Having performed in Granada, his hometown, last Saturday, Kid Simius is now heading to Oslo on the second stop of his Ask For My Number tour, which will take him across Europe, with concerts in Paris, Hamburg and Zurich, among many other cities, until the end of October. Looking forward to feeling the warmth of the crowd, the Spanish-born and currently Berlin-based musician will be presenting his new album José, released just over a month ago by the Bristol-based label Shall Not Fade, and which he created as a project by and for himself.
Now that Kid Simius (born Jose A. G. Soler) has just started his international tour, we sit down with him to chat about his latest record, remember the beginnings of his musical adventure and reflecting on how everything has changed since then, and discuss important topics like normalising conversations around mental health or the relationship between artists and fans at concerts. “I’m a bit afraid because I don’t know how the people are gonna react to this, so when things work on stage it’s really satisfying,” he tells us.
Jose, last Saturday you started your international tour at Sala Planta Baja in Granada. I guess you were looking forward to connecting with your audience, weren't you? How was the experience?
Hola! It was awesome, Granada is where I was born and the city that saw me grow up, so every time I play there is special. I’m very proud of my city and it makes me extremely proud that people are coming to my show there. It is also really cool to play in front of my family and friends.
Your next stop will be Oslo this week, and then you will continue to travel throughout Europe. What do you enjoy most about live sets? Is there any place you are particularly looking forward to visiting?
The thing I most enjoy about the live sets is of course the warmth and the feedback of the people. Even though I have been doing this for a long time, I still enjoy every second and feel very privileged to do what I do. It’s a feeling I can’t compare with anything. When you see people react to the music you created in the studio, it’s like, wow, how cool is that! Because I’m playing live sets I’ve been rehearsing in the studio, and sometimes, I’m a bit afraid cause I don’t know how the people are gonna react to this, so when things work on stage it’s really satisfying. Last but not least, adrenaline is an important factor, let’s not forget about it! I like adrenaline.
On October 12th you will be in Watergate, Berlin, where you are currently based. How long have you been living there, and what do you think of the Berlin music and art scenes?
I moved to Berlin in 2009; I really love this city and I can call Berlin my home. It never stops evolving, the offer of cultural activities is just crazy. There is so much stuff to do, to visit, to hear, to listen to. I love that, I’m never bored in Berlin. Always new clubs, new collectives, new artists, new parties, and new labels. Sometimes we have so much entertainment in this ‘Berlin bubble’ that we forget there are other clubs, labels, DJs, and parties all over the world.
If you had to choose the biggest milestone in your career to date, what would it be?
Wow, that’s a good question. The first that comes to mind is the Laptop Battle in Berlin in 2009, this is where it all started. I think we need to enjoy and live in the present, so I consider I’m in a very, very nice time in my career. I’m releasing music on nice international labels, playing shows in different countries, etc.
Let’s talk about your latest album, José, which was released just one month ago by Bristol-based label Shall Not Fade. Could you tell us more about this ten-track album?
These ten songs represent different facets of me; it’s like I’ve made an album for myself. For me, the most important thing in the studio (and also the most difficult) is to know, to try, or to be able to listen to myself, to try to show something (the purer, the better). And not second guess myself the whole time thinking what should I do. So that’s why it’s titled José, because it’s me listening to myself.
Is it your most personal work to date? How is it different from your previous records?
The most beautiful thing about this album is that it wasn’t meant to be an album. Sometimes, making a record can be a very intense and painful process, but this time I just had songs that I was making little by little, I sent them to a couple of labels and two of them said, wow, this is an LP for us. I was so happy I just made a record without planning it.
It’s been twelve years since you released your first record, more than a decade in which you have shaped your personal sound by embracing and merging a myriad of styles, delving into electronic music, Italo, house, Balearic, disco and more. Has everything changed much since then?
Yes and no. I think that making music has to be a gift, so my approach is very naive. I want to have fun and do things that I enjoy, I want to have a good time in the studio. And most importantly, I want to continue to use music as a means to express myself. So the styles are the least important thing; what truly matters is the essence, and that has always been the same.
And what role do your roots play in your musical project? Are you very connected to Spain, do you visit often?
There is always a connection with the place we come from. I’m from Granada so, well, Andalusian culture, flamenco, and so on will always be part of me. In fact, from time to time, I have made songs with flamenco elements or with people like Ana Menjíbar or Ana Sola, who are very interesting artists. I also consider that, in Granada, for thousands of years, there have been different cultures, and that attitude of mixing everything and being a mixture of many things is what most defines me perfectly.
I’m also very proud to be from Granada, it’s such a small city and so many artists come from there! I’m also a big fan of Ibiza and the Balearic Islands. DJ Alfredo is my favourite DJ! So I usually visit Ibiza and Granada at least once a year.
I’m also very proud to be from Granada, it’s such a small city and so many artists come from there! I’m also a big fan of Ibiza and the Balearic Islands. DJ Alfredo is my favourite DJ! So I usually visit Ibiza and Granada at least once a year.
I’d like to know more about your live set at the Dinosaur Park in Berlin, where you played all the songs from the new album, and which you've said was one of the craziest things you've ever done.
I went there one day with my kids and I thought it could be a really cool place to do a live set. I love dinosaurs and sometimes I think that we have to let our inner child loose and let him dream, so I thought, what better way to feed that child than doing a live set in a dinosaur park? I enjoyed it so much, and I do think that it looks very cool, fashionable and stylish.
You studied Psychology, and mental well-being is very present in your work and life. Do you think we talk openly enough about mental health today?
We are making a lot of progress in that respect. It is incredible if we compare it to how mental health was being talked about five years ago. Obviously, there is still a lot more that can be done, but I think we have to be proud of younger generations, who are making us learn a lot about how to talk about feelings without being judged and how to deal with mental illness without being ashamed of anything.
What message would you send to all those who will attend your upcoming shows in the next few months?
You're going to have a great time, I love playing live, so I'm going to give it my all. I'm working really hard to give people my best version. I've also designed a couple of custom synths and controllers that I'm going to bring with me, so it's going to be really cool. I can't wait to see you guys!
