Chayanne: “I’m in love with life”
Photos por Gio Alma
Rather than a superstar, Chayanne prefers to be considered a gentleman; the kind that is always on time and instead of talking solely about his achievements asks the interviewer how she feels. A gentleman who never turns his back on anyone. What’s more, the day we met in his pleasant headquarters in downtown Miami, he got up halfway through our conversation to open the sliding door that links his office to the conference room just to make sure that the person there was comfortable and was not devoid of his attention.
Fame has not taken a toll on the manners of the star of telenovelas like “Provócame” or hit songs like “Dejaría todo” and “Torero.” This defining characteristic sparks an extremely enjoyable conversation, thus turning work into a pleasant experience.
Why is it that, although thousands of fans hail you as an idol, you still keep a humble personality, so different from that of other artists?
I think a lot of it has to do with how early one starts doing this. The way I see it, it’s like learning a language early on in life: one talks naturally, but if you learn as you get older, then you’ll have more of an accent and it may even sound rough when spoken. I think the same happens here [with fame]. Maybe because I started to sing when I was very young, I’m not bothered when people ask for an autograph, while it is possible that other artists may have a pre-programmed ‘no.’ As for me, I love treating people well, because people have treated me well for so long.
It appears as though they’ll continue to treat you well, because your new album (No hay imposibles) was just released and has already caused a stir with its first single (“Me enamoré de ti”), which is also the theme song of the telenovela “Corazón Salvaje.”
Yes! It was all very interesting because I hadn’t finished recording the album when they called to ask for a song for the telenovela, so the song was already playing before the CD was released.
You wrote some of the songs. Which is the most autobiographic?
When I write, I immerse myself in every song as though it were a movie, but not necessarily a movie about my life. But I think “Me enamoré de ti” is a song I can relate to because I’m in love with life, with my family, my loved ones, my career. So I would say that’s the song I can relate to the most. I also really like “No es imposible,” because it’s more explicitly about love, but when it faces adversities because of differences, much like when couples face problems.
You’ve been married to Marina for 13 years, so I’m sure there have been times when you’ve had to face such differences. How do you overcome them?
I think the thing that has helped us overcome any problem is constant communication. When we met, I really liked her serenity, her calmness, and I wasn’t wrong. Also, I think the fact that we are very active people and that we’re always traveling helps a lot because it motivates us to find ways to fall in love with each other when we meet again: I take her out to dinner or on a date, and we keep the flame alive.
Fans follow and obsess over you, yet you’ve always steered clear of any kind of scandals. The question everyone wonders about is: Is it possible to resist temptation?
That’s the struggle. One tries not to look, not to look… but in the end, you’ll never know how much one enjoys looking! One can use sight to enjoy the beauty of nature, but then one moves on, continues working and the best thing to do is to work hard, so as not to get too distracted (laughs). That’s why I work hard, so I’m not distracted. Something that has worked very well for me is to plan concert tours with my family in mind: I try to travel to one country at a time and immediately return home. If I have long trips, like Chile, Argentina, Spain or Italy, I do everything I can to have them travel with me. And if it’s not possible (some of my commitments are very tight), I work and work and immediately return. Hence, there’s no time for ‘distractions.’
Since there’s no room for those types of ‘distractions,’ do you succumb to any other distractions?
I love the sea, maybe because I was born in Puerto Rico. I like going fishing on a boat, because it makes me feel free; swimming in the sea fills me with inner peace, and tanning on the sand truly relaxes me. All I need is the beach to be happy! I also enjoy exercising; I love playing golf, tennis, basketball, swimming, working out at the gym… I think I’m what you may call a sports fan.
Your son Lorenzo turned 12 and is on the threshold of adolescence, while your daughter Isidora just turned 9. Amazingly, you’ve been able to keep paparazzi away from them. How do you do it?
(In a more serious tone.) Well, not so long ago I couldn’t prevent it and they published pictures of Lorenzo and I playing sports. Truth is I’m always engaging in activities with them but I try to keep them away from the public eye. I don’t do this to hide the love I feel for them, because everybody knows I love them, but so they can maintain their privacy, which is the most valuable asset a human being can have. When they grow up they’ll have to choose whether or not they want to be celebrities, but for now I would like for them to enjoy a normal life as much as possible.
Let’s talk about traveling. What’s the first thing you do when you arrive in another country?
When I arrive in another country I’m always rushed, so I tend to look for good food. In Mexico I really like La Hacienda de los Morales, in Argentina there are many steakhouses that I love. Or tapas when I’m in Spain. I do a lot of exercise, so I have to eat well! Also, if I have some time left, I always try to find a good golf course, but that doesn’t happen very often because whenever I travel I always have a very busy schedule. Most of the time I arrive, sing and then return home.
You’re into interior design and they say you’ve decorated your house perfectly. Did you do it all by yourself?
Noooo! Although I like to get involved in everything and share my opinion, I always let professionals guide me. I like to gather information from the experts on the field. Then I try to balance their suggestions with what I like, and that way I achieve a professional yet personal look.
Do you follow this formula for everything?
Almost everything, I think. In fashion, for example, I listen to my wardrobe specialist, but I also know that fashion only works if it looks good on you. If tube pants are in but one has a few extra pounds, then it’s best to stick to a classic style. When we launched my cologne [Brizza por Chayanne], I strove to participate in every detail of the process, the tests, the scents, the packaging.… I wanted to give my two cents, but also listened to those who are experts in the matter.
What convinced you to choose the final fragrance?
Everything, but right before the final stage, what convinced me to carry on with this project was the fact that it’s different. Brizza is not sold in stores; only by catalog, door to door, hand to hand, and I really liked that it allowed a back-to-the-basics system, that human touch. Everything that has a human touch will never cease to amaze me.
Lastly, in 41 years of life, what is the most lasting lesson?
Tolerance; because we’re not all the same and instead of criticizing our differences we should try to learn from them. Every day our goal should be: what can I do to prevent other’s attitudes from affecting me; to accept that having differences can also be a source of strength.
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