Yosán Pereda is a multifaceted artist, fusing sounds, styles and careers as a musician, singer-songwriter, arranger and, more recently, music producer
Laid-back Cuban country boy Yosán Pereda is a singer-songwriter, arranger, and producer – a self-professed musical hybrid with a passion for a vibrant mix of influences that can be summed up as tropical fusion.
Destiny brought Yosán to Lanzarote’s shores and it’s where he’s called home for a decade. He recalls the start of his artistic journey; “My first guitar was made for me by an elderly farmer who crafted it out of scraps of wood. I started playing it when I was just eight years old.” He was taught by his father, his “main inspiration and support, the one with the musical gene in the family”. By fourteen, he had a proper Spanish guitar with nylon strings.
At seventeen years old, Yosán began his professional music career. “Music, lyrics… it’s always come naturally to me since I was little.” He draws inspiration from an eclectic range of genres, including Anglo-Saxon and 60s Spanish music, electric bass and rock and traditional sounds of Cuban son, guaracha and bolero. “I played the Cuban tres with a band that used to play in Old Havana tourist bars. Then, I moved to the quieter hotel circuit, and that’s how I started in Lanzarote, where I sing, too.”
“Although singing and playing went hand in hand, composing came a little later, when I was around 21.” True to his Cuban roots, Yosán exudes natural talent which he applies to playing, recording, and arranging music. “I’ve just recorded a single with Alean Imbert, a Miami-based Cuban producer who’s worked with Cristina Aguilera, Franco de Vita and the Orishas. The track is pure tropical fusion called ‘Ya es demasiado tarde’. I recorded the strings and vocals, and percussionist Willy Morales, a fellow Cuban Lanzarote resident, added bongos, congas and timbales whilst Alean did the arrangements.”
“I have recorded several demos,” he continues, “ready to be produced one at a time and released through online platforms. That’s how the industry works now, making an impact and creating a demand. It’s a delicate balance.”
Yosán has three concerts in Lanzarote under his belt, a ten-song duet album ‘La Vida es Hoy’ with fellow Cuban-Lanzaroteño, Sergio de Jesús, available on different social media platforms, including videos on YouTube, plus solo projects.
Looking back, he wouldn’t change a thing. “It made me who I am today.” he reflects. Looking ahead, he hopes to produce for other artists and explore instrumentals, composing soundtracks for documentaries and series.
