the quality and seriousness of his work. DJavan for his armories and melodies.
Do you have any recent or upcoming projects you'd like to share with us? Tell us about it.
A new album is coming this year with fusions that have been whirling in my head for many years back. Blues mixed with bachata and symphony, merengue with montuno and textures from India, Latin music mixed with Japanese music etc. it's the conjugation of all my journey to this day.
What is your ideal or target audience?
All the lovers of good music, or the ones that value the intention of a well made musical work, and those who feel that the legacy you leave in this world is very significant.
Do you write your own songs? Briefly describe your songwriting process.
Yes and the process is really variable, sometimes I do the melody, sometimes just the lyrics, sometimes they come together, there's no specific place where it comes, it's a magic moment, it cannot be explained with words, it's a ray of light that burns you and that speaks to you saying there's something there and you need to find out.
What do you like the most about Radio Airplay?
It has given me the opportunity of noting that my music is listened in all parts of the world and I've had very good feedback from my followers, it's agile, modern...also, you know exactly what's going on with your tracks and how people value them. It's a very useful tool for any artist and because of that I recommend it 100%.
DOCUMENTAL INSIDE JAPAN
Paris