Miguelito Superstar: Step by step, far from the 'mainstream'

"I don't believe that life is made of epic moments that change the course of destiny, I believe more in the small things, in decisions made unconsciously, following your instincts and that, finally, end up shaping your life," reasons Miguel Ferré, alias Miguelito Superstar, musician, producer and DJ, savoring a glass of cognac at the bar while, in the background, Mingus's Haitian Fight Song accompanies his words.

--- Even so, you must have taken steps to be who you are.

"I could tell you about when I left a university career that bored me immensely or when I demanded Fraga's resignation live from the Operación Triunfo set for the whole country, but deep down those moments are nothing more than another step in a direction, whether it's dedicating myself to music, whether it's moving away from the mainstream, which was taken beforehand, probably without having thought about it too much." And he smiles with that mischievous grimace that we have seen so many times on stage.

A quarter of a century ago, Miguel got together with some friends to form a group called Fundación Tony Manero with which to "sublimate" his "passion" for disco music. "Against all odds, it went well for us." So much so that the project has continued to breathe to this day with albums, concerts and "trying to find a coherent and cool way to insert Spanish into disco music."

Along that path, the musician confesses to having also dedicated himself to "collecting records and playing them for people" –as attested by his acclaimed DJ sessions in clubs like Marula-- and to recording and producing records for groups that he considered "worth listening to," in his studio Nación Funk.

End of a cycle

Turning his passion into a modus vivendi and doing it without sacrificing his principles is, in Miguelito's words, "probably what I am most proud of. Also, there are some musical pieces that even today I listen to and I am happy to have been involved in them, whether as an artist, as a producer or simply because I happened to be there."

And, even so, after twenty-five years of touring with ten albums and countless gigs on the most varied stages, Fundación Tony Manero is closing a cycle, "trying to do some farewell concerts, we took the opportunity to re-release our first studio album, Looking For la Fiesta, on vinyl." For his part, he is mainly "focused on making my production and recording studio work, which I hope will be my livelihood in the coming years."

For now, the album's release is announced for July 23, and it will allow enjoying as it should be, that is, with a needle plowing the grooves, tracks like the instant hit Supersexy Girl, the immense mid-tempo stepper, Lover's Symphony, or the devastating cover of Storm's mythical Can Nobody Love me Like You Do.

The measure taken in Barcelona

"It's nothing original, but I think the worst thing that has been done in this city has been to cede entire areas to tourism, losing part of its essence in the process," laments the artist who, nevertheless, assures that he likes Barcelona: "I have lived here all my life and I find it hard to imagine living anywhere else. I have taken the measure of the city and its people and I feel comfortable here. Of course, there are many things I don't like or that I would prefer to be different, but broadly speaking, it seems like a good place to live."

Suddenly, the background music experiences a changing of the guard in which Charles Mingus gives way to Gato Pérez and his Rumba dels 60. Miguel exults. "If there's one song that for me describes the spirit I like about Barcelona, it's this one. I can't help but get emotional every time I hear it!"

--- Do you want to accompany the Gato with something else?

--- I'll have another cognac.

--- And then will you want something to snack on?

--- In bars of this kind, I tend to order a portion.