Last year Benidorm party was back in style to conquer Gen Z. Rayden with his proposal to represent Spain at Eurovision with The lloreria street. This year he returned, but as a spectator.
He assures that the edition was very irregular, that he knew he was going to win white dove and that he does not rule out running for another year.
In addition, he comments on the criticisms he has received Chanel after not having participated in the final of this edition and having been somewhat absent after going through Eurovision, obtaining such good results.
This year more relaxed at Benidorm Fest, right?
Totally more relaxed and carefree.
How did you see it?
very uneven. You could tell people who were nervous and people who were clear about it. And it’s a bitch because, maybe, every time they think about it, it’s going to drive them away like ‘they haven’t had those nerves’, the ‘what if’. But there were people who were clear about it. It’s funny because before the second semi-final, when I was interviewed by another media, I woke up and the first thing I thought was “Blanca Paloma will win”. I said it in a Mediaset media, Blanca Paloma is going to win because it shows that it’s who is clearest about it and who is the least nervous and here the experience is a degree and I think Blanca will be very clear about this. When I went to the orange carpet the previous Sunday, I saw everyone very nervous and impatient and I saw her very calm. And when I saw the number… of concept, of staging… she was very clear on that. Irregular because who is good, very well, and who is not so good, because of the nerves. And what a bitch because it’s already recorded and it’s going to be seen and people are going to go wild. But proud of Blanca, I think she’s going to blow it all up. The fact that Blanca won, or if Alice won, means that next year a lot more people of other styles will show up, and maybe something more made or other styles won’t have the tools to enhance it as much. Este año se quejaban de que nadie se había atrevido de gran renombre, cosa que sí había pasado en la primera edición, y que haya ganado Blanca, no solo gana Blanca, sino que ganamos todos porque va a haber mucha gente que se va a querer to present.
In the end, all the proposals have their place, right?
Megara’s pink metal was featured. A more electronic pop proposal was presented, with dances by Tino Casal in the role of Agoney. Flamenco to use was introduced. Flamenco tango was presented. Many different things were presented. And I hope that fear can be lost. I see San Remo and it makes me want to. I have seen myself for many hours and I am envious because I would like Benidorm to become that, a space for music, where people gather at home to see the best of what is happening in the country or proposals which, no matter what you dig, if you see Alice Wonder you see that she collaborated with me or with whoever, and you can make up your own mind. People have to dare, people are very scared in Spain. It’s the fear of being singled out, but I hope people will show up because I don’t rule out showing up again, if it was a collaboration. Does it sell you? No, it’s defending your proposal and trying to get your message across to more people.
Was Alice Wonder your bet?
Alice yes, what happens is that I was very nervous. Me when I see that he starts with the piano and that he is the only one to play an instrument live… The first thing that I thought is, why are you bundled up? What are you doing this for? I remember when I was walking up the stairs, with a camera coming towards me, and my legs were shaking… imagining going to the piano is, what the hell are you doing? My advice, you have to go out brave to show up, but you don’t have to go to Benidorm to be brave or brave, you have to go to something you know you’re going to stitch, don’t shoot triples. I don’t rule out introducing myself.
In Europe, will they understand Blanca Paloma?
Completely. You can understand one of a granddaughter’s loving tributes to her grandmother who remembers her before she falls asleep every night because everyone has a day, we have a night and we have love. Where there are times when the love of parents is lost, there is a love that usually remains intact, that of grandparents and grandmothers. And only with the backlight, already singing and who can sing a thousand times and a thousand times will nail them. Or the point is who is seen as a retina and who goes up, that’s understood. And even if it’s not understood, it’s best to bring something that you assume identifies and represents you and that Benidorm is a song festival.
Chanel has been talked about again and some say she wasted her time at Eurovision.
I want to understand it as people wanting more from this artist and getting frustrated and firing. It must be Eurofan people or people in a bad mood, looking for any tension to report. But I guess the eurofan if he sees he’s been following an artist who’s done the best work for many years and he wants to see more of that person and he sees we don’t care not from her or that he feels that he is not taken care of, it is like a bad admiration. If you compare him to Rigoberta, Tanxugueiras or me who have not stopped spinning and you see that a person does not spin, he is not able to defend and there is no more songs, well I understand the frustration, but it’s poorly controlled admiration of the people. Maybe when you take out a record if you took great care of it and left it very worked, the rush is not good. You have nothing more to leave.