At rock festivals there are always surprises within the huge program full of soloists and bands. This year, in Cosquín Rock, it was undoubtedly the revelation Wayrastage name of Wayra Iglesias, a 19-year-old singer who not only gave a great show but also had the luxury of having two musicians from La Renga as guests: his father Gabriel “Tete” Iglesias and his uncle Jorge “Tanque” Iglesias.
Wayra also has a great lineage, but that doesn’t mean things have been easier or harder for her. At most it meant that since she was a girl she had access to lots of music, instruments, rehearsal rooms and shows.
A historic show
“What happened with the Cosquín was really crazy – says Wayra – because I had just recorded the demo of a new song and I dreamed that I was singing it at the festival, and the day after the organizer called me to invite me!”.
It was November. Three months later he was singing on the stage called La Casita del Bluesin the late afternoon.” When I arrived -remember- there was a changing room with my name on it, so the day started well from the moment I arrived! I was very nervous and when I went out I couldn’t believe how many people there they were, all with good vibes. It was an emotional experience for me.”
He says that “At first I was very handy with the idea of playing in Cosquín, but later I realized that I didn’t have my songs ready, so I put together a repertoire of covers with the music I listen to, like Amy Winehouse and Christina Aguilera. It went well! A lot of what I do is essentially rock, but it has soul and blues. I try to capture that in my Spanish songs, even though not much is done here and I haven’t had many references.”
– How was the band you put together?
-I played with a band that I put together specifically for the show. It was my second time playing with them and I loved it. They are musicians of Juanse, La Franela and Viticus. I’ve always played solo before, but now all I want to know is hang out in a band.
– Your father and uncle came up to play a song.
-Yes. I invited them. I did it 2+2=3, a cover of a blues by La Renga and it came out my father and my uncle. Total madness! It was amazing to play and have everyone sing the lyrics; I hope that one day it happens with my songs. It was wonderful. There were many people from La Renga who knew me as a girl, so I understood that for them it was a flash. And as soon as I went up I saw mom and dad crying ahead.
Were you very nervous?
-A week before I started with nerves in my belly. That day I got up and was calmer, but when the moment approached I was very nervous. Not out of insecurity, but natural nerves to be my top show. When I started singing I enjoyed it, even though we didn’t have a sound check and he wasn’t hearing me very well.
Towards the first album
Wayra is preparing her debut album since August last year. and she already has the first four songs ready. The recording was made at the Romaphonic and had his uncle and the horn section of La Renga as guests. “I would like to record with Celeste Carballo or Fabiana Cantilo, a rock woman”add.
“My dream since I was a child is to have my own vinyl -she confesses- but I don’t know if it will come true. The idea is to release the singles, the first very soon, in May, and then the album”.
-Are you following the schedule you originally had or is everything accelerated after the Cosquin?
-Partly for my teenage anxiety, after the Cosquín, with the repercussions it had, I wanted people to hear a song as soon as possible. In Cosquín I did a cover show but I also sang one of my songs for the first time. I really want to play my songs live. I’ve been singing since I was little and I’ve done covers, but now I’ve entered this world of songwriting and it’s something else.
What were those first steps like?
-I started with singing and piano from the age of 8, and did some small things from the age of 15, but only now I started fully and everything started to happen. My first gig was opening for my mother’s band Q’Acelga about 6 years ago. All my life I’ve wanted to do this, but I still continued to study and entered a conservatory to do performing arts. Then I dropped everything and started making my record.
How is family support coming?
-Incredible. Of course they didn’t ask me anything. I like to hear about the experiences they have had and see that I can avoid some things that have happened. And as a good teenager, maybe they say something and I do the opposite, but I listen to them.
-Last year you appeared in La Voz, but you didn’t enter. How do you see that experience now?
-The program has attracted my attention since I was very young and I wanted to do it, beyond the natural exposure that the program gives you. What I save and carry with me is the certainty of wanting to do it for life. It has also made me gain a lot of trust and security, in the sense of not waiting for the approval of the other to tackle my project or whatever I want to do. And it is true that he made me known.
Source: Clarin
