Three decades after beginning its story in small bars in Mexico City, Elefante celebrates its 30th anniversary with an international tour that will take the band through Mexico, the United States, Latin America and Europe.
As part of the “Elefante Tour 30 Años,” the Mexican group will perform on September 5 at the Melrose Ballroom in Long Island City, New York, and on September 6 at the William Center in Rutherford, New Jersey, two dates that will bring their music closer to the Latin community in the metropolitan area. In an interview with Noticia NY, acoustic guitarist Ahis spoke about a career marked by hits such as “ Así es la vida”, “Sabor a chocolate”, “Mentirosa” and “Durmiendo con la Luna”, songs that, more than two decades after their release, continue to be passed from one generation to another.
Formed in 1993, Elefante went from playing in bars to conquering international stages and sharing tours with artists such as Shakira, Maná, Juan Gabriel, Alejandro Fernández and Joaquín Sabina.
Read the full interview with Ahis and discover how the band has lived these 30 years and what’s next for Elefante.
Thirty years of career is a huge number. What do you remember about that Elefante that started playing in bars and what remains of that band that you are in today?
The truth is that there is a lot, a lot of history and many anecdotes, but, above all, a great gratitude and great satisfaction that, after so many years, we continue to be connected with many people and the band’s friends and fans are growing more and more.
We started playing in a small bar, trying to be heard and looking for opportunities. Now we are on tour, fortunately, in many countries: all of Mexico, the United States and Latin America. We just returned from a tour of Europe. So it is a blessing and, the truth is, we are very proud of what the Elefante path has done.
At what point did you feel that Elefante had stopped being a friends project and had become a band with a truly international career?
Well, when our first album came out, after looking for many opportunities, there was an approach with Sony Music, which was our first company. They take a record that we had made independently, they love it and they very quickly release a single on the radio that, in a few weeks, reaches the top spots.
From there all this began, in 2001, with the band’s first single, one of the most important songs: “De la noche a la morna.” It was the first Elefante song to be heard on national radio and other media.
If you could go back to one night from Elefante’s early years, which one would you go back to and why?
Well, I think we would return to one of those nights in which we were dreaming. There is an anecdote that we have. We were finishing a rehearsal in a bar where we were playing and, suddenly, we started talking: “What are we going to do when they nominate us for a Grammy? How are we going to go? How are they going to tell us?”
And that dream that we once had there, in the middle of a rehearsal, became a reality.
Elefante has had different stages and two of its vocalists, Reyli Barba and Jorge Guevara, later embarked on careers as soloists. How have you experienced these changes and what did each stage contribute to the band’s identity?
Look, every person who was there at the time was part of the five. When Reyli takes a different path and then the same thing happens with Jorge, we continue because from the beginning the songs, the arrangements and the production were done together. In the end, the essence and sound of Elefante remained.
And now it is incredible to see how new generations have joined. There are young people who when our first album came out in 2001 were three or four years old or even not yet born, and today they are at our concerts singing the entire repertoire. That gives us great pleasure because it shows that the songs continue to connect.
Songs like “This is life”, “Sabor a chocolate”, “Mentirosa” and “Durmiendo con la Luna” continue to be part of the musical memory of several generations. Which of your songs do you think has aged the best?
Son, I couldn’t tell you, because the truth is there are many who ask us, asked us and continue to ask us. They are the inevitable ones, like “This is Life,” which is one of the songs that opened the doors to everything for us.
Songs like “Durmiendo con la Luna”, which is a very, very powerful ballad; but also “Ángel”, “Contigo”, “Sabor a chocolate”, “Mentirosa” and “El Abandonao” always have to be in the concerts because people from before and people who join now ask for them.
On September 5 they will be in Long Island City and on September 6 in Rutherford, New Jersey. What does it mean for you to arrive in the New York area, where there is such a large Mexican and Latin American community?
The truth is, every time we visit the entire area it is incredible. We already have many friends and we have been coming back for many years, and we are making more and more friends.
Invite all the people to join the Elefante networks, which is the Official Elefante, so that they can check the dates. We love visiting the entire area, in general the entire United States, because there is a special nostalgia of bringing a little piece of Mexico there.
Will there be any surprises or special collaborations that fans can look forward to during the 30 Years Tour?
Right now, the tour we are doing is the same tour that we have been doing in many places, so there is no special guest to date. But surprises always arise there, they can arise, so we leave it open there.
After 30 years, tours, changes and successes, what still makes you excited before going on stage?
Well, look, we talked about it a lot and I firmly believe it: at this moment I feel, and the band feels, like we were in Elefante’s best moment.
Due to experience and years, we are at a time when we enjoy everything we do more. The concerts are reaching many more places, they are with more people, and having that feedback from new fans is incredible.
The truth is, we always feel lucky and grateful, right? But, without a doubt, this is the band’s best moment.
If you had to summarize these 30 years of Elefante in a single song, what would it be and why?
There is a song that I really like called “Ángel”, which talks about when you find someone special, who can be your son, can be a brother, can be your partner, someone who changes your life, right?
So, for that person you are willing to do anything. That could be the song, right? Because Elephant came to change our lives.
