-No. Since the musical director knew my repertoire, he just told me to make him a list of songs that he could perform. What they really liked was that he performed ‘Olvídalo corazón’, a song that he did in my previous group (Corazón Serrano).
—The Puro Sentimiento genre is also southern type, but we mostly work in Lima, we haven’t gone as much to the south, like Juliaca, or to the north, like Piura.
Victoria Puchuri and her time at Corazón Serrano
—Why did you leave Corazón Serrano?
—I was with them for almost two years, I left because of discomfort. I had gastritis because the life one leads there is tiring, sometimes I couldn’t even have lunch and that was practically every day. It shocked me because I have always been with family and it was shocking to be independent. Even on the days when I didn’t work and stayed in Piura, I didn’t eat because I felt sad, I felt alone.
Victoria Puchuri confirmed her separation from Corazón Serrano on social networks. Photo: Victoria Puchuri/Facebook
—What was your most embarrassing moment on stage?
—If I have forgotten the lyrics? That always happens, it becomes daily bread. Every time I have gotten confused, I have given myself the confidence to continue.
—And the most difficult moment?
—When I cried in Corazón Serrano, years ago, when I sang ‘Mix diva’, the happiest song I have in my repertoire.
-What happened?
—I was going through something very bad, I held on the whole trip, until I sang a verse of the second song because there are four songs. At that time, something happened and I didn’t talk to the girls, until Ana Lucía saved me, along with Yefri (Chunga). I left the bus and went to the back so they wouldn’t see me, but the owner already knew about the problem, he didn’t answer me or tell me anything. He understood me, told me to drink water and go back to the stage.
Victoria Puchuri spent almost two years in Corazón Serrano. Photo: Valery Coaquira/La República
—Have you ever thought about leaving music forever?
Yes, before becoming a mother, but for other reasons.
Victoria Puchuri was discriminated against for getting pregnant
—How do you manage to not be so far away from your little girl?
—It’s hard . Since I got pregnant there were people who treated me badly, discriminated against me and I am not going to say who. I really thought it was going to be different because I have seen different treatment in other groups. Even when she worked for me, they said ‘we can’t take her because she’s pregnant’ or ‘she can’t go because she doesn’t come here’. And then they ended up begging me to work with them. But when some doors close to you, others open to you. When I was in a group in the south (Lérida), there were 10 to 15 days that I did not see my daughter and she could not be like that, because she was a newborn and needed the breast. And yes, it was complicated for me, but she tried to go to Lima anyway and come back again, that’s why I also made the decision to come to Puro Sentimiento because we have more work in Lima and that favors me.
—Some believe that having a child is an obstacle
—No, it’s a motivation. If you say that it is a hindrance or difficult for you, it will be. I have reached a point of saying ‘damn, I’m alone, that’s complicated for me’, but I’ve moved on.
—Did you receive criticism for continuing to work?
—Many people saw it badly, but others congratulated me that, in the first month after giving birth, I worked because I had a cesarean section and it was to rest for at least three months in bed and more because (my pregnancy) was delicate. As soon as I recovered, I wanted to work. Actually, that was not my initial plan because I wanted to rest for a year for my little daughter, but unfortunately the situation made me go out to work.
—Do you prefer collagen or sugar?
—I have been with younger and older people. Sometimes you think that by being with someone older, they can be more mature, but that is totally a mistake. Of course, they do give you different attention because they are more experienced. Just an older person encouraged me to this path. I was very self-conscious and, thanks to her advice, she helped me make a decision and made me stronger and more independent in many aspects, she gave me confidence and security; I was even afraid to go out on the street, my mother didn’t let me go out, she overprotected me a lot.
—You don’t want to repeat the same thing with your daughter…
—No, I don’t want my daughter to go through the same thing. I want to teach her to be confident and independent, even from a young age.
