On Prosperity: GUADA
Produced by Sergio C. Muñoz at Intelatin, LLC for ZZK Culture. Ninth in Series.
This interview was produced by Sergio C. Muñoz at Intelatin, LLC. It is distributed by ZZK Culture. Special thanks to Wil Dog of Ozomatli and to PBS Studios (KLCS) for their pilot feature on our effort for the financial wellness of musicians. AMA: sergio@zzkrecords.com
GUADA
Sergio: Please describe your childhood home?
I was born in Buenos Aires. We had moved around a lot and then we arrived at a house in the Olivos barrio. It is white, there’s a garage, you would enter through the kitchen, detoriated window blinds, low roof that I would climb with my friend, Victoria. There is music equipment on the inside. We would keep our windows open. We rented this house and I lived there with my mother, father and my sister. I had my own bedroom in this house. We were what I would consider to be middle class economically but it wasn’t because we had a surplus of money. My mother worked two jobs at all times and my father was an entrepreneur that sold mariscos. Argentines are masters at the multitask. We are creative. There is a huge difference between the multitask of the Argentine and the Spaniards where I currently live. I never had any interest in our economics. I paid very little attention to any of the issues related to money. The economy was always very complicated and I was never involved in any of it.
Sergio: When did you begin to have ideas about prosperity?
I can tell you the exact day when I first encountered these ideas. I went to a friend’s house and I looked in their freezer and there were multiple bricks of milk. I had never seen that before. In my house, there was never a second brick of milk to back up the first. I had never seen that somebody would be so audacious to buy multiple bricks of milk. Same with Coca Cola. In my house, we would drink a Coca Cola on a celebration day. In this friend’s house, they had cases of Coca Cola in their pantry. Looking back at this observation, I didn’t think of it as a sign of prosperity. I saw it as weird. I tended to focus more on the poverty of other people rather than the prosperity of other people. I empathized with those that had less.
Sergio: When does music enter your life?
At 9 years of age, I joined a chorus line at the local community center. At the age of 15, I began writing and recording songs. Today, I play the bass, piano, guitar and I sing. I have released five albums as Guada, two albums in a duo and 2 tribute albums. I have toured four countries with my music. Chile, Uruguay, Argentina and Spain.
Sergio: What is your immigration story?
I went to Madrid as a backpacker in 2007 with a friend because we were studying flamenco (dancing). We wanted to travel the south of Spain. On that same trip, a man who would become my husband and the father of my child so I ended up staying in Spain. Over time, in addition to my career as a musician, I also did a variety of jobs and one of them was to peel onions and potatoes in a kitchen.
Sergio: What does your home look like present-day?
I live in a rented home that is styled in a Norwegian way. We have a metal staircase, it is green in color, it has metal piping in an open floorplan because it was once a factory. It has a lot of skylights that are capable of opening so at night you can see the moon. We have a small patio with a barbeque for all kinds of asado. My boyfriend and my daughter are always cooking in this house and they are very gourmet. You know, I do own a home, a lot with a pre-fabricated home in the south of Buenos Aires on the beach. It does not have internet and very limited hot water for your shower. I do not want to be a renter in Madrid but I don’t have the resources to buy in Madrid. And even though I am a homeowner in Buenos Aires, like I said, I can’t take my daughter or my boyfriend out of Madrid. Buying in the center of Madrid is out of my reach and I don’t want to live in the suburbs of Madrid.
Sergio: I don’t hear you yearning to have more than you have. Am I right?
No, I am not anguished by my economic reality. I am fine the way I am. Both of my parents are still renting and inheritances in my family is a non-issue. My sister and I will never inherit anything. I am very far from considering that as something that will happen to me in my lifetime. As far as investments, I do believe in saving but I am not worried about my daughter’s future. I think that she will be able to live life in peace just as I have been able to do without the economic support.
Sergio: How is your business as a musician?
I own my music and I distribute my music through a record label. They get their registration and then I try to grow it. I toured a lot in 2023 and I love the idea of more and more people hearing my music. When I earn more money, I hire more people and release more music, and advance my artwork.
Sergio: Upon gauging popularity, who would you rather be: Natalia Lafourcade, Joni Mitchell, Mercedes Sosa or Rosalía?
Joni Mitchell. I just recorded a tribute album for Joni Mitchell. She had to make a lot of sacrifices in her life for her music, I could never do that. But, wow, what beautiful music Joni wrote.
Sergio: Is there a video for the latest album?
Yes, I will share with you my video for Yo Canto.