Maria Terremoto returns to the Jerez Festival with her new show: A Century of Singing

María Terremoto returns to the Festival de Jerez in a "new and different normality" for her. Now as a mother and with great national recognition she is ready to give it her all. We approach her a few days before her premiere in this exclusive interview. Her show "Siglo de cante" can be seen soon in ALLFLAMENCO.

A.F- How have you handled the last year? Have you completely recovered your rhythm of rehearsals/performances?
rehearsals/performances?
M.T.- Thank God we have recovered the rhythm of work practically 100x100%. Since May 2021, when we started working again, we haven't stopped, and we have a 2022 full of projects that we are very excited about.

A.F- Has this hiatus been a turning point in your career?
M.T.- Of course, both at work and personally. I have been a mother, and that changes your perspective on everything in a vital way. As far as work is concerned, I think we have managed to reposition ourselves in the panorama after all this maelstrom and we are working and thinking to make a certain change in terms of visibility, our minds never stop!!!!

A.F- How do you see the future of flamenco after the pandemic?
M.T.- Well, I don't think it has changed much compared to two years ago. They're always saying that flamenco is coming to an end, but at least I'm not that pessimistic. There are many young people who are fighting for it.

A.F- Coming from where you come from, could you have dedicated yourself to something other than flamenco?
M.T.- I think it would have been complicated, it's something that comes in my DNA and without which I can't live, it's not just a job, it's my way of life.

A.F- What moment in your artistic career do you remember the most?
M.T.- Well, there have been many that I remember, countless trips with my team, stages that I had always dreamed of walking on, artists with whom I have shared the stage... But perhaps receiving that Giraldillo in 2016 was something that changed everything.

A.F- What does it mean to you to perform at the Festival de Jerez?
M.T.- It's very contradictory for me. On the one hand the illusion of returning 'home', where I know that they love me and wait for me, makes me very happy, but on the other hand, to step on that land and that festival is always a new challenge for me, it's like fighting in the Maestranza, I get on my nerves! But honestly I'm looking forward to the day and giving myself to all my people.

A.F- What do you want to transmit to the audience with "Terremoto, un siglo de cante"?
M.T.- Well, something very simple, and at the same time very complex. I basically want to pay homage to my saga, which is what I do every time I go on stage, but this time I'm bringing my own cantes and lyrics, as well as adding new palos that I've included in my repertoire and that are not characteristic of my house. That's why in this 'Siglo de cante' you can see what my grandfather did, what my father did and what I'm doing.

A.F- What does your cante have in the Terremoto tradition and what have you contributed as a distinguishing feature?
differentiating feature?
M.T.- Well, my cante is 100x100 Terremoto, their form is mine, but it's true that I'm trying to take it to my own terrain. Also, being a woman, I can give it a different feel, and being 22 years old may also help me to bring freshness to it.

A.F- What can you tell us about your second solo album? How is the preparation going?
M.T.- I can tell you very little yet. We are doing it very calmly and with a clear head because I know there are a lot of people waiting for it. What I'm very clear about is that I'm going to be myself, and if I have to experiment I will, I'm 22 years old and I can't always carry the weight of not stepping out of a certain line. My singing is flamenco and will continue to be so as long as I live, but I think I have the right to open up a little more.

A.F- What kind of music influences you, outside flamenco?
M.T.- I spend all day listening to music, of course I listen to flamenco, but I also love Beyoncé, Nina Simone... and even the music that the young people who are fusing music are making, you have to take the good part out of everything, and of course they have it.