Robert Muñoz, known artistically as ‘Clavito’ has shared his experience as an immigrant in the United States, where, despite having a solid academic background, he was forced to accept jobs that were far from his professional career.
In an interview with the program ‘Café con la Chevez’, ‘Clavito’ recounted his humble beginnings in Arequipa and how his life took an unexpected turn when he arrived in a country where his academic achievements did not translate into the expected opportunities. Despite having achieved success in the artistic world, the pandemic led him to adapt to new work realities.
Why did ‘Clavito’ work as a gardener?
The year 2020 was a period of adversity for ‘Clavito’ and his family, who were trapped in Los Angeles due to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. Despite his previous success with the orchestra ‘Clavito and his Chela’, The health crisis forced him to accept any job available to survive. Thus, he dedicated himself to maintenance, gardening and construction work, demonstrating an admirable capacity for adaptation.
“I come from the school of stylists of ‘I tell you what with the cue’, by Koki Belaúnde. Since it was a pandemic, everyone was bearded and had long hair, the gringos too. My promo tells me: ‘we’re going to cut our hair, but nothing is open.’ “This is how the history of hairdressing began,” said the singer in an interview with the aforementioned podcast.
Did you only do gardening?
The adaptability of ‘Clavito’ He did not limit himself to gardening. During the pandemic, with hair salons closed and demand for haircuts increasing, Muñoz decided to revive a skill he had learned in his youth: barbering. He began cutting hair for friends and acquaintances, becoming an improvised barber.
“I started cutting him and he posted it. I thought he was going to cut me, but he left me hanging. Andrea tells me: ‘I would cut you, but maybe I’ll make you look bad’, so I did my own haircut. From there they spread the word. Wherever I went, out of gratitude I cut them and they gave me a tip. It was at the exact moment, it was the ‘new baptism,’” he added with a laugh.
It should be noted that Robert Muñoz’s academic career is worthy of admiration. With the unconditional support of his parents, he managed to complete three university courses including one in the National Police of Peru. Furthermore, he obtained a mastery in Mining Management and a doctorate in Safety and Control in Mining. However, despite this impressive resume, his arrival in the United States was not easy.
