Laritza Bacallao doesn't care if they talk

June 1, 2021

The excellent vocal qualities of Cuban singer Laritza Bacallao are confirmed with her third record production that, with the title "Que hablen," guides a luxurious sound journey through genres and styles that bring to light the versatility and professional growth of the young and talented Havana native. Salsa, Conga, Funky, Ballad, and Merengue are some of the genres included in the album created independently and licensed with the EGREM record label and distributed by Puntilla Music.

After seven years of phonographic silence from the singer, she now arrives taking on roles as composer and producer (accompanied by Ángel Batule and Frank Ernesto Fernández). In dialogue with the prestigious artist, we learned some details about the phonogram: "...it's an album where there's incredible musical versatility.

We've tried to cover all possible musical genres, always thinking of the audience that follows me...". In addition to the professional maturity expressed in the album, Bacallao's admirers can enjoy her interpretation of romantic songs, a little-known facet of her work, but equally excellent.

Eleven songs and a bonus track make up "Que hablen," most of them unreleased and with the singer's signature, plus tributes to important international figures such as Alvaro Torres, in a version of Sería perfecto, and La India in an arrangement of one of the songs that made her popular with Cubans: Ese hombre.

Similarly, the album includes English versions of songs by prestigious singers such as Celine Dion (All by myself) and Winnie Houston, in a very different treatment of one of her hits Run to you. "...this last version is one that I enjoyed the most, Winnie couldn't be missing from this production, but this time we brought her to the Caribbean and orchestrated a wonderful arrangement of one of her most popular ballads, which I hope everyone will like...". The uniqueness of her timbre, the interpretive force, and the temperament that characterize Laritza Bacallao impress, and have conspired favorably so that from an early age she was on the radar of connoisseurs of Cuban and international music. "...I don't know if those qualities you mention can catapult me to international stages, but it's a pleasure to return after so long. We're going to keep working and now I'm back with new strength, new songs and melodies, and with a lot of desire to create.

If life grants me that my work transcends and that this joint work goes much further, it will be a reward, but the public's opinion is the most important thing for us...". Guests on the album include saxophonist Yamil Scherri, who accompanies her on the Houston version and in the performance of Se acabó se acabó, an unreleased song composed as a duet with Yaliesky Zaldivar, flamenco guitarist Alejandro Valdés, which is another of the innovations that the phonogram brings.

The Cubanness that has characterized Laritza Bacallao's work from its beginnings is maintained in this album, even though there are genres uncommon in her interpretation. "...that Laritza will never disappear, in fact the version we make of Álvaro Torres' song is very close to the singer that the Cuban public knows, the Cubanness and the charm that identify me will always be there and I don't think anyone can change that...".

Other songs let her be seen from the romantic side, (something little known from her work), and that is one of the purposes of this material: for the public to appreciate the versatility and interpretive possibilities that span from her excellent vocal register. Que hablen is available, courtesy of Puntilla Music, on the main digital platforms for music sales, and the Cuban record label has placed the physical CD in stores where its products are sold and on the Cuban platform Sandunga.