In a recent interview, Martín shared her thoughts on artistic creation and the music industry. Despite her more than 25 years in flamenco, her recordings have explored diverse genres such as boleros, Brazilian and French pieces, in addition to her own compositions. The artist explained that to return to flamenco in an album, she needed specific conditions, both in terms of the human team and financial support, elements she finally found to shape her new project.
“"I need to feel protected on stage and in art. And the time has come when I have found colleagues who give me this well-being. Also at Nuevos Medios, with María [Pacheco], daughter of the label's founder, Mario, a respectful person who prioritizes art over business."
Her new album, In illo tempore, is a double work with two volumes titled Entreverao and Puro. Martín explained that, although commercially they could have been released separately, she opted for a double format due to artistic coherence. She believes that works should be recorded at their peak, without waiting for commercial strategies to dictate the release. Entreverao includes material that the artist had previously developed, while Puro arose from the collaboration with guitarist José Gálvez.
Regarding the influences in Entreverao, which incorporates elements from Bach's Ciaccona and the melody of Charles Aznavour's La bohème, Martín emphasized that it remains a flamenco album. She describes it as flamenco that allows the entry of other influences, without being a fusion that results in a third genre. In this volume, Mayte's most creative facet is shown, while Puro represents her more classical side.
“"Evolution is one thing and revolution is another, I think. I don't understand it in the same way. I believe revolution is overrated. I pull something out of thin air and I'm a flamenco revolutionary. The last flamenco revolutionary was Morente."
The artist also addressed the figure of the revolutionary in flamenco, mentioning Enrique Morente as the last true revolutionary, not because of his album Omega, which she personally dislikes, but because of his innate ability to change a concept. For Martín, being revolutionary is an intrinsic quality, not a choice, and she criticized those who disguise themselves as such without a deep connection to the roots of the art. She also differentiated Camarón, whom she considers an interpreter with an exceptional voice, from a revolutionary in the sense of changing a concept, a role she attributes to figures like Marchena.
Finally, Mayte Martín expressed her concern about how the music industry has gone from being a vehicle for art to dictating the conditions for artists. She emphasized the importance of maintaining principles and respect for tradition, learned from her father, a great flamenco enthusiast. For her, art is an act of love and something sacred, far removed from commercial profitability, and she laments the objectification of the artist in the digital age.
