The Dramatic Reinvention Of C. Tangana
In 'El Madrileño', C. Tangana aligns himself with the classics...”there’s something classic but vanguard about it.”
On 'El Madrileño', which translates as the Spanish demonym for someone from Madrid, Álvarez revindicates the classics of his country and proudly paints himself among them.
“Before trap, Spanish music was mostly indie bands who dressed like they were from the UK or the US. To be cool, you had to be un-Spanish.”
It’s a formula that Álvarez is now turning on its head, “now this music feels exotic and original. And that’s what’s getting people’s attention.”
At the end of the call, Álvarez turns his camera away from the large canvas, and jokingly says he can sell the art from El Madrileño in a few years when people have forgotten him.
But, his fears are unfounded, of course. If there’s anything that defines a classic, it's that it’s here to stay.
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Pic: Javier Ruiz![]()
Hi, I'm Charis McGowan, a British-Caribbean writer based between London, UK, and Santiago, Chile.
I’ve been a regular news stringer in Chile for over eight years, contributing to outlets including The Guardian, Al Jazeera, the BBC, The Telegraph, and more. My work primarily focuses on human rights and social justice. Additionally, I am the former Music Editor-at-Large at gal-dem, where I wrote extensively about music and culture with a focus on Latin America and the Caribbean.
I’m open to commissions, collaborations, talks, and projects.
Please get in touch via the form.
Or email me at: charismcgowan at gmail.com