This is a translation of a very intimate interview that Chayanne had with Susana Gimenez this past week in Argentina. The translation that you're going to read below is not a summary or a paraphrase. This is a translation of the interview in its entirety.
I have to tell you, I LOVE the way that Susana handles her interviews with Chayanne. Susana is a mater at the craft of live interviews. She is always able to get the bit of juicy information from Chayanne that no one els seems to be able to get! Bravo Susana!
So without further ado, please click the link below to access the interview on Susana's Website and read along with us as you watch.
Enjoy!
Media Research: Fantasia Chayane
Translation: La Guerita Caprichosa
Susana: I don’t know how you do it, to come out of the shows
unscathed! I swear!
Chayanne: No, it is always the same energy that they give
you. Susana, what a pleasure to see you!
Susana: Look there is for your mouth, right there…
(indicating something waiting on his seat, perhaps a candy or lozenge of some
sort…) there it is so you will come out with the beauty that God gave you…. Um…
Chayanne: To audience: Hi! (waves) (audience screams)
How lovely, how lovely.
Susana: Yes, honestly, how wonderful that they receive you
this way all around the world.
Chayanne: It is always a very nice energy, I’m always
grateful. As I say, you don’t, you don’t take anything for granted, and when
you come and perform although we’ve been on various occasions together before,
it is always special, and as if it were the first time.
Susana: Ay… the this is we adore you an I receive… well,
these ladies… today people have come, I swear more people couldn’t fit in here…
people that I haven’t seen in 10 years… it is all women here today. To
audience: Hi! How are you? How are you?
Chayanne: (Laughs)
Susana: I was very impressed that the album… that the album
hit gold on the first day it came out. That is very unusual!
Chayanne: That is not normal now, you know the way the
situation is, and the changes that there have been. The structure has changed
completely, and always, well… things happen that keep you moving, but when you
release an album, as we have talked about many times before, you don’t know how
people will receive it. You don’t know if they will like the new proposal.
That’s why I always say I do it with my heart in my hand, but when you feel
that support…
Susana: No, and I was watching the news before I came out of
my dressing room, and they were saying… yesterday you were in Córdoba?
Chayanne: Yesterday I was. You know my thing is very quick…
yes, I was in Córdoba.
Susana: No, no, it’s just that they were saying “He’s so
humble, so sweet, so good, so lovely, so nice!” They didn’t know what to say
anymore, truly! And it is true, I see it in your face, your smile, and
everything, and it had been 2 years that you were away from the music a little,
right?
Chayanne: Yes, well… I was… the album it was 2 years ago, a
year and a half ago that we finished the album… which started with Me
Enamoré de Tí, which was the main theme song for a telenovela (soap
opera), and then Tu Boca, which
was very successful, and like that little by little… Just now we are promoting
the song that I just performed… with much affection, you know, much affection,
and so the album has done very well…. But the tour we are finishing in the
Pacific coast of Mexico, after Argentina I’ll go there… we are finishing the
tour that started… well, the last time we were together I was still on this
tour, so it’s been a year and a half.
Susana: A year and a half on tour?!
Chayanne: I think it is the longest that I have done.
Lovely, lovely, Rico, like we say in Puerto Rico, lovely. (laughs)
(Audience screams)
Susana: Listen to me…. That is impressive. And do you go
back to Puerto Rico occasionally, back home, or to Miami I don’t know, but do
you go back?
Chayanne: Yes, I
always go home when I’m in Mexico or en Costa Rica, now when I come here or go
to Spain. A little farther away, I’m there longer, and more absent in that
aspect, but to Puerto Rico I also go in my free time, my days off, if I have 3
days I try to take it to go and see my mother, my father, my family.
Susana: Of course.
Chayanne: You know, we call it Barbecue, although I try to
make it closer to asado, I have always liked asado.
Susana: An asado is a barbecue, of course.
Chayanne: Yes, delicious, but yes, I see them, yes, I see
them. (Smiles, and audience screams)
Susana: That smile! That smile that he has… is unbelievable!
Listen, is it true that for… that you listened to 800 songs to make this album?
800 songs?
Chayanne: Yes, You listen to many songs… many songs arrive
and are maybe more “virgin”, they are only accompanied by a guitar, there are
others that have more production to them… There you have to see the essence of
the song, look at the melody, in my case, the lyrics, or the sound of it, the
rhythm, that you are going to give it, and that’s more or less how it works. In
fact I’m in the process of that now, because the tour is winding up, I and
finishing the tour and I start to listen to songs and I’m starting the first
steps…
Susana: For the next album.
Chayanne: Correct.
Susana: So an impressive job, a year and a half on tour, and
you finish and instead of staying laid out on the sand for 3 months, Wow! You
are already starting to work on the next.
Chayanne: (laughs) Now, I took a few free days between the
last leg of the tour in June, at the end of June, and I went and took a few
days like you said, on the beach.
Susana: That’s it! And you have a divine tan!
Chayanne: Miami! It’s just that there we are in summer time,
and you here are just coming out of winter, right?
Susana: Yes, yes. Here it is winter. We will be entering
spring in a few days, and that’s why I wore the orchid to receive you.
Chayanne: Beautiful.
Susana: I want to tell them just in case, but they already
know… he will be on the 20th, 21st, 23rd and 24th, AND the 24th
at Luna Park. And on the 16h in Junin. In Junin.
Chayanne: Tomorrow.
Susana: Tomorrow... Estadio Club Sarmiento... Junin is going
to explode!
Chayanne: How lovely!
Susana: It is an important city. That is where Eva Peron was
born.
Chayanne: It is the first time... Really? There?
Susana: That is where Eva Peron was born.
Chayanne: How nice. It is... it is the first time that I am
going to be in Junin.
Susana: Well, I can imagine that the people are going to go
crazy! They are going to go crazy!
Chayanne: We are going there with much affection.
Susana: Listen... and are you such a good husband, good
father, as perfect as you seem?
Chayanne: (Laughs heartily)
Susana: To the audience: Don't be jealous, crazy
women! To Chayanne: Are you like that or not?
Chayanne: I try to
give 100% of my love in everything that I do, yes... That question I can't answer for you. They
are watching me in Puerto Rico... they are watching me in Miami... and there is
an Argentine community as well in Miami that is watching me, well, I've gone
there to buy bread here, some meat there... so...
Susana: Yes, Huge! The Argentine community there is huge.
Chayanne: And from all of Latin America as well... and
really, I give myself my little escapes, my time off, but I try to do
everything.
Susana: You do everything well.
Chayanne: But, I think so, that I try to not have a lot of
repetition in what I do, but to improvise and not fall into a routine, and I
think that is what makes the relationship blossom.
Susana: And anyway, as a couple, the fact that you are
separated so much with the trips, you are on an eternal honeymoon, because when
you arrive it's “Oh my love, I missed you!” and Bing! And if you are together
everyday it starts to get to “Darling, when are you...”
Chayanne: When are you going on a tour? (laughing)
Susana: “When are you going on a tour?” To audience: Yes,
that's the way it is! Even though it be
him, even though it be him... Chayanne, with that face that he has... he can't
stay...
Well, I have so many questions to ask you, but they tend to
be things more like... more... for example, what is it that you most like to
do?... that doesn't have anything to do with your career...
Chayanne: What happens is that it is always centered around
my career... phone calls... the office...
Susana: Work
Chayanne: It is the work behind the scenes that is... it's a
lot! That's what you don't see... and then the stage set, the show, and all of
that...
Susana: The dancing...
Chayanne: The visual aspect, the TV programs that are done
are what is seen, but behind the scenes there is a lot being done, a lot of
coordination... but as far as personally, I try to take a few days around
Christmas and spend Christmas at home, living the traditions, I try to do
sports, I like sports a lot. Also because that is part of taking care of my
career...
Susana: Taking care of your body, of course!
Chayanne: … with the type of show that I do. Going to the
gym I like, and on top of that, it is part of my work.
Susana: Besides which, you have... well now you have a year
and a half on tour, and with the training... you always dance well, I can
imagine now how you must be dancing... They are going to die in Luna Park!
Chayanne: How nice... (smiles)
Susana: When you start to dance do you see them? They
move... they move! Everyone tells me... my daughter... “Is he going to dance, Mom? Will he
dance?” They never come here, but they
say “but if he's dancing, I'll go!” and I tell them, “No, he's worn out, he's
not even going to sing.” and then they told me, no, he'll sing one... because
you love me....
Chayanne: Yes... that's why... that's why!
Susana: I know, I know, I know...
Chayanne: No, in the show there is a lot of energy and
obviously after a while your just not in any condition and it's a lot of
traveling, and the dancers too, there are a lot of new ones, and some
changes... I added other songs which are new ones like “Siento”... there are
some changes in the show, always within the same concept, and framework,
right?... but very nice.
Susana: Of course. Do you know how to cook?
Chayanne: (opens mouth to reply, then just sighs and smiles)
Susana: (laughs) But the truth! You can tell me the truth,
as if I were your psychiatrist.
Chayanne: Well... I know how to cook... What do I know how
to cook?
Susana: If you don't, you don't... what does it matter?
Chayanne: Yes, no...yes, yes... A cereal?
Susana: Cereal?
Chayanne: Yes
Susana: Pour it out of the box and...
Chayanne: Yes, and add milk.
Susana: Pour the cereal in the bowl... very good, very good.
Chayanne: Eggs.
Susana: Fried?
Chayanne: However you want them.
Susana: Ah, scrambled?
Chayanne: Scrambled, fried... boiled.
(They laugh)
Susana: My love! No, because breakfast... to audience:
an American breakfast is eggs and bacon, right?
Chayanne: Eggs and bacon, or with ham
Susana: Or with ham.
Chayanne: Or you make yourself one of those little egg
sandwiches, with ham and cheese and egg. You know why I know how to make that
is because when I was 15 or 16, 14 years old... when I had to go to Spain or
Los Angeles to film a production where you stay there for 9 months, the only
thing I made, and so I specialized in, was breakfast.
Susana: And you still... you are still a specialist!
Chayanne: But no, I don't cook much.
Susana: And how much weight do you lose in a show?
Chayanne: I do grill though... well not grill, but BBQ.
Susana: BBQ
Chayanne: The meat.
Susana: And how much weight do you lose per show, for
example?
Chayanne: Per show, 2 lbs, maybe... in water, liquid.
Susana: 2 lbs is how much? 4 kilos?
Chayanne: No, 1 kilo, a kilo and a half...
Susana: Oh sorry, it is double. 1 or 1 ½ kilos.
Chayanne: 1 – 1 ½ kilos, and then, afterwards why you get
thinner is because you arrive and maybe you don't have much of an appetite, and
you go to bed like that, so that is when you start to lose weight.
Susana: Of course.
Chayanne: But I try to eat some protein, and carbohydrates.
In this case, they don't do too much to me, since I am in constant motion, I
can give myself the luxury of eating my ice cream and things...
Susana: But of course!! Poor thing... as if you weren't
going to eat your ice cream... What do
you suppose... listen... What do you like? Cars? Motorcycles? Tell me what you
like...
Chayanne: Yes. No, I like motorcycles. I used to do
motocross, when I was 12, 13, 14 years old, in the mountains in Puerto Rico.
Susana: Really?
Chayanne: And when I would get back from touring when we had
been in Guatemala, in Costa Rica or in Mexico, my distraction was to to get on
the motorcycle and head up river into the mountains.
Susana: And motocross is dangerous... did you ever break
anything?
Chayanne: Uy... yeah... not broken, but I lost some skin on
2 or 3 occasions...
Susana: Now they don't let you do that.
Chayanne: Not now. Later I changed to a street bike, but there is
no time, you know, I do more sports at least… I like tennis, or basketball… I
have played that as well a little, and golf, which I enjoy a lot.
Susana: And you can walk…
Chayanne: And you can walk, and the distraction of the view,
because you can be in the mountains, or next to a lake… the visual part of the
sport is very pretty. And it is a calm sport, but then the gym…
Susana: Always the gym. I know that you take care of
yourself a lot. Everyone says that.
Chayanne: Yes, and I
enjoy it.
Susana: Do you remember…. And you enjoy it… that is good
because if not, you get bored and then you can’t do anything.
Chayanne: Right. I go because I have a good time and I feel
good.
Susana: What was your first job, my love? Or rather what do
you remember from when you were young. How old were you when you started… when
you appeared?
Chayanne: The thing is, I started in activities at school,
you know, when the children put on plays , or you recite something, or you sing,
or dance some folk dance…
Susana: Yes, and the teacher would always call on you?
Chayanne: It was a
great grade to earn, and then…
Susana: Of course, of course. Here they do them on national
holidays or flag day.
Chayanne: Yes, there as well. Or at the end of the school
year, they would do those types of activities… Mother’s day, Father’s Day, you
know… the kids go to that.
Susana: Of course. And you sang to your mom?
Chayanne: And I sang to my mom, and those were the
activities for school, but then I started very young in the music business, to
work, to play, really, because to me it was a game. I didn’t see it as work. I
was 10 years old and I was doing shows, and we had a television program and it
really was a job… it was a job.
Susana: Of course, it
is a horrible job. People out there think that you are on the air for an hour
and that’s it, but no, no, no… you arrive 5 or 6 hours before hand and you
start to work… I love the story of why
your mom called you Chayanne.
Chayanne: No, well the Chayanne thing is because they lived
in New York… they got married in New York and had my first 2 brothers there,
and on the television there was a series, and from there comes the name that
you see on the screen.
Susana: Yes (laughing)
Cheyenne, I remember that! I remember that series… what was his
name? Clint…
Chayanne: Cheyenne, Clint Walker.
Susana: Clint Walker. The handsomest guy, your mother must
have been crazy for him!
Chayanne: I’m sure… she watched the series very often…
something…. was there.
Susana: I remember, I was little, and I would watch him…
with these light colored eyes, with dark hair… He was quite the impressive
specimen, that guy.
Chayanne: Very smart.
Susana: And so then
your mom called you…
Chayanne: So she
called me Chayanne, she saw me, or she already had it in mind…
Susana: But what a brilliant name!
Chayanne: Yes, they moved to Puerto Rico, I was born in
Puerto Rico, and she called me Chayanne, which is CHEYENNE, but to write it she
wrote CHAYA and left just the ending which isn’t pronounced. You don’t say
Chayan-nay, it is just said Chayán… that was the variation, but…
Susana: Brilliant. If not you would be called… to
audience: His real name is Elmer, you know that already, but not Elmer
Gruñon. To Chayanne: Do you
remember Elmer Gruñon? I loved him!
Chayanne: Yes, but Elmer is more serious, isn’t it?
Susana: Elmer is a man that has to be older, so you can
never call yourself that, ever! A genius… your mother, a genius! And do you remember what the first thing that
you bought with your first paycheck… the first money that was your own?
Chayanne: I bought things… a radio, little things.
Susana: Devices.
Chayanne: Little devices… which at that time it was the boom
box…
Susana: Yes they were radios that were this big… (Shows size
with hands)
Chayanne: It was the
boom box, put the motora I bought and other things.
Susana: The motora is the boat?
Chayanne: Not, the motora is the motorcycle… the boat
was later…
Susana: Ahh… the motorcycle… the boat later, of course, of
course….
Chayanne: but the Motorcycle… and my parents always… my
guidance from them was since I was a child, 10 or 11 years old, and it was to
establish that concept of… ‘be careful, organize things, life”… the concept…
Susana: So it was a training that your family gave you.
Chayanne: Oh yes. It was an orientation with this whole
world in which you were growing up and working, although I thought, as I said,
that I was playing, but they knew that I was working, and I had their absolute
support and their… in Puerto Rico we say a lot… their blessing.
Susana: Yes.
Chayanne: and I carried that with me, but it is a lot of
work, and in some ways, it was that orientation to organize all of this, that
they knew would be coming into my life and that was how, is how …I am here now!
Susana: And my love, luckily! Listen to me, already… (Screaming from the audience) To audience:
Stop! Stop!! To Chayanne: Ché,
tell me something, do they let you sing, or not?
Chayanne: They sing
with me!
Susana: To audience: But when you go to the show, do you let him
sing, do you hear him, or not?
Audience: YES!!!
Chayanne: The show is very nice.
Susana: It must be…
Chayanne: They sing… it is like a party… there is an energy…
Susana: Of course the love carries you and fills you….
Chayanne: They sing, they dance… they really lift me up. It
is very special. I see it… That is why there are so many nerves before a show
as well… I don’t want there to be any disillusionment or you don’t want…
Susana: Mo… I know this because… I’m going to explain to you
all why he didn’t want to sing… at least he doesn’t want to sing a lot… he just
sang one… that time that you came to Argentina and you got [sick]… The type of
professionalism that is Chayanne, he almost died… but do you remember? I
remember.
Chayanne: (Makes a pantomime of a stabbing himself in the
heart with a knife.)
Susana: No, but we were all saying… but it doesn’t matter!
Tell him that it doesn’t matter! Because you looked so despairing, I don’t
think you have ever suffered so much in your life, and now you are terrified of
the same thing happening again.
Chayanne: Very
careful. Yes, well, you love the country, you love the people, you want to give
them the same as you receive, all of that energy, and so… but no, you have to
take care of yourself too, Susana, because you know when you…
Susana: You never smoked, right? You never smoked?
Chayanne: No, no, no, of course not. I don’t like that.
Susana: No, that’s lucky, really. Listen to me, and your
clothes… do you buy all your own clothes?
Chayanne: Yes, I buy clothes, but I have people that guide
me and look for things for me.
Susana: Those jeans are the most beautiful jeans that I have
seen in my life. (runs a finger down the
embroidered embellishment on the leg of the jeans)
Chayanne: Thank you. Tailored and made to order.
Susana: They are Divine. They are embroidered! Ah! They’re
embroidered! Mama mía! We all want… (Screams from audience) To audience: Hush up! Because I won’t ask him…
Audience: (Chanting) We want to touch! We want to touch!
Susana: But you can’t! (Audience continues chanting)
(Chayanne stands up to show off the embroidered jeans)
Susana: To audience: Well, I want to ask something
that will be of interest to all of you, so close your mouths a minute!
To Chayanne: What position do you sleep in? On your stomach, on your back… (shout from
audience: Spooning!) shouts back to
audience: Spooning he can’t… To
Chayanne: Do you know what is spooning?
Chayanne: Yes. … I think so! I think that is on your side
with the little pillow here…
Susana: No, on your side… but why with the pillow here? No,
it’s on your side, snuggled up close… like spoons.
Chayanne: Ah! When you are accompanied, I thought alone!
Susana: No, alone, no.
Chayanne: When you are with someone spooning is very nice,
because you feel that warmth, the affection…
Susana: But when you sleep alone, there are a lot of people
who put the pillow between the legs, I don’t know why, but they do.
Chayanne: Yes.
Susana: So you sleep like that. And do you snore or not?
Chayanne: I don’t know!! We’ll have to… we’ll have to see…
(laughing)
Susana: Well, tonight expect me at 1:30!
Chayanne: In the same place as usual. As always… (laughing)
Susana: To audience: I’ll tell you tomorrow! Tomorrow
I’ll tell you everything! Honestly, the
truth is that it is always a delight for my heart to see you. I love you. I
love you and I admire you. You are such a talented person and so humble and
kind… (Shout from audience: And handsome!) Yes, on top of everything… on top of
everything, he is very handsome! It’s true. It’s true! It is the truth. He
would have triumphed just the same even if he had been ugly.
Chayanne: Thank you.
Susana: I wish you a fabulous stay, as always you have here.
I thank you for having come here, my love, I know that you are tired. I love
you with all my soul.
Chayanne: Thank you.
Susana: I love you a lot. To audience: You all stay… I’m going over to the desk. Stay
with this face giving him an ovation because then he is leaving. (kisses his cheek) I love you! Look at that face! How lovely! How lovely!
