The Peruvian singer Alex Ramirez seeks to consolidate his career as a soloist, after having spent more than 30 years in the orchestraCamagüey, in which it was the banner of hits such as ‘I surrender to you’, ‘Ya para qué’ and ‘Vida sinense’. Now, the musician wants to continue savoring success, but with his own group and with his own style, which he tried to capture in ‘I’m okay’, his first record.
In an interview with La República, Alex Ramírez gave details of his first album, his departure from Camaguey, of the severe injury that ended her soccer career and the constant criticism that salsa singer Laura Mau usually makes against other colleagues, such as Daniela Darcourt, Brunella Torpoco and Yahaira Plasencia.
—Why did you decide to release your first album after a 30-year career?
—I started as a soloist with this album, after having been in the first orchestra in Peru, Camagüey. ‘A me fa bien’ consists of 12 hits that I sang for 30 years in Camagüey, but with fresher and more current arrangements. This album has been well received, I am very happy with the messages that my colleagues and the public have sent me. It (the album) is good and is already on all digital platforms.
—This album reaches your 50th anniversary, would you have liked to release it sooner?
—I think I was a little late. But I’m at the perfect age because I’m calmer and my voice is more powerful. My voice was shriller before, but I learned to sing with my diaphragm, which is very important. A long time ago I had to be a soloist, but Camagüey needed me. I am part of the family and because of the love I have for them, I did not leave. We are first cousins and spiritual compadres with Adolfo Menacho.
Alex Ramírez remembers his time in Camagüey
—Your departure from Did Camagüey happen on good terms?
-Clear. For example, a few months ago, when I finished a concert early, I went to see them at La Casa de la Salsa and sang three songs. We hugged Adolfo Menacho, who is my son’s godfather. I learned a lot from him. And they always want to see us together, it can be done, but borrow it, we can’t be together anymore. I’ve already done my career and I can’t go back.
—Haven’t those from Camagüey put obstacles in your way for recording the same songs as theirs?
-No problem. Besides, we have always walked together, we have gotten along well in all these 30 years of career that I had in the orchestra. The songs from Camagüey are songs by other composers and are not the same arrangements from Camagüey. Rather, Menacho called me and is happy about what is happening with me.
Alex Ramírez analyzes the Peruvian salsa industry
—As an authoritative voice of salsa, how do you see the industry today?
—Here (in Peru) there is a lot of talent, but there are people who do not support. As they say, the enemy of a Peruvian is another Peruvian. Many times we give more room to foreigners, but that is changing little by little. I’m glad that many singers are nominated for a Grammy, that they go to festivals. I would like you to give support to everyone, not just some who work in television. In my case, I have been known for a long time, but I want television and radio channels to support me more. The thing is to unite all the singers and musicians so that Peruvian salsa can move forward.
—Do you think that female singers, like Daniela Darcourt, could be better known abroad?
—Yes, but it would be much better if we had our own topics. For example, we have unreleased songs, but the radio doesn’t accommodate you and always tells you to cover them. Daniela Darcourt is doing her songs, that’s why she was nominated for a Latin Grammy. Unfortunately, everyone makes salsa ballads, no one makes their own song to reach the United States like Marc Anthony. There is too much talent, but there are very few of us who compete abroad.
—Laura Mau indicates that Yahaira Plasencia and Daniela Darcourt do not make salsa, do you share that opinion?
—Salsa evolves and you have to adapt to the music that comes. There are people who have stagnated and complain, they want the sauce to remain the same as before and they do not change. The girls are doing their things well. They followed me when I was in Camagüey and when I started to be a soloist. Good for them, because they try to be something more, to represent Peru and that is good. How are you going to be speaking badly of another Peruvian? You have to stay quiet because everything evolves and you have to adapt to the system that comes. I am 51 years old and I continue with music, evolving my singing. There are people who deny because they can’t take it anymore, they want to continue being recognized. If they can’t take it anymore, it’s better to be quiet. You don’t have to talk about other people, sometimes I complain about that.
Alex Ramírez and his passion for football
—We know about your frustrated career as an athlete, what do you feel when you see the Peruvian team on the field?
—I was number 10 in the team. The 10th was going to be me, instead of ‘Chorri’ Palacios. At that time, ‘Chorri’ played for Sporting Cristal and I was at Deportivo Zúñiga. He was a wonderful lefty. I went to Argentina and Boca Junior didn’t want me to return. When I came to Peru, everyone was marking me, I was very fast, a dribbler, a scorer. He was on the under-16 team, but, since he was spoiled at school, they didn’t let me go and play.
—Why was your sports career frustrated?
—When I went to a championship in Brazil with Sporting Cristal, on loan, I had a knee injury. At that time there was not so much technology, they put iron pads on me and the toperol entered my knee and the synovial fluid came out. I had surgery in ’86 and when I went to the medical exam in Argentina, for Boca Junior, they told me that it was already broken, that I could never play again and also why they had surgery. The meniscus thing is operated on when you are about to end your football career. I have cried a lot, but God gave me the blessing of having another talent: singing. I didn’t have to study anything, those two talents were my life.
—How much did the news affect you?
-Too much. I was only 14 or 15 years old. It was such a hard time because my mother just died there, she was alone, I had to go live with my aunts. Three years later my father died because he couldn’t be without my mother. He left me when I was 18 and then came the proposal from Camagüey. From then on, I did everything alone.
