We spoke with Felipe Yaluff about his new single and his career.

INTERVIEW

We spoke with Felipe Yaluff about his new single and his career.

Listen to the single "Culpable o No (Guilty or Not)

Artist Name: Felipe Yaluff

Musical Genre: Urban Pop, Neo Soul, Nu Jazz, Jazz, Psychedelic Rock, Neo Folk

Origin: Santiago, Chile

We take advantage of the release of Felipe Yaluff's latest single, "Culpable o No," to dive into his musical career.

You've been in the world of music for over twenty years. How would you describe yourself as an artist?

I started by making folk and rock music with childhood friends until 2003 when I recorded my first album with voice and guitar songs. Then I started playing the saxophone, which led me to be a part of psychedelic rock and jazz bands, until I took a musical break during which I wrote business books to help people and became a mentor to investors. It's a profession I pursued with joy until I discovered that I had to return to my core, to my essence as a singer and songwriter.

I resumed my solo career, developing an urban pop style with touches of jazz and neo-soul, incorporating all my musical experience from these years. I enjoy writing lyrics and creating beats, using extended harmonies, and adding saxophone to pop songs to give them more depth. The saxophone is my primary instrument and serves as a creative portal to access more abstract inspirations, different from those that come from singing and playing the guitar.

Every day, I discover something new, some aspect or form that manifests through sound, a concept, and I realize that despite the many twists and turns in my journey, I continue to evolve, driven by the same excitement I had as a child in front of music. This moves me and motivates me to keep producing and playing.

Listen to the death of love here "la muerte del amor"

What are your goals?

My main goal is to remember why I'm a musician, to enjoy every moment of the process without commercial or social pressures. I aim to achieve excellence in performance and find my unique voice in improvisation, and to connect with others through music.

Can you tell us about your creative process? How do you create your songs? What comes first, the melody... the lyrics...?

Songs emerge spontaneously. Sometimes, a melody that starts on the saxophone ends up becoming the chorus of a song. Other times, inspiration comes in the form of lyrics that I write on the spot, and then I experiment with chords over them.

There are times when a piece of harmony from jazz complements a pop segment, creating constant inspiration based on my influences, intuition, and the internal feeling of taking the work to its best version.

While I have worked with music producers in the past, today, I complete the entire process in my studio, where I compose, record, and mix the songs entirely.

Another very important aspect is managing the single once it's released to the world. I put concentration and energy into a song during its creation phase and continue with the same intensity once it's published. I'm interested in reaching the right ears and making a mark on the collective musical landscape. This requires good exposure.

I believe that there is too much music lost among platforms. Once released, it often gets forgotten. The showcase of the song is as important as the music itself. One cannot exist without the other. If it doesn't reach its audience, no matter how good it is, it won't exist in the minds of the listeners.

Which of all your creations would you highlight?

The song that has brought me a lot of joy and represents the sound I've been developing lately is my own version of "Culpable o No," originally by Luis Miguel. It started as a dramatic love ballad but underwent a transformation in harmony, rhythm, singing style, and the sensuality added by the saxophone.

Other important songs in my life include "Chica Provi" which I did with the Submarinos. It was produced by Eduardo Parra and recorded by Pancho Straub, and being in the company of such great figures was a moment of total learning, something I remember with joy.

"Las Cosas Que Me Hacen Feliz" based on John Coltrane's "My Favorite Things," represents my beginnings as a singer-songwriter, so it also holds a special significance.

The best songs are the ones that make you experience moments of emotional intensity.

Who are your influences?

My influences come from Argentine rock, such as Sumo, Cerati, Charly García, Spinetta, and Virus. This is the music I most commonly listen to and practice my vocals with.

I also have influences from neo-soul and jazzy hip-hop, with artists like Jose James and Frank Ocean, where I've found new sounds that inspire me when creating beats.

In parallel, there are my favorite jazz musicians: Miles Davis, Coltrane, Parker, Farhm, Redman, McCalsin. They are great illuminated masters of music. Studying the language of jazz has taught me a lot about harmony and improvisation, which comes into play when composing pop music.

The saxophone has led me to play with bands of very diverse styles, and I think it has been the best source of influences when it comes to having resources and composing original music.

What would you say to an artist who is just starting out?

I would tell them that the most important thing in music is to feel good. Don't forget that, regardless of the importance of the performance or the technical challenges, you must enjoy playing. Everything comes in its own time, and practice makes perfect.

Create music from within yourself, forgetting about the audience, which should be the last thing on your mind. Don't despair or get frustrated, as everything will happen in proportion to what the artist allows. Mental flexibility is key to evolving. Obsession can be useful but can also hinder the creative process. Give your level time, enjoy where you are today with calm and joy.

The best audience can be people you haven't even met yet. Focus on yourself as a unique creative being, enjoy the process, and use failures to improve; they are the best teachers. We came into this world to enjoy and experience emotions, so draw something from that and get started. The future is now.

YOU CAN FIND FELIPE YALUFF HERE