Sanz: Lo que fui es lo que soy (2018) Movie Script

How do you see

those who strive to remain humble

even when they're at the height

of their artistic career?

People like that...

You know what it is?

I'm just changing someone's tape here!

-It's mine.

-Yours? I'll change it for you.

-Thanks.

-Don't mention it!

This is what I use for composing...

I bought a computer and now

it's where I do my best recordings.

Well...

I think my family

instilled in me a certain way

of being and of seeing the world.

But it's difficult, because when

you get your first taste of success

it's overwhelming.

It's like this huge monster,

and sometimes

you don't know how to react.

But luckily I have people around me

who I've always been able to lean on.

Plus, being normal

is much easier, right?

ON THE 24TH OF JUNE, 2017,

A ONE-OFF CONCERT WAS HELD

BY MUSICIAN ALEJANDRO SANZ

TO COMMEMORATE

THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY

OF THE RELEASE OF HIS ALBUM MÁS

THE HIGHEST-SELLING ALBUM

IN SPANISH MUSIC HISTORY

Good evening!

My name is Alejandro Sánchez Pizarro.

Native of Madrid and Cadiz

and raised all over the world.

I can't think of anything I'd rather do

than sing for you for the next 20 years.

Have a great night!

This is your concert, enjoy it!

SANZ:

WHAT I WAS IS WHAT I AM

To fill a 50,000-seater stadium,

first you need to empty a small room

and stay there on your own.

It's in that solitude

that interesting things are created.

A MONTH BEFORE THE CONCERT

Everyone knows it's not

just another rehearsal.

It's also a kind of retreat

where we can relax and rehearse

and create that atmosphere:

where we know we're in this together,

and it's not just one singer

with 20 musicians.

Music is the love of my life.

My first guitar belonged to my dad.

I'd wake up at 6:30 in the morning

and start playing it.

I remember my mum broke it

and I had to stick

an ad from a magazine on it

to cover up the hole.

You'll all leave

Time will pass

Moments will go by, you'll see.

When I tried to convince my mum

that I wanted to be a musician,

she'd say: "No, son. Making it as

a musician is a one in a million chance."

And I'd say: "But, Mum, that's me!

I'm the one in a million."

I'm going to sing a song

for my sons Alejandro and Jesús

and dedicate it to my husband.

FAMILY AUDIO RECORDINGS

-Daddy, come on!

-You two help her, go on.

My heart says...

ALEJANDRO'S MOTHER

That...

Stop laughing or I won't sing!

My mum practically raised

my brother and I by herself.

ALEJANDRO'S BROTHER

Back then,

an artist like my dad would spend

his whole life on the road.

My dad covered a million kilometres

in his Fiat 600

travelling up and down the country.

But then of course

my mum was left alone in Madrid

with two kids and nobody to help,

waiting for her husband to come home

which sometimes he didn't.

I've travelled to many countries,

but I haven't seen anything comparable

to this blessed Spain,

where I was born

And I'm convinced

there's nowhere else like it.

First he was in the Trío Juventud

with two girls from Algeciras.

They split up,

even though they were great...

ALEJANDRO'S AUNT

...and he started a band

with two other guys from Algeciras.

They were called Los 3 de la Bahía.

It was impressive knowing someone

whose dad worked in music,

played guitar and had recorded an album.

He came from a musical background

and was starting

to play the guitar, like me,

FRIEND AND MUSICIAN

but he had that environment at home

and it really made an impression on me.

Let's see what you can do.

ALEJANDRO'S FIRST RECORDINGS

-Do you want to sing it?

-Yes.

Go on then, sing it.

-Very good, but is that all you know?

-Yes!

There was a school in Cruz de los Caídos

that gave free classes...

ALEJANDRO'S MOTHER

ONDA LUZ INTERVIEW

...to kids that wanted them,

so that's where I took him.

It was free. It didn't matter if it came

to nothing! I took him there every day.

Every single day.

My dad always supported my brother.

My mum was more reluctant

because she knew...

ALEJANDRO'S BROTHER

...how hard it was.

My mum was always attentive.

She wanted me to pass my exams

and work in a bank,

like all mothers at that time.

We started out in music together.

We had a heavy metal band!

FIRST AND ONLY PERFORMANCE

There's a bridge which goes from Moratalaz

to La Estrella. It's over the motorway

and it's where me and my friend Carlos

would go.

We imagined the car lights were

our audience waving their lighters!

We'd stand up there imagining

the whole motorway was full of people!

As if we were rock stars!

20 DAYS BEFORE THE CONCERT

OK, so maybe we deserve it

But our voice isn't for sale

And whatever they think of us

Read my lips

I couldn't care less

I have a balm for all kinds of pain

Remedies for all kinds of mistakes

And prescriptions for disappointment

These guys say that

without the piano and all that

it's just over two hours long.

FRIEND AND AUTHOR

OF THE BIOGRAPHY "VIVE"

The way it is right now,

the concert's at least three hours long.

I don't want people to leave

looking at their watches.

Let's time it and if we have

to cut something, we will.

I like it better

when it sounds like that.

It sounds better

than a really good studio recording.

Sure, because it's a live recording.

There it goes...

I liked hard rock and flamenco best.

I listened to Camarón and Paco de Lucía

from a very young age.

Flamenco spoke to me.

It got under my skin.

Lole and Manuel...

Everything my dad used to play

in the car when I was little.

Little boy...

Once upon a time, there was a city...

...that was stranded

in the middle of a luminous bay.

ALEJANDRO'S FATHER

That's why they called it

The bride of the sun.

Take a guess, take a guess!

What town am I from?

Once upon a time...

Alejandro was born in Madrid

and spent many summers

at my mother's house.

I think that there he found

a place to develop his artistic side...

ALEJANDRO'S COUSIN

AND FLAMENCO EXPERT

...and that's stayed

with him his whole career.

We've loved flamenco

since we were born,

so those summers were unforgettable.

From when we woke up in the morning

to when we went to bed,

we'd be playing the guitar non-stop.

My mum would be in the kitchen

preparing the food...

He didn't just bring his guitar

when he came,

he'd also bring some black trousers

and a white shirt,

in case Cuadro Soleá had a show.

He played the guitar

in a lot of our shows.

At that time,

he already had his own songs.

It surprised us,

because they were really good.

I remember Alejandro saying to me:

"We should go

to your uncle's house one day.

I want him to hear me

and see what he thinks."

ALEJANDRO'S FRIEND,

NEPHEW OF PEPE AND PACO DE LUCÍA

We went there a few times

and he played him two or three

of his own songs,

that he'd written himself.

He sang them and my uncle loved them.

PACO DE LUCÍA

AND RAMÓN DE ALGECIRAS

That's when I realised who he was:

a boy who lived and breathed

like a flamenco artist.

FLAMENCO SINGER AND COMPOSER

He had the flair

and charm of a flamenco artist,

as if he'd been born here in Cadiz.

It was his thing.

Once upon a time,

there was a white butterfly,

HOME RECORDING

...who was the queen

of all the dawn butterflies

She would land in the gardens

among the most beautiful flowers

And whisper stories

to the carnation and the violet

THE 80'S

So he could earn some money,

my dad found him gigs

at nightclubs

owned by his friends in Madrid.

ALEJANDRO'S BROTHER

I used to play in strip clubs

and nightclubs,

earning basically enough

to cover my return taxi fare.

I used to sing

while the girls got changed,

not that they had

many clothes to change!

It was a real learning experience,

because obviously the customers

weren't there to listen to me!

I'm the same to Alejandro

as I could be to any of you.

STAR MAKER AND PRODUCER

My job is to support talented people

who are just starting out

and have no other support.

Capi was a very atypical producer.

He had a real eye for new talent.

Capi helped me launch my career.

Also Mecano or...

SINGER AND COMPOSER

Los Pecos, Alejandro...

He helped a lot of people.

I knew him through my mum

and from a photo I'd seen.

He was singing at a communion

or something like that

and he was in a Sevillian folk band

with my cousin.

When I saw the picture of them,

I saw that Alejandro had a special aura.

I said: "Bring him to me."

And he said to me:

"Capi, I want to be in this business

even if it's just making coffees."

He started giving me work on recordings,

doing backing vocals.

I also recorded

some stuff on the guitar

as a session musician.

If he needed someone to improvise

on an record, he usually called me,

I think basically

because I had this ballsy approach to it.

I met Alejandro in '88.

And who was on my books then?

Well, I had Fabio,

Luis Miguele, Nacho Canut...

Alejandro was my last signing

of the whole 80s movement.

Cocky guys need looking after

And you're not doing that

Cocky guys need looking after

Don't keep me just for the sake of it

Cocky guys need looking after

I'm out and about all over town

Look after the cocky guys

And they'll look after you

I had a great time making the album,

but the album itself...

wasn't my style at all.

I got to the recording studio

and they were all there,

and basically all high!

I didn't even know what the title meant

when they told me!

This 18-year-old kid

with the biggest gays in Madrid.

"Los chulos son pá cuidarlos"

wasn't what he wanted to do...

ALEJANDRO'S BROTHER

...and they didn't promote it either.

In fact, they practically ignored it.

"VIVIENDO DEPRISA" DEMO

He made the demo of "Viviendo Deprisa".

We thought about giving it

to another artist

and I said: "But you sing it

better than anybody."

Today the sunset is so short

DEMO

Our kiss at your front door

Isn't like the one yesterday

When they heard those demos, they said:

"It's really good,

but we need to find a song writer."

So I asked them to let me go

and Javier del Moral asked me

for three million pesetas

or he wouldn't let me go.

So I said:

"How am I supposed to pay that?

I walked here from Moratalaz!

I can't even afford the metro!"

In the end Simone Bosé came down.

Actually he was pretty fair

and said they'd let me go

on the condition that

I'd only record the songs

I'd shown them that they didn't want,

no others.

That's when I went to see

Iñigo Zabala at Warner.

Hi, Maria, it's Marta from Warner.

I'm calling to talk about...

He brought me a cassette

with a few songs on it

and the first one I listened to

really impressed me.

Then I heard the second one,

which was "Se le apagó la luz",

and I was completely...

I realised straight away

that no one was doing that in Spain

or in Spanish music.

Why isn't she talking?

I don't understand

DEMO

She was just telling me:

Don't go so fast, I'm scared.

The ambulance flew by...

Obviously Capi had been

around the block a few times...

I've always been quite tough

when negotiating for the artists.

So, I sent the demo

to José María Cámara,

who was the president of BMG.

I was at my mum's house,

sitting on the floor.

Mum was watching a film,

shouting at the character on the TV:

"Pick up the gun!"

"Mum, I've just been offered

a million pesetas."

"Of course you have, son! A million

pesetas! What are you like, boy?"

The first call... one. Then every ten

minutes it went up, a million at a time.

"Mum, I've been offered two!"

"What a vivid imagination, son!

Shut up, I'm trying to watch the film!"

It turned into a bidding war...

When Iñigo offered ten million,

Ariola offered eleven.

That's when Iñigo Zabala called.

I spoke from the heart and said:

"Look, I don't know what decision

you're going to make in the end,

but I do know that things

are going to go incredibly for you,

and whatever decision you make,

you're going to be a star

and enjoy huge success.

I'd like to be a part of it,

but I know you're going to make it big."

When he hung up, I said:

"So then I guess it's Cámara."

And he said: "No."

"Capi, I want to sign

with the other guy."

-"But he offered a million less!"

-"I know, but...

the reason he gave me

is worth a million."

Viviendo Deprisa

got off to a slow start.

We sent Alejandro

all around Spain in a minibus.

He went on all the local radios,

singing and playing his guitar.

Do you have any other hobbies

aside from music?

Well, besides music, I like... girls!

For all my friends in Algeciras,

this is "Viviendo Deprisa"...

I wasn't scared of anything.

I was used to singing

on the streets of my home town.

Even though in the end

I behaved like a man, I cried

And I seriously thought

That with that guy,

I should have a duel at sunrise

A duel at sunrise

It started off slowly, but you could see

that something was starting to happen.

At that time there was no internet,

no mobile phones,

there was no way to...

Music gained popularity

in other ways,

like when a girl from one town

told her mate from the next town,

and he told his mates,

and so on and so forth...

We're here at the Continente supermarket

with Alejandro Sanz.

The first year was hard work,

PRODUCT MANAGER

...he was slowly making

a name for himself,

but Alejandro didn't get one "no"...

Ever.

On the same night

I'd do a supermarket in Algeciras

and a big show in Seville.

So I'd finish in Algeciras, get in the car

and drive like a fucking maniac,

pardon my French,

to Seville for the concert.

Then the next day I'd go to La Toja,

to be on Moreno's show,

because that's what everyone did.

Remember this name

because soon he'll be a huge star!

Alejandro Sanz!

Today the sunset is so short

Our kiss at your front door

Isn't like the one yesterday

In recent years

it's been all about the bands,

PROMOTING "VIVIENDO DEPRISA"

so for a completely new solo artist

with a new album

and a style that

maybe not everyone's used to,

because they're more used to bands

playing pop-rock, which is harder,

it was pretty complicated.

We had to go on the radio,

on the Top 40 Show

and convince them to play this type

of music they didn't normally play.

They said

Alejandro was old-fashioned.

You can imagine

the things we had to put up with.

The media doesn't realise what it has

until the public start taking notice.

I'm tired of life, improvising for you

I'm tired of following you

I'm staying here

I've wasted my strength, my love,

by living too fast

I can't do it anymore

Don't wait for me, I'm staying here

Back then you knew everyone,

the sales directors, the radio people...

All the Top 40 radio programmers

would meet up

the day before the vote, in Ambigú.

All the artists would be there

and it was like a flea market:

"You're supporting me tomorrow, right?"

"I'm not sure I like the song."

"You can't have heard it properly!

Were you high when you heard it?"

If we sell 20 thousand copies,

they'll want another one next year.

Dreaming is so beautiful

And the truth so violent

I can't take it any more

There was a buzz

around Alejandro in Spain,

but most people didn't know

who he was or who the song was by.

So we had an idea for Alejandro to do

a charity concert.

We asked the kids to bring presents

for deprived children

to put under this huge tree.

And we gave those presents to UNICEF

along with a donation.

Then Television Española suddenly said

they'd show it on Christmas evening.

FROM THE REAL MADRID

SPORTS ARENA

I'd already done a lot of concerts,

lots of parks, car parks and clubs,

but I hadn't really made it yet.

It was going well, but I hadn't made it.

So when I got

to the Real Madrid Arena

and heard everyone screaming my name,

I realised that something was happening.

Hi!

I'm so excited to be here

for two main reasons:

because the tree is full of presents

and 'cos tonight we're all going to make

a lot of kids around the world very happy.

How I feel right now proves to me,

once again, that what I was is who I am.

I'm not ashamed to say

That you were everything to me

But I can't admit

That I'd like to do it again

So much time spent alone

So very alone

Lost out on the streets

There was no sign of you

The street was so deserted

The night was alive

And you speak with such confidence

Like you owned the key to my desire

And you speak with such confidence

Like you owned the key to my desire

Come on!

Everything I was is who I am.

What I brought with me yesterday

is what I take with me today

Everything I was is who I am.

What I brought with me yesterday

is what I take with me today

Everything I was...

There was a moment in that concert

when he played this amazing song

called "Se le apagó la luz."

That was the turning point,

when people said:

"Wow! This guy isn't just

for teeny-boppers."

Her light went out

He trembled

They closed the curtains on her

And he heard life pass him by

And the soft beating of a heart

He understood this was

a clumsy farewell

To the girl of his dreams

Her light went out

He trembled

Alejandro was really crying.

An artist normally releases

three or four albums

before achieving success,

but he got it with his second single.

You've no idea

how much tonight has meant to me.

It was so emotional.

I lay down on the dressing room floor

trying to get my head round it.

My dad was practically

drooling over his son.

Especially as he was an artist himself...

ALEJANDRO'S BROTHER

...and had had to struggle and travel

so much just to feed us.

The following day,

Alejandro went to number one

and his albums

started flying off the shelves.

It really took off that Christmas.

We sold a million albums.

I did 120 concerts in three months.

More concerts than there were days!

He went from being a normal kid...

ALEJANDRO'S BROTHER

...to a star, and it happened overnight.

MORATALAZ NEIGHBOURHOOD

At one point, I stopped

telling people I was his aunt,

because one time,

I was in the lift in his building

ALEJANDRO'S AUNT

with three girls and one said to me:

I LOVE YOU, ALEX

"You're Alejandro's aunt, right?"

And I said: "Yes",

and the one next to me

started stroking my arm

and said: "Oh!" and then fainted!

Suddenly we had 100 or 200 girls outside,

ALEJANDRO'S BROTHER

...all asking for Alejandro.

From then on, when he came to my house,

he had to sneak in...

FRIEND AND MUSICIAN

...through the garage,

because he couldn't go outside anymore!

Before we start the interview,

we need you all to take a step back.

We were in the Plaza de Andalucía

and it was total madness.

I could see things were getting

out of hand for all of us.

For the record company,

for the artist...

Come on, don't do that again!

I remember the sound of the barriers

screeching on the ground,

coming towards us.

I felt panicked.

I got up from the interview

and asked the security guys:

"Can you handle this,

or should we leave?"

So we left.

When I started to get

my first taste of success,

and I went from being

just a normal kid

to being really

well-known in this country,

I went to Sanlucar

and shut myself away in a house,

because it was all just so overwhelming.

I had to get used

to the success and the fame,

to everyone having an opinion of you

and not everyone liking you.

That makes you vulnerable, in a way,

because everyone

is giving their opinion of you,

saying you're this or you're that.

Saying: "What a romantic sap!",

Or "that guy's so cheesy!"

Or that you're a bad writer

or a bad singer.

Or that you sing well...

You get the whole range of opinions.

So you have to be open, but at the

same time have this emotional shield up.

It's hard to know what to do.

How can you do both things at once?

It's really difficult.

19 DAYS UNTIL THE CONCERT

It's better if you come in

on the high note.

Like the timid dew on a carnation

And I'll come in low...

I'll be there

Everyone else will leave, I know

I'll be by your side

through all the hard times

Just as the shore stays close to the sea

And the field is one

With the rain that falls upon it

I don't sing in this bit, right?

-Perfect.

-OK?

Let's try it.

REHEARSALS WITH PASTORA SOLER

Hey, if God exists

In whatever shape or form

It's simply love

If God exists

That's it.

Sometimes you need time.

It's like a relationship,

sometimes you need time apart

to make the relationship work.

This is the same thing.

-Well, you've been really missed.

-Really?

Yeah, really missed.

You should know

the stage has missed you!

-Well, treat 'em mean..!

-Exactly!

-Now it'll want me even more!

-For sure!

-I'm going to go feed my baby.

-Sure!

-See you later!

-Bye, babe!

Pastora took a break because

she had an episode of stage fright.

For a year or two,

she didn't sing or record an album,

or go on tour... Nothing at all.

The first day she sang again

was the day of the rehearsal.

Watching an artist be reborn like that

is a very beautiful thing.

I've been close to having

something like that happen to me,

but I always keep moving forward,

'cos I don't know where else I'd go.

He put in a lot of hard work

and made his mark in Latin America.

There were only a few artists at that time

who had the opportunity to do the same,

but they decided to focus

mainly on the Spanish market.

Some of them dabbled a bit over there,

but the only one

to really put in the time and effort,

in that moment, was Alejandro.

With a little bit of this

and a little bit of that

And shake your bum!

So, Alejandro, how are you finding Mexico?

Everyone's been so friendly.

PROMOTING VIVIENDO DEPRISA

You're famous for being friendly,

but I didn't know quite how much.

How long have you been here in Mexico?

Not long, about a fortnight,

but on the 24th I'm heading to Argentina.

He's off to Argentina!

I remember him arriving in Argentina

practically by himself.

He had one rep with him, that's all.

PR REP IN ARGENTINA

He showed me a list of radio stations,

so I said: "These are the important ones."

And he said:

"No, I'm going to do all of them."

-"Every single one."

-They took him and his guitar to schools,

cantinas and radio stations.

But actually, it turned out

to be quite unrewarding,

because he didn't achieve

the recognition he had in Spain.

He's well on the road to success,

he's the revelation of the '90s,

here with you all...

VIÑA DEL MAR FESTIVAL

Alejandro Sanz!

The crowd at Viña del Mar

was known as the monster,

and it was a monster that really roared!

People were whistling

booing people off stage,

even world-famous artists!

Good evening, everybody!

We've got a small problem

with the keyboard, but we'll get it fixed

in no time at all.

Can you improvise something

in the meantime?

-Sure!

-This isn't part of the programme,

but it's a talent

we might never have known about!

-Can you hear the guitar?

-Yes.

When the dawn comes,

If I'm not with you,

my soul will be broken in two

He was there, at the gates to America,

where the monster can either kick you out

or welcome you in.

Don't go! Don't go!

If you leave me,

my soul will be broken in two

Don't go! Don't go!

If you leave me

My soul will be broken in two

I was in pieces when I left the stage,

'cos I wanted to do well at the festival.

That was the first time

I saw Alejandro cry like a baby,

when he came into the dressing room

because he'd suffered so much on stage.

But after he went on with Miguel Bosé

and brought the house down.

Alejandro, come up and sing!

Tell me the wind

Will never destroy it...

Hands in the air!

Call it freedom

Sing it loud, brother,

and don't ever, ever stop singing!

LONDON

I'm dreading unpacking my suitcase,

because my mum packed it

and she stuffed so much in!

There's a bit of everything in there!

She thinks I'm going off to war!

The madness of loving you

Like a fugitive...

The madness of loving you...

Alejandro was

more than

what we'd seen on his first album

and we wanted to move away

from this idea of young music

and make a more adult album.

Let's get George Michael's arranger,

the best engineer in the world,

Paul McCartney's drummer...

STAR MAKER AND PRODUCER

The industry always seduces,

it's the sensuality of success.

We recorded it and it made

a third of the previous album's sales.

This is the room where...

RECORDING "SI TU ME MIRAS"

TOWNHOUSE STUDIO. LONDON, 1993

...the guitars were recorded.

Paco de Lucía recorded here.

I said: "Look, Paco,

this kid from Algeciras...

It's his dream to have you play

on one of his songs."

"The kid's crazy, totally crazy!

You think I'm going to play on your album?

Only your second album!

So I said:

"Just have a listen to the song."

Anyway, Paco came to London

and asked me:

"Who's paying for this,

you or the company?"

Paco was supposed to come

for just a few hours

and ended up staying 15 days,

wearing the same tracksuit!

And a great friendship

blossomed between the two artists.

The second time he joined us, I told him:

"I'm paying for this, Paco."

He said: "There's this thermostat

for a heater I've got

in Xpu-Ha, in Cancun,

and I just can't find it anywhere."

"OK, what model is it?"

"C-301H."

So I bought him a whole bag full!

I said: "Paco, you'll never need

another thermostat again!"

So we became friends and always

had a really good laugh together.

However serious the conversation was,

we'd always round it off

by playing a bulería!

Alejandro,

I heard your album's just been released

and that it's beautiful.

I haven't heard it yet,

but I know what you do and how you do it

and how you compose.

You're an artist and a great singer,

with a wonderful sensibility.

You're creative and a good person,

a really good person.

I wish you all the best

and all the luck in the world

for this new album,

but if it doesn't go well,

don't you worry,

because I know

how well you play flamenco guitar

and there'll always be a place for you

in my group!

Take care!

Who's joining you for the concert

at the Palacio de Deportes in Madrid?

My idol my whole life, Paco de Lucía.

The master had to be there.

It's a dream come true for me

to have him on stage

with me and the audience.

-Shall we listen to it?

-Let's do it!

For me it was the first

The most beautiful melody

A captive rose

ALEJANDRO SANZ, PACO DE LUCÍA

AND PRESUNTOS IMPLICADOS

That died when touched

When leaving my mouth

My lips were kissed

By those thankful phrases

My first song

At that concert,

I went out to dance on stage

and I could see

that people accepted it.

They understood that a pop artist

could also combine other genres.

Life, life, life!

ALEJANDRO SANZ, PACO DE LUCÍA

AND PEPE DE LUCÍA

It's a pastime

That's all life is

Life, life, life!

I think flamenco artists

see Alejandro's music...

ALEJANDRO'S COUSIN

AND FLAMENCO EXPERT

as something that's close to them,

that they can identify with.

And that's because

it's a part of his roots.

It isn't an impersonation,

it's totally real.

"EL SUEÑO" ESTATE,

CARMONA FAMILY ARCHIVES

ALEJANDRO'S FATHER

ALEJANDRO'S AUNT

Olé, Auntie!

16 DAYS BEFORE THE CONCERT

-You don't sing here, right?

-No, but it's the same harmony.

OK, then it changes... There.

One, two, three...

Don't cry like that

Don't lose hope

I know it will come

REHEARSAL WITH ANTONIO CARMONA

It will come

Don't cry like that

Don't lose hope

I know it will come

It will come

It all started in Italy.

I got a call to record

the guitars on the album "3".

The tape's finished.

At that time,

I didn't speak a word of Spanish,

but the producer told me they were looking

to form a new ensemble...

GUITARIST -MUSICAL DIRECTOR

...for this highly gifted artist.

RECORDING THE ALBUM3

CONDULME STUDIOS, VENICE, 1993

-This is the part we're changing, right?

-That's right.

Let's hear it.

Alejandro and I

didn't have much in common,

so he said to me:

"Look, instead of doing it the normal way,

PRODUCER

...where the arranger and producer

give me ideas,

let's go into the studio

and work together."

The thing he did with that guitar...

And with the other guy doing it

the Italian way...

STAR MAKER AND PRODUCER

The result was incredible.

With 3,

we needed substantial sales.

We told him the album was missing

something, another song.

He got mad and went home...

He didn't take it too well.

The next month he brought us five songs:

the five singles from the album!

It was unbelievable!

They all arrived at the party

Who knows what for

REJECTED DEMO

The famous arrived

How sensitive they are

Claiming to fight hunger

They enjoy their feasts

With napkins made

from the Amazon rainforest

It's true that since 3,

FRIEND AND COMPOSER

Alejandro has always, always recorded

what he wanted to record.

I think Alejandro has had

a better understanding of his career

since the label

started respecting his choice of songs.

In the case of Más,

which is the highest-selling album

in this country's music history,

and not only in terms of business,

but also in terms of impact,

PRESIDENT UNIVERSAL MUSIC SPAIN

...is and always will be a reference

for pop music in our language.

-Vicente Amigo is coming.

-Which tracks is he going to play on?

-On "Corazón", right?

-Yup, on "Corazón Partido."

The best thing is to do

what I've always done,

which is simply to write for myself.

When you write for yourself,

everyone gets it.

He's a chronicler of life.

The loves, the losses, the friendships,

the strife, it's all in there.

I've seen him experience real suffering,

because he loves so much.

12 DAYS UNTIL THE CONCERT

Three people to turn on a tap!

This is getting out of hand.

Alejandro says he's a good cook

and actually his rice is good,

FRIEND AND LAWYER

...but it's always the same!

He can't tell if the potato's hard!

When it's ready, he seasons it

and gives everyone a spoonful to try.

He does the same with his albums.

When the song's ready,

he'll give it to you to see

if it's seasoned, if it tastes good,

if the song's finished.

-It has a bitter aftertaste.

-A bit. Maybe it's the vinegar.

Add some coriander.

Alejandro was growing

and growing as a composer,

but with Más he excelled himself.

The album was already incredible.

It had "Y Si fuera Ella",

"Amiga mía"...

The album was going to be huge.

Alejandro called me and said:

"You have to listen to this."

And suddenly,

I was listening to "Corazón Partido".

Who will give me their emotions?

Who will ask me to never leave them?

Who will tuck me in tonight if I'm cold?

Who will mend my broken heart?

Who will fill this January

with spring?

Who will bring the moon down

so we can play?

Tell me, if you leave

Tell me, my love

Who will mend my broken heart?

Some people at my record label

didn't want me to say I liked flamenco,

they wanted me to take diction lessons

to hide that I was Andalusian.

Things like that. Nothing that sounded

like flamenco went on the radio.

That song was a little outside the box,

but it was so good

that we decided to include it.

We recorded that song

with musicians past and present.

And that chorus... It was magical.

That fusion of pop,

Latin and flamenco...

Even though we didn't know

exactly where we were going with it,

Alejandro said: "No, it's too pop,

the song deserves something more."

PRODUCER

So it was really him

who came up with the idea.

One day I picked up the tapes

and said: "OK, let's see...

What's missing here?"

In the end Capi brought in Ludo Pérez,

and he gave it the final touch.

He gave it that extra groove.

He added some Latin percussion

and then the mix was really unique.

Who will give me their emotions?

Who will ask me to never leave them?

Who will tuck me in tonight

if I'm cold?

Who will mend my broken heart?

Who will fill this January

with spring?

Who will bring the moon down

So we can play?

Tell me, if you leave

Tell me, my love

Who will mend my broken heart?

You know the plaster company

wanted to sue me?

They told me to take it out

and I said: "No, I won't."

"Plasters" isn't a brand name.

Just like "Jacuzzi" isn't a brand either.

Plasters for my broken heart.

Oh, my heart!

GUITARIST -MUSICAL DIRECTOR

Is that Ludo?

Ludo, how are you?

Perfect, OK?

I want them all to play together.

We've got such a powerful band,

splitting them up is stupid.

Mike and Ludo.

-We have to organise things.

-I know.

Look.

I've been with him since '98,

when I played on Más...

PERCUSSIONIST

...and now I'm back with my colleagues

from 20 years ago.

It says a lot about Alejandro

that he called us again.

GUITAR

I always had my camera

with me back then,

KEYBOARDS

so now we're doing it again,

I watched the footage back.

Tell me, if you leave

Tell me, my love

Who will mend my broken heart?

Yesterday I was rehearsing

and there was Helen...

PIANIST

...from '98,

and then Txell from 2001

and Sara from 2007

next to Victor...

They were all there together.

We've got all the years rolled into one.

9 DAYS UNTIL THE CONCERT

I've put the two bands together,

the one I had in '98

and the one I have now.

PRESS CONFERENCE, +ES+ EVENT

MAY, 2017

It's been a really cool process,

because some of them weren't

even working as musicians anymore.

So it's been a bit like Ocean's Eleven,

when they get the old crew together

for one last job, or something like that!

We ask you, as always,

out of courtesy not only for the artist,

but for all of us here today,

not to smoke

and to turn off your mobile phones,

so as not to be a nuisance

or to interfere with the sound people.

PRESS CONFERENCE,

MÁS ALBUM SALES May, 1998

Artists with the one million trophy

can be counted on two hands,

but artists with the trophy for 1,300,000

EX-PRESIDENT WARNER MUSIC

can't be counted, because

there's only one: Alejandro Sanz.

The album went to number one

and I think it stayed there

for two years straight.

That had never happened before in Spain.

The title is fitting for sure!

It looks like

the album is going well,

so when's the tour going to start?

The tour starts... I've got it

written down, because otherwise,

as I'm sure you can imagine...

People ask me if I believe in destiny.

Why wouldn't I?

My destiny's sorted until December!

The tour starts...

-It starts on the 11th of June in Murcia.

-Ah.

-Thank you!

-That was funny!

-How did I do?

-Fantastically, as always!

Discreet as well as elegant,

simple and youthful!

MÁS TOUR

SPAIN, 1998

The first concert on the Más tour.

I only know that...

GUITARIST

...the curtain went up,

my equipment was there on the floor...

I looked over and saw him

and then we started playing.

I can't remember anything else!

It was like a dream

that starts, then ends

and you're not aware of it

until it's over.

My friend

Maybe one of these days

I'll finally learn

To speak

without going round in circles

All of this matters to me

Because you're my friend

When we did the first concert

it was like, wow!

PERCUSSIONIST

It was like, where am I? What is this?

Being in a stadium...

The audience gives off

this avalanche of energy

that's like being hit by a brick wall!

I'd never before experienced the sound

KEYBOARD

...of girls screaming non-stop at 126dB!

Thank you! Thank you so much!

There were always the same fans

in the front row.

One day they'd have a banner for you,

the next day for Alejandro...

So we had

this kind of visual connection.

There was one fan

who hated my guts.

BACKING VOCALS

She would give me the finger.

It was horrible!

Alejandro started saying

that I was his cousin,

because the girls

would throw things at me. Seriously!

You'd see the girls in the front row...

GUITARIST

...and they'd all be fainting constantly!

The newspapers,

instead of reviewing the concert,

BASS PLAYER

...would say: "Alejandro Sanz's record!

200 and something girls fainted!"

No more reasonable doubts

There's no comparison for me

That final moment robbed me

Of the miracle of having you

all the time

Let's get this over with

A century should be long enough

This final moment belongs to us both

And the others, well they can wait

This final moment belongs to us both

And the others, well, they can wait

And no more reasonable doubts

This final moment belongs to us both

And the others, well they can wait

And the others...

When we were on tour with Más,

the exact same final was on:

Real Madrid -Juventus.

Isn't that crazy?

It's incredible we're all together,

20 years on, and the same final is on.

And the big final is underway...

EUROPEAN CUP FINAL

Guitar!

Let's go! Let's go!

I think it'll be...

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL, 2017

...4-1.

He's going to miss it...

I reckon so.

-That fucking English what's-his-name!

-I'm so sorry!

I'm happy Madrid lost too!

Josep! In the pool!

Look, look!

Juve got fucked this year!

Arriving at airports was...

PERCUSSIONIST

They had to rush Alejandro through.

But him being him, he wanted

to sign autographs for everyone.

So they'd have to drag him away:

"Come on! Let's go!"

Or we'd never have got out of there!

I haven't done anything, I swear!

I haven't done anything!

Frisk me then!

-Wait.

-Frisk him.

The '98 programme, for example,

didn't look too bad,

but we had gigs in Guatemala,

then New York,

then Washington, Chicago...

"Alejandro-mania" had reached Mexico.

One day, we had a reporter

NATIONAL AUDITORIUM

MEXICO. MARCH 1998

from El País coming

to cover the concert.

He was quite a tough critic

and the guys from the label

were a bit nervous he was coming.

I'd sung the previous night

and it had gone down a storm.

So the night before

this guy was due to come,

I stayed up with Pancho Céspedes

and the musicians in the room

singing and drinking tequila

until the crack of dawn.

We like having fun.

The next day I woke up

and I'd completely lost my voice!

So I went on stage,

went to sing the first line

and I had no voice!

What else could I do

but go back inside

and leave my musicians playing the song?

BASS PLAYER

He locked himself in the dressing room

and wouldn't come out.

Iñigo Zabala was there so I said:

"Iñigo, what am I going to do?"

I went into the dressing room and said:

"Alejandro, we can't cancel.

You can't do that to your fans.

Go out there

and tell them to sing with you.

Tell them you need their help."

So I went back out and said:

"Look, I've obviously lost my voice.

If you want to leave,

you'll get your money back.

But if you stay, you're going to see

the best concert of the whole tour!"

I've been distracted lately

I'm doing everything wrong

I'm a disaster

And I don't know what's going on

The crowd sang the first few songs

and Alejandro sang the ends of the lines.

By the middle of the concert,

he was managing to sing

about half the songs.

And by the end

Alejandro was sounding like Pavarotti!

You're that woman

I feel this man can love

I live each second

As if it were the first time

Knowing that you loved me

Everything you gave me

When we finished the concert,

the musicians lifted me up

on their shoulders like a hero.

And the crowd...

It was really emotional.

The next day, the guy from El País

wrote a rave review.

I've cancelled

very few concerts in my life.

You have to do everything

in your power for the show to go on.

I mean, I was born to be on stage,

it's what I do.

-Thanks, Alejandro! Look what we've got!

-Get well soon, Alejandro!

That's right.

First let me just say, I got married!

Now we can start the press conference!

Alejandro got back from Bali,

a newlywed,

and started getting harassed

by the press and the media.

He came to my house

and I said: "You can stay here

for as long as you want, no problem."

SINGER AND COMPOSER

A year and a half!

He brought his piano over,

got settled in,

and started composing El alma al aire.

A WEEK BEFORE THE CONCERT

I write a lot of my songs

in 12/8 or 6/8 time.

I write them in the bulería

or alegría style

and then I translate them,

so to speak, into pop,

but I leave that time hidden in the songs

so that whoever needs to hear it will.

For example, "Cuando nadie me ve..."

People hear the song like this...

Sometimes I rise up

Do a thousand cartwheels

Sometimes I lock myself away

behind open doors

But really it's like this...

Sometimes I rise up

Do a thousand cartwheels

Sometimes I lock myself away

behind open doors

Sometimes I explain this silence to you

Sometimes I'm yours

And sometimes I belong to the wind

I mean, that's the tempo.

That's why in the video

I'm walking with that rhythm.

When nobody sees me

MUSIC VIDEO RECORDING. 2000

I can be or be nothing

When nobody sees me

I look like your skin

When nobody sees me

I think about her too

When nobody sees me

I can be or be nothing

When nobody sees me

I can be or be nothing

When nobody sees me

I'm not confined to my skin

With Más came recognition,

with El alma al aire

came confirmation.

The winner is... Alejandro Sanz.

I'd like to dedicate this award to my dad,

who's sitting right there.

LATIN GRAMMY AWARDS

2nd EDITION, LOS ANGELES

El alma al aire!

Who said "Me vale madre"?

That's a lot of gold!

My friend, 55,000 tickets sold,

plus the 5,000 who sneak into each gig

and the 5,000 who get in free, that's more

than 60,000 people watching you.

Is this the biggest crowd

you've ever performed for?

Yes, I think so.

It's also symbolic,

because this is a place

where all the best artists have played

and which no Spaniard

has ever filled before.

She slides in and bowls me over

VICENTE CALDERÓN STADIUM

MADRID 2001

And although sometimes I don't care

I know the day I lose her

I will suffer again

Because of her

Who appears and then hides away

Who leaves and then stays

Who is both the question and the answer

Who is my darkness

My star

El alma al aire gave us

the Alejandro who performed in stadiums

with an amazing band, amazing lights,

putting on incredible show.

How do you measure your success?

On awards? On ticket sales?

Not me. My prize is going on stage

and hearing 40,000 or 50,000 people

singing one of my songs.

Six?

5 DAYS BEFORE THE CONCERT

-You know what?

-What are you doing?

We've got a cheating pianist!

-No!

-Hey!

Go on then!

Take your five points!

I thought they were my points!

-The pianist.

-Where is it?

I didn't touch anything!

-He had one and now he has two!

-Short memory!

-A short memory is worthless.

-Sure.

A long-term memory,

that's the one...

-Do you remember the unplugged gig?

-My memory's not that bad!

MTV was the logical result

of everything that was happening.

The Grammys, an international career...

No Spanish artist had ever done

MTV Unplugged before.

I had rehearsal at 8:00 a.m.

I woke up to the news of 9/11.

The Grammys got cancelled

and I couldn't do

the Unplugged concert in Miami either.

So...

We interrupt the MTV scheduled broadcast

to bring you news of the attack on the US.

The title of the song reflects

what people are probably wondering:

"What can I do for others?

How can I help others?"

We've suddenly realised that terrorism

isn't as far removed from us

as we thought.

But there are many other things

we should also take into account,

so I think asking that question

is the best that a person can give.

From the top!

When I'd finished the song

my producer said: "Michael Jackson

wants to talk to you. Call him."

I wanted to tell Michael Jackson,

as a joke:

"Don't go saying we're mates now,

just because we spoke on the phone."

Just a little joke, you know?

But in English...

it's tricky!

You know the day Más came out,

he died?

Are we playing or talking here?

MTV UNPLUGGED TONIGHT

PRESENTS ALEJANDRO SANZ

RECORDING "MTV UNPLUGGED"

GUSMAN CENTER, 2001

Lord of infinite spaces

You that holds peace in your hands

Let it spill out Lord

I'm begging you

And teach my brothers how to love

And teach them how beautiful life is

And how to heal all wounds

And to show pure love to the whole world

And always seek out love, Lord

And hate war

I'd like to be the air

That escapes from your laugh

I'd like to be salt

That stings in your wounds

ALEJANDRO SANZ AND DESTINY’S CHILD

I'd like to be the blood

That your life wraps around

OK, so maybe we deserve it

But our voice isn't for sale

And whatever they think of us

Read my lips, I couldn't care less

El alma al aire marked the beginning

of the "Miami" period

and "No es lo mismo"

is totally the Miami-style Alejandro

and I think that really shines through.

RECORDING "NO ES LO MISMO"

MIAMI, 2003

Stop, stop, stop!

He went to work with Lulo Pérez...

FRIEND AND AUTHOR OF "VIVE"

...and made

his first fully American album.

He stopped working with a lot of people

he'd been with for years.

He stopped working

with Emanuele Ruffinengo,

he stopped working with Capi.

Alejandro reinvented himself.

He took on Latin music, Cuban music...

Miami was a great influence for him

and then he reinvented himself

once again.

-I'm knackered!

-I said: "I can't go on like this.

I've got nothing left to contribute,

I'm out."

I even broke the contracts

we had together.

Now, I'd like to invite on stage...

CHARITY CONCERT

...somebody who has helped me

and has helped all us artists

and the "Alas movement"...

Alejandro Sanz!

Alejandro has always been a pioneer.

The urban phenomenon

might seem like something new,

but "La Tortura" became

the most played Spanish song in history.

It sold more than 12 million singles.

It was number one in the USA.

And it's undoubtedly

a song that was ahead of its time.

It also coincided with the most

charitable moment of his career.

I know I haven't been a saint

ALEJANDRO SANZ AND SHAKIRA

But I can fix that my love

A man can't live on bread alone

And I can't live on excuses

You learn from your mistakes

And I know that my heart is yours

Better keep it for yourself

Give the bone to another dog

And let's say goodbye

I think we're at a time

where everyone is very conformist

and I don't think that's good for anybody.

If at this point in my life,

when professionally

I'm in this privileged situation,

GREENPEACE EXPEDITION

THE ARCTIC

...I don't take risks, then when will I?

I don't understand this hunger.

The hunger of people

who have it all. I don't get it.

The way our society is conceived,

economically and socially,

we're losing more and more democracy.

-What's your name?

-Alejandro.

Companies and large corporations

are now the ones with the power

and that's very dangerous.

3 DAYS BEFORE THE CONCERT

Nice to meet you all!

Under the rain and under the sun

The daisy said no

CHOIR REHEARSAL "SAFARI CHILDREN"

Under the rain and under the sun

The daisy said no

Under the rain and under the sun

The daisy said no

In "La Margarita dijo no",

the kids come out with flags.

-Do we have the flags?

-Yes.

-They have to enter from both sides.

-Yes, in two lines.

-They enter in two lines and spread out.

-That's already choreographed.

-There's no problem with that.

-Sure.

What may seem marvellous to you today

can seem horrible tomorrow.

And the day after

you think it's sublime.

So you always need

somebody you can trust

who'll tell you: "Stop there,

that's enough, leave it like that."

Alejandro's dad, Jesús,

had that someone too.

He was more than a friend.

FRIEND AND MUSICIAN

He was at all his concerts

and on all his tours.

It was like he was

an extension of Alejandro!

I'd say:

"Alejandro, watch out with him.

Careful with this one, that one."

FRIEND AND COMPOSER

Those truths

that people

don't often tell an artist.

My dream is for everyone to be happy,

INTERVIEW BY MONIKA BELLIDO

(COUSIN) OF JESÚS SÁNCHEZ (FATHER)

...for there to be no wars or diseases

and for everybody to be OK.

-What's your favourite dish?

-Stew.

Are you superstitious?

I'm not superstitious, it's bad luck!

With your sideways smile

DEMO

How many I love yous

Did you keep inside?

How many of your boyhood things

Do you still keep in your pockets?

With your eternal cigarette

The bags under your eyes

And your carelessness

The most beautiful of dances

Is your limp when you walk

I imagine you put on weight

To make room for your soul

You are that friend

Who gave me life

I think he felt that

he'd left him too soon...

SINGER AND FRIEND

...and it really affected him.

When he lost his dad,

ALEJANDRO'S AUNT

...it was really hard for him.

Especially because he'd just

separated from Jaydy as well,

so it was a really tough time for him.

He called me up and said:

"Why don't you come over to Miami?

For a month or however long you want."

ALEJANDRO'S UNCLE

I said: "OK, I'll come. Something must

be up if you're calling me like this."

And so I went over there.

Paco was there.

He was telling me

that the boy was in a bad way.

I'd been in the house

by myself for six years

and the people I had around me

were trying to stitch me up.

They were blackmailing me

with things from my private life.

They had my divorce settlement,

SANZ'S EMPLOYEES BLACKMAILED HIM

FOR HALF A MILLION DOLLARS

...photos and stuff they'd found

on my computer

that they said

they were going to make public

unless I gave them

half a million dollars.

And I said: "That's not going to happen.

That's not going to happen."

We've seen people try...

THE TREACHEROUS EMPLOYEES

...to take advantage of his good heart

and his good faith

and we've had to go to court.

SANZ'S TESTIFIES FOR 5 HOURS

AGAINST HIS EMPLOYEES

We had to release a statement

in November, 2006,

about a son he had,

whose identity he wanted to protect.

We've been through a lot.

I think it's the darkest stage

Alejandro has been through.

We all have skeletons in our closets.

Why should he be any different?

My favourite album is

El tren de los momentos.

I'd locked myself away. My inner world

had taken over my outer world.

My house was chaos, a complete mess.

I painted the walls, hung photos...

All my drunk muses were there,

strewn around the house.

My inner world is my refuge,

but it can also be my hell.

RECORDING

"EL TREN DE LOS MOMENTOS"

It's where I've fought my battles

and some I win, some I lose.

He recorded it in a room in his house

in Miami where he also...

had a canvas and where he painted

compulsively.

I don't think it was his happiest time.

It's a very sincere album.

It was a kind of scream of desperation.

To the first person

Who helps me get out

Of this hell

I myself chose to live in

ONDAS AWARDS, 2006

I'll give us any afternoon

What I'm saying is that

Right now I have no place to be

Whoever wants gold can have it

But if we talk about yesterday

I have drunk so much

And yet I am still thirsty

At least you knew

At least I didn't tell you

That things weren't as they seemed

But to the first person

Who helps me to feel again

I intend to give them my life

I intend to give them my faith

But if you're not the person

I dreamt of, then what for?

What can I do?

Nothing

What will I do with the dreams?

What will I do with those kisses?

What can I do

With everything we dreamt about?

Tell me

where can we put it?

Where do I keep

that look you once gave me?

Where do I keep the promises?

Where do I keep yesterday?

Baby, where do I keep

the way you touched me?

Where do I keep my faith?

Even though people say it

I don't want to hear it

There's nothing so frightening

as when you feel nothing

Baby, you think it's so easy

Oh, my love!

But the easier you see it

The more difficult it is for me

To the first person who helps me to walk

I intend to give you my time

I'll even give you the sea

I'm not saying it's easy

But baby

Right now I have no place to be

1 DAY BEFORE THE CONCERT

When I started working with Alejandro

he'd just released

El tren de los momentos.

I suddenly saw this van drive up

and stop in front of me.

I got in and sat down

and it was really dark inside.

We couldn't barely see each other!

ALEJANDRO'S WIFE

We said: "Hi", "Hi"...

-"How are you?"

-"Fine."

"You're gorgeous". But he couldn't see me!

I knew he had a good sense of humour

and that he was very charming.

That was the first time

I spoke to Alejandro.

We liked each other straight away.

We got on really well.

Various circumstances came together

at that time in Alejandro's life.

He had to overcome many things

and that's exactly what he did.

Sara likes snails!

Sometimes I feel lost

Restless, alone and confused

So I tie myself to the stars

And circle the whole world

To this wounded heart

REHEARSAL

Music makes sense

We give you wings with this voice

We help your feet to walk

I'm singing for somebody like you

These are chestnuts.

Alejandro's whole family

is like a family to me.

His mum has always

been very sweet to me.

She is so much fun.

She has six brothers

and she's the only girl,

so she had to develop

a strong character.

She never has her ID or any money on her!

His mum was a real family person.

When she came to visit,

we'd spend all our time together.

She never organised anything

outside of the family.

ALEJANDRO'S UNCLE

This is my uncle. He's always

the best informed about everything.

-And my cousin. He's not bad at cards.

-Yeah, right!

You're terrible!

And I'm always there next to you,

trying to...

And you can always tell

what hand he's got!

Yeah 'cos when he's got a bad hand,

he goes like this!

-You move it around the pan.

-Move it round and round.

Turn it over, leave it to brown

and pim pim, that's that!

And that's that!

No! I look awful!

-You look beautiful!

-Don't be silly!

Beauties are always beautiful.

ALEJANDRO'S AUNT

I've spent my life

with my sister-in-law.

She was happy with me and with Manolo,

just as I was with her.

Alejandro said to me: "Aunty,

will you come and live here?

It's what mum would've wanted."

It had been his mum's plan,

so that's what he wanted,

for us to be here all together,

and we've been here five years now.

When you have the life of an artist,

you find yourself within

a small group you can't get out of,

so that group has to be fun

or it has to be full of something,

because you live somewhat

isolated from the rest of the world.

I have a lot of cousins.

We all get together at Christmas,

there's between 60 and 90 people.

That's why I bought this place,

so we could to get together here

like I did with my family as a boy.

We'd kind of got out of the habit,

as we had nowhere to all meet up.

My children will inherit this place,

on one condition:

they can't sell it.

This is for the family.

A place where the whole family can...

You know?

Be together for generations to come

and have a place that is just ours.

And this is it.

-It's beautiful.

-Yeah! The wall's really changed.

Before it was just a wall,

now you have colours and life.

It's been incredible working for you.

You're quite something, mate! I love it!

-I'm happy to hear that.

-Thank you.

Really.

HOME RECORDINGS

Painter

Born in my land

With a foreign brush

Painter who follows in the steps

Of so many painters gone before

Although the Virgin is white

Paint me black angels

I can feel you here with me.

I need your support on the day.

This is for you.

That's what I love about forests,

it's like entering into a promise.

It's like you're experiencing

an emotion.

That's the thing about forests.

Twenty years, we drank from the same cup

DAY OF THE CONCERT

MADRID, 24th JUNE, 2017

Sharing emotions

So many things we still do together

Twenty years

We are lives that touched each other

VICENTE CALDERÓN STADIUM

We don't even think about it anymore

I could caress your words

We walk together

Without resting our lips

And we let time go by

And the sound of uncertainty

When something new is coming our way

But our love is bulletproof

And the battles only make it stronger

I bring to you

The memories that you and I create

Emotions

There's a fire inside me for you

What I learnt

What I dreamt

The twenty times

we've been around this sun

I bring to you

Don't forget what we said to each other

Even if time has erased

A million of my verses

There's nothing that can

Take that taste away from me

Twenty years

I bring to you

In the end, success isn't about

trends or the market, none of that.

It's about showing an artist's heart.

When nobody sees me

I can be or be nothing

When nobody sees me

Sometimes I rise up

Do a thousand cartwheels

I lock you away in my eyes

Behind open doors

Sometimes I explain this silence to you

At times I'm yours

I guess this nostalgic celebration

has been quite natural for him.

Like someone inviting

all their friends over for dinner.

It happened spontaneously.

But I think that everyone sees it

as a gift to all of his fans.

Yeah! Algeciras in the house!

Take a guess!

What town am I from?

Take a guess

I'll give you a kiss

Who will give me their emotions?

Who will ask me to never leave them?

Who will tuck me in

tonight if I'm cold?

Who will mend my broken heart?

The first time I played at Calderón,

I told people: "I was sat there once

wondering when it would be

my turn to play in a place like this."

I was dreaming big,

but that's the only way to dream.

One...

There in a dark patio...

-Alejandro, get your guitar.

-Do you know the words, Alejandro?

I want to sing...

Come on then!

You always say the same thing!

-I always dream about a balloon.

-Really?

-Yes.

-Good evening ladies and gentlemen!

Here for your delight,

a genius of the modern song...

Jury Venturi!

Jury Venturi, please, tell us,

how long will you be in Spain for?

Twenty years!

I AM WHAT I WAS

This is an honour

I find it hard to believe I deserve,

as I still see myself as that little boy

sitting next to his dad,

trying to imitate his chords.

My fingers couldn't reach

a lot of the positions,

just as my heart couldn't be filled

with more gratitude for this recognition.

I present this award

for the Latin Recording Academy's

person of the year, 2017,

to my friend, Alejandro Sanz!

Music is untouchable

Music's always there, you'll see.

Long live music!

Tell us what the song is about.

When an artist writes a song,

we call it composing,

and when they mess up,

can we call it decomposing?

For sure!

That's exactly it!

His attitude is that of a musician,

not of a star,

which is what most singers have.

Nice! Really nice!

...and mysteries, six by six

The centuries, the dead

And the restless that cry out

We'll all go, yet it will still remain

Remember it

A song

Music is untouchable

And what the wind blows away

Is the safest thing

Have no doubt

It grabs hold of time

And lasts forever in our hearts

We'll all go, yet it will still remain

Remember it

A song

Music is untouchable

There's no law

A powerful emotion

That not even time can defeat

There's no law

Whatever you love

Will remain in time

It will still be here

When we're gone

It will still be here when you're gone

Music will remain

Music's always there, you'll see

Long live the music

Your Majesty

God save the music

In all its splendour

Music will remain

When there's nobody to love

Music will remain

Like an awakening

Music will remain

Long live music

The music will remain...

Chile! Let me hear you!

Viña!

The Golden Music Award, 2017,

in recognition of his whole career,

goes to the master, Alejandro Sanz!

Music will remain

It's all about the music

Time to wake up

Long live music

Your Majesty

God save the music

In all its splendour

Music will remain

When there's nobody to love

Music will remain

Like an awakening

We'll still have the music

It's our truth

Music is untouchable

It's the main event

To finish, a very well-known tune.

That's it!

Sanz: Lo que fui es lo que soy (2018) - full transcript