On the morning of September 17, Camilo’s smile was the size of his impressive mustache.
The Colombian singer-songwriter, one of the current sensations of pop music, had received the news a few hours earlier that his album “Cuatro” had been nominated for a Latin Grammy in three of the most important categories: Album of the Year, Recording of the Year —for “Una vida pasa,” in collaboration with Carín León— and Contemporary Tropical Album.
He also plans to buy a property in a location he did not disclose, and that same day he had visited one that he and his family loved.
“I am happy because I had a wonderful morning,” said the artist. “The three nominations are part of that happiness.”
The happiness was even greater because “Cuatro” was released just a few months ago and has not stopped surprising us. In principle, it is an album that was born by pure accident, according to Camilo.
“It wasn’t supposed to be an album,” he said. “It was a little exploration; it was going to be one song, three at most, then we embraced a little EP.”
But that production opened the creative door to a larger universe, which were three more songs, then three more, until the album became a product of four stages with three songs each, and hence its name “Cuatro.”
“That allowed us to deliver the album in a living way,” he said. “Instead of me immortalizing myself in twelve songs and delivering them, I was mutating as the months went by, learning, developing and immortalizing each chapter.”
On top of all that joy, Camilo is also celebrating the start of his “Our Happy Place” tour in the United States. It begins today, Thursday, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, an open-air venue with a capacity for 18,000 people that is nestled in the iconic Hollywood Mountains.
This will be Camilo’s first time at this venue, where many of the biggest names in music from all over the world have performed.
“Starting the tour in Los Angeles, and at the Hollywood Bowl, is like one of those moments when you’re dreaming a really big dream, dude,” he said.
The tour will continue through Texas, Illinois and make a stop on October 12 in New York at Madison Square Garden. It continues through Florida and concludes on October 26 at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico. After those dates, the tour will begin in Latin America.
And although there is still no date for a next album, Camilo already has a finished song called “Amaranto,” the name of his second daughter who was born about seven weeks ago.
“I’m leaving my house again,” he said, “to pour out the new person I am after what I’ve been through.”
In detail
That: Camilo’s concert
When: today, 8 pm
Where: Hollywood Bowl, 2301 Highland Ave., Los Angeles
As: tickets from $29
Information:hollywoodbowl.com