Descemer Bueno, whose hit song “Bailando” became a global hit in 2014, said that one of his biggest career lessons came directly from Enrique Iglesias.
“Enrique told me that you have to insist a lot in this career,” said Bueno, as he was interviewed by Billboard‘s Leila Como in Las Vegas during Billboard’s Latin Music Week. “He called [singer/songwriter] Juan Luis Guerra 3 to 4 times a day until he finally got through and eventually the two got to work together.”
The Cuban-born recording artist, who wasn’t necessarily known as an urban act earlier in his career, said that urban’s presence in the industry with fans around the world has inspired to create music in the Latin urban genre.
In fact, he said, signing a deal with Sony Music Latin in partnership with Iglesias is part of a plan to expand his catalog of music, which includes the track “Now Fuimos Lejos,” which has that “Bailando” sound the pair revisited.
His longtime friendship with Iglesias includes making music and when asked about what Iglesias brings to the table he said it’s his ability to know what works musically.
“Enrique knows how to select songs,” Bueno said. “He’s taught me how to select songs.”
As Bueno works on a new album, he says he would also like to see more music from Cuba, where recording studios are rare even though the talent is there.
“They don’t have access to things such as the Internet,” Bueno said. “Having a studio on the island is costly and they don’t really have publishers, but there are many songwriters with big hearts in Cuba.”
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