José de Jesús Pérez better known as ‘Jesuy’, is an independent Venezuelan singer-songwriter, today he tells us what his wonderful musical artistic work is about, enjoy it!
Astrid: When did your desire to make music come about?
Jesuy: For as long as I can remember, I’ve been singing and at the age of 17 I was introduced to study because my dad gave me a guitar. From then on everything I have lived I owe to such a beautiful detail.
Astrid: What instruments do you play or which ones do you currently work with?
Jesuy: I currently play guitar and Cuatro to accompany me when I sing. Basic knowledge of Latin percussion, but my strength is the voice.
Astrid: What genres do you prefer to express yourself?
Jesuy: Musical genres for me are like dimensional portals, with them I can live different cultures at the moment I decide to sing a specific genre. I really like Latin jazz, jazz, zamba gaucha, tamunangue, boleros, tango, rancheras… Anyway. Each of them has exponents that when they sing (because my job is to sing) inspire me to give everything for everything and to study the wide repertoire proposed by each genre.
Astrid: Do you work independently or do you belong to a band?
Jesuy: Independently and I have my band.
Astrid: How has your musical experience been in your native country?
Jesuy: My country has a very particular way of supporting music. I say this because there is no solid industry but there are many panas that walk in the movement and that makes the musical routine remain peremnemente. I have participated in festivals but mostly in places where the size of the artist is measured, since that is the space where people will listen or ignore you completely.
Astrid: What is the purpose of your lyrics?
Jesuy: As a singer-songwriter, my goal is to write what I feel, but in a coherent and humorous way so that those who listen to my songs can have fun and enjoy the moment. Every song has a free interpretation, so what I compose does not determine the reality of the song but the imagination of the listener. Taking into account that I like to touch on topics a little controversial, that’s where creativity comes in so that it is attractive and not boring. One of the most important tasks of the singer-songwriter is that, and the environment that he decides will depend a lot on that; For example: if you are a singer-songwriter of protest music and you take those songs to a salsa rumba, under an arrangement that has nothing to do with that environment, then do not expect them to pay attention to you.
Astrid: Any characters that influence or inspire you?
Jesuy: Many have already left this plane, Héctor Lavoe, Carlos Gardel, Felipe Pirela, Brillo Frometa, Chet Baker, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, there are so many that we could do an interview talking about only the influences.
Astrid: What has been the most important scenario for you and where did it go?
Jesuy: Once we opened a concert where Cultura Profética played, that was in Los Próceres / Caracas (year 2012, I think) it was important because for the first time in my life I sang in front of more than 5 thousand people.
Astrid: With which artists have you had the honor of sharing the stage?
Jesuy: I have had the honor of sharing with great musicians from my country, Anderson Cordero, Juan Carlos Segovia, Javier Perez. And singers like the great Florentino first and others who at the time only rode on the stage because things were so good that they could not stand the desire to let go of their voice to continue the party.
Astrid: Would you do this for the rest of your life?
Jesuy: In this and a thousand other lives I would choose music as a profession. I am a slave to art and I owe it to him.
Thank you very much to Jesuy for allowing me to conduct this interview today, for me it is always an honor to be able to know more about these great artists and their talents, I invite you to follow him on his social networks and digital platforms.
Social media:
Instagram: @jesuyprez