The Importance of the Music Producer and my experience with William Sigismondi

Inés María y William Sigismondi en Houston, TX, 2021.

Recording my solo album was something that I was very excited about, so I envisioned it at the highest level of quality. Thus, my first goal was to find a music producer who understood my idea of ​​the sound I wanted to achieve. It was clear to me that the production work was crucial for the final result of the musical proposal.

The music producer participates in all stages of the album and performs many tasks. It means that he supervises the musical and vocal arrangements, instructs and guides the singer and musicians, records sessions, mixes and masters the album, among others. Basically, the final product and sound are the result of the vision and work of the music producer. So, getting a fantastic result depends on a talented professional who must be aligned with the product the artist wants to achieve.

Fortunately, I had the wonderful opportunity to have the extraordinary talent of the Latin Grammy winner, Maestro William Sigismondi, as the music producer for my album. Working on my ideas with Sigismondi was the cherry on the cake. His work is a guarantee of beauty due to his very personal concept of music, his unique style and the beautiful sounds that he usually gets.

Working with William is an evolving learning process. During our joint work in the pre-production stage, I matured the concept of the album to the fullest. I understood how to sing each song by learning to listen to myself; so, I sharpened my vocal skills at those challenging points, because my voice was another important instrument in the arrangements. I also found that I feel the lyrics of each song even more, which was reflected in the recording process. Finally, I saw the album expand, come to life, and come true in a beautiful way.

I am very proud, honored, happy and grateful to have learned and worked with such an amazing and talented musician as William Sigismondi. His work exceeded the expectations that I had with the project “Besame Mucho”. The result has been a bolero album with a refreshing, contemporary, elegant, refined and chic sound. This musical work is a glamorous bolero album that honors, elevates and updates the sound of this Latin music genre. 

I invite you to enjoy my album “Besame Mucho” on all digital platforms.


Ucevista Voice Contest: My experience in the Urban Voice

The “Festival de la Voz Ucevista” is a popular singing contest organized by the Central University of Venezuela (UCV) every year to choose the most outstanding singers in two different categories: urban music and traditional Venezuelan music. This is how, annually, the best female and male voice is rewarded in each category. Both categories are made in the Aula Magna on different days.

In 1991, UCV resumed the realization of this singing contest when the Cultural Departmet was in charge of Dr. Ocarina Castillo. At that time, the jury of the urban categoty would be very important artists of the national pop scene, I remember that Ilan Chester and Yordano were invited. When I found out that they would be sworn in, I immediately enrolled in the “Urban Voice of Dentistry” in which I was selected.

Inspired to make the best possible representation of my dentist school, I chose a slightly transgressive song for the time, a funky from Marivana, “Classified Ad” that was popularized in salsa time in 1990. The song was a classified ad where one was looking for a couple with specific characteristics and even said that she wanted someone “without virus problems” in a veiled reference to the HIV epidemic  in a time when talking about HIV was a taboo.

The day of the final of the Urban Voice, there were problems with the entrance to the UCV and I remember that Trina Medina – salsa singer – and Raúl Delgado Estévez – Conductor of the Orfeón Universitario – were two of the juries who supplied the invited artists for the impossibility of entering the university campus. It was a night in which I was nervous because for me, that Raúl Delgado was a jury was a greater challenge because he knew me very well and I knew how severe he could be in that aspect, it was not an advantage for my being Soprano of the  Orfeón Universitario. Trina was and still is one of my favorite singers.

That night was wonderful, full of great talent where I met people who were in my life forever. I admit that I was a little rebellious with what was a trend in the University, at that time singing songs of the Cuban trova was a trend. I had the happiness of having a band of 10 wonderful musicians, among whom were: Julio Andrade, Enzo Villaparedes, Diego Álvarez, Humberto Meza, Abraham Saavedra, Vanessa Guillén, in the others.

Welcome!!!

Hello everyone!

My life as a singer has given me many satisfactions. It is full of wonderful moments that I want to tell through this blog. Singing is a talent that I thank God for, it has been a great pleasure to develop it in the cultural field, enjoying Venezuelan and Latin American music with great artists whom I also love and admire. Through this virtual space, I want to share with you my anecdotes, part of my artistic career, my projects, photographs, audios and videos.

Definitely, singing is my passion and everything that surrounds music makes me happy, so welcome to my website! Welcome to my world of sounds!

Sincerely, Inés María