Carlos Xavier teases exciting collaborations and new releases in the works. Get ready to dance and enjoy the rhythm of Carlos Xavier's infectious salsa beats.
Carlos Xavier ©️ 2023
Today we have the immense pleasure to interview Carlos on Goathead!
GH: Hey Carlos! Thank you for being here on our platform! We have loved your music and congrats on your rising career! What was the inspiration behind your debut salsa album "Vive Todo Ahora"? Can you walk us through the creative process behind it?
Carlos: It's very simple: since I started singing, it's been a dream of mine to release a salsa album. Not only to just release an album, but to make one with the very best musicians in the salsa genre. Those musicians and producers whose names I would read on the CD credits as I listened to my favorite albums I never thought it was possible until one yes led to another, and now I'm finishing up my second album. A dream come true.
My creative process is fairly simple: I write a song and produce it at home, then I send it off for my producer (Efrain "Junito" Davila) to arrange it into salsa. Then we record the musicians, I record my vocals, and we just continue the process. I never get tired of doing it. Listening to the finished product of a song I wrote at home is always awesome and amazing to me.
GH: You draw influence from a wide range of music genres, including R&B, hip-hop, salsa, and baladas. How do you balance and blend these diverse sounds to create your unique style of music?
Carlos: I think the blend comes from my writing style; at times you will get an R&B-style melody or a Latin ballad-style melody. Having grown up in a melting pot of cultures and musical genres, I feel I can interpret those styles authentically. The hip-hop comes from maybe adding a beat in the intro or a breakdown that works very subtly. However, all of this knowing that I am recording a salsa album So you definitely have to follow the salsa rules in order to make sure it's salsa and not just a fusion. Which is great also, but that is another thing.
GH: Your music has been placed in top salsa and tropical Spotify playlists and has generated buzz all over the world. How does it feel to receive such recognition, and what impact do you hope your music has on listeners?
Carlos: It feels amazing to know that not only are people listening to your music, but they are responding to it and enjoying it over and over. It feels good to know a song I wrote is loved by many.
I hope my music is justly appreciated by those who listen to it. I hope they just say it's good music, and I love to listen to it. Hopefully for all the reasons, including my songwriting and my voice.
GH: You have a wonderful background, being born in San Francisco with parents from Nicaragua. How have your heritage and upbringing influenced your music, and how do you incorporate your roots into your songs?
Carlos: You can't think of incorporating it; it just happens. I sing salsa, a genre that my father played over and over when I was a kid. Salsa is not a genre typical of Nicaraguan music; however, being Latin, we embrace our differences and accept each other, our culture, and our music. At least that's what my father taught me. My older brother, a DJ, played all kinds of music, including hip-hop, R&B, salsa, cumbia, and ballads. This is all part of my upbringing, part of my musical influences; these are my roots; it is what I know.
GH: As a preferred voice in the salsa genre, what are your thoughts on the current state of salsa music, and where do you see the genre heading in the future?
Carlos: Perhaps salsa is not as popular as it once was, and the future is still in question, but for those who love to perform and sing salsa, you can't stop. It has a hold on us, and we are the ones who keep the genre alive. I mean, we are keeping it alive; there is no question about it. There are tons of solo salsa artists and salsa bands worldwide. It lives; it's everywhere, and in my mind, I do what I love, and I can't stop that. It makes me happy, so I continue to strive for the best for myself, for my music, and for the genre.
GH: Your vocal style produces warm, beautiful tones that capture listeners' attention. Can you share any tips or techniques that you use to maintain and enhance your singing voice?
Carlos: Thank you; I'm still learning tips and tricks myself. However, all I can say is that when you get bit by the bug and find out that you love to sing, Sing all the time; practice all the time. If you think you have practiced enough, practice again. That is what I did, not knowing I was learning so much along the way. I just literally loved to sing melodies and songs. So I practiced albums back-to-back. Then the next day I did it again. I couldn't get enough of it. You will see the results eventually.
GH: What are your plans for the future? What your fans should be expecting and waiting for from your music
To continue to make music and try to bring something different every time. To keep elevating my musicality and bringing my fans the best.
Carlos: Also on my next album, I have some exciting features, including a duo with the Salsa legend, Luis Enrique. We collaborated on an original song, and I can't wait for the world to hear it. That is another dream come true for me. A full-circle kind of moment. My dad played his records when I was a kid; he happens to be from Nicaragua, where my parents are from. I ended up singing salsa like Luis Enrique, and now I get to release a song as a duet with him. It's amazing to me. I thank God for allowing me to keep doing what I love and for guiding me in the right direction. It's a beautiful thing. Expect a new single to be released in a couple months. I'm very excited for the future!
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