Buika brings Spanish spring to İstanbul, Ankara

 Now, Buika brings her brand new songs together with her best tunes from her albums with two live performances in İstanbul and Ankara. She says that “singing helps [her] soul,” and she touches the audience with deep emotions. Her smoky voice now is also ready to make people dance, and she has already recorded some beautiful soul dance tunes with DJ producer Kiko Navarro. After her appearance in Pedro Almodovar’s latest movie “The Skin I Live In” and her great performances with legendary jazz pianist Chick Corea, the Latin Grammy winner brings her Spanish spring one more time to Turkey, performing in İstanbul at İş Sanat on April 13 and becoming one of the international stars at the 29th International Ankara Music Festival on April 14 with a live performance at MEB Concert Hall.

You performed together with legendary jazz pianist Chick Corea for his 70th birthday celebration. How did you feel about his accompaniment while singing?

It was a tremendously beautiful night. I was so happy just because I can never forget where I came from. I can’t forget my neighborhood, childhood and my father who left us. It’s a very tough world, and I had very hard times and felt like there was also a mental wall; but now I’m proud of who I am crossing the walls.

The band named Chick Corea’s Flamenco Heart performed at the legendary jazz club the Blue Note; how was the atmosphere of the club on that special night?

It was so magical that I felt like everybody was familiar to me. It’s really hard to describe, but I felt like it’s a familiar place where I belonged, and the same magic has happened to me in İstanbul, too. Remember, I like giving a hug to everyone I see backstage, and you were there together with the Pasion Turca team. I felt the very same at the Blue Note, and I am sure everyone felt the same over there, too.

You also performed at one of the most prestigious venues, Carnegie Hall in New York City, with your longtime collaborator Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés; what about the repertoire you performed on that night?

I don’t know what I’m doing on stage anymore. I forget blues, jazz, flamenco. I just decide to be, and I am releasing myself. I am what I feel. We find our way to go together with musicians through improvisations on stage, and after all we are all around seven notes -- what I care about is to feel.

Almodovar’s movie has already been released in Turkey, too, and its story was so traumatic, and your song was accompanying a very traumatic scene. How do you feel about the movie?

Pedro Almadovar’s courage inspires me. We need more courageous people who express themselves in brave ways. I love him so much. I guess his movie was so brave again. Even the idea of singing in his movie was so exciting.

Sure, dance music lovers know your tracks like the David Penn remixed “Will I” and “Sonando Contigo,” which you recorded with Kiko Navarro, but what about your next projects for dance music?

Electronic music is unstoppable, and I feel like it’s my time for dance music also. There are so many good tunes that also feel deeply emotional and reflective. Sometimes a simple dance track can touch you deep inside even with very simple lyrics. Just like the Modjo song “Lady.” It’s so simple, but when you listen to that song, it somehow takes you somewhere else full of emotions. I recorded so many tracks together with Kiko Navarro, and my new songs are ready. Besides I have already finished my second book.

People still love your song “No Habre Nadie en El Mundo” in Turkey, but it’s not your number one, so which flamenco song of yours make your emotions move most?

After recording a song, I am totally done with that song. I record, and I forget. What really excites me are new songs. I never listen to my albums, but I always write some new songs. When I am on stage I love to share new songs we prepare for the first time rather than my old songs.

You are going to perform both in İstanbul and Ankara one after another. What kind of repertoire are you bringing us this time?

I am going to be singing my songs from my albums, but also I am going to perform some new songs for the first time. I am also bringing some Motown classics as a surprise. I am always surprised on stage with the feelings music brings, so it’s going to be full of surprises for the audience also.