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The new album by the Puerto Rican duo invites to join forces and create movements Raquel Berríos and Luis Alfredo del Valle, from Buscabulla, returned to their native country to inspire more young people to fight for a better society. Photo: Courtesy Photo: Courtesy
Raquel Berríos and Luis Alfredo del Valle, from Buscabulla, knew that they would return to Puerto Rico after an absence of ten years would not be easy. And they also knew that emotions on the surface end up inspiring the best songs.
That was exactly what happened with “Regresa”, the newest album by this married couple who since 2017 settled in Aguadilla, a town a couple of hours from the capital, San Juan.
“We have lived in New York for ten years and we are very happy that we had to live this historic moment here and not there, ”said Del Valle in relation to the deposition of the ex-governor of the island, Ricardo Roselló, who due to the scandal known as Telegramgate resigned his position in 2019.
Berríos and Del Valle drove twice to San Juan to participate in the massive protests that ended up forcing the president to leave his post.
These events, as well as the devastation caused by Hurricane María in 2017, shaker n the fibers of Buscabulla, and those emotions are reflected in the songs of “Regresa.”
“We already knew a little that it was going to be a change of life very big, ”said Berríos. “I kind of glimpsed that I was going to go through something emotional, and I said ‘well it’s time to get material to write because the best material one has when one goes through some changes.'”
Although the couple was clear that they wanted to return to their beloved island, they never imagined that, from one day to the next, all their plans to tour, to collaborate and to fulfill work commitments would remain frozen due to the pandemic. And it happened just when the country is going through a difficult economic and social situation.
“All this served to translate it into the album,” said Berríos. “That’s why it’s called like that, because we wanted to capture that story on the album.”
But that does not mean that it is a pessimistic or sad album. Quite the opposite. The music of Buscabulla is a fusion of genres in which dance, pop, indie and electronic music are integrated with sounds of bachata, reggaeton, salsa, full and bomba.
“The album calls people to come back to join forces and start new movements,” Berríos explained. “That people do not lose hope to the island We want to be part of that change, give good examples to the youth and inspire people to be participants. ”
Berríos and Del Valle met in Nueva York and music was responsible. He moved there with the intention of expanding his musical knowledge and being able to make a living from that, and she to work on what he had studied, architecture and a master’s degree in textile design; She knew that that city was the ideal place for her creativity.
“But I never thought I would end up in a marching band,” she said. “I wanted to be an artist in design or art but I never planned to be in a music project.”
It all started when she started working in record stores, and then it became in DJ. He had basic guitar skills and a broad knowledge of Latin and Anglo music. After meeting Del Valle, he showed him several of the demos he had recorded, and thus, without thinking about it and after being friends, they fell in love until they became a couple.
“Everything was very casual; We started to work and collaborate but naturally well ”, said Berríos. “The moment where we are now is quite surreal.”
The duo’s return to Puerto Rico occurred during one of the island’s most tumultuous political and social moments. Photo: Courtesy We recommend you