Grupo Ventino speaks openly: “We are women who want equity” | INTERVIEW

The Latin pop groupvent”, made up of Natalia Afanador, María Cristina “Makis, Olga Vives and Camila Esguerra, arrived in Peru to promote their new single “Mariposas”, a theme in which they talk about happiness and love.

It has been four years since the last time they visited Peru, but the group of Colombian origin came more recharged than ever. in conversation with Tradethey reveal to us how they spent it in the pandemic, their feelings when they returned to our country and their plans for the future.

How have you felt in this return to the country?

Camila: Going back to Peru is incredible. Although we have come a lot of times, we are very happy to be able to visit them and promote this song that we really like because it talks about love, it is very happy, people have received it very well and we are happy with this release.

What is the essence of Ventino?

Natalie: The essence of Ventino is our voices, our ability to harmonize live and have layers of different voices that can be heard in the same song. In addition, there is also the essence of each one that, although we always sing together, we shine apart. The idea is that we have teamwork, there is no leader.

How would you describe the audience you are targeting?

Makis: It’s getting wider, at first we thought it was going to be women and girls, but music definitely breaks all barriers. We have reached people who do not speak our language and each time we are surprised and feel more grateful with the diversity of the public that we have.

How was the interaction with your followers during the pandemic?

Olga: We did a lot of remote games with our audience. Above all, we were very grateful to have a very strong digital audience, because if this had happened at another time in life, our career would have died. But since our fans have always been very attached to social networks, it was nice not to leave that connection.

Precisely through social networks they usually show their support for the LGBT community. Have you produced songs under this theme?

Camila: Yes. A song called “I promise to forget you”, which is about a lesbian relationship. It has been very nice to connect with this community because we have always known that we have their support. We have felt very embraced and received within the community. I think we have a very strong voice on social networks to keep quiet about such an important issue and we want them to know that they are not alone, that they count on us and that we are allies.

Does Ventino also share feminist messages?

Natalie: Yes, totally. We are women who want equality. There is nothing more representative and empowering than showing that women together can do great things. We want to eliminate the belief that women cannot work together, that we are conflictive; we are empowering not only through our music but by example.

Do you think your music can have a political purpose?

Makis: Yes, definitely. We are not artists who make controversial songs, but music is a form of expression and each artist expresses what he wants. Although we do not do it directly by mentioning feminism or homophobia, I think that the messages that we give through our songs, of unity and strength, reach our listeners and empower them and make them proud of who they are.

Two years ago Juliana Pérez retired from the quintet. Do you think this made you stronger or weaker as a group?

Makis: It strengthened us a lot. It is true that it hit us very hard and it was very sad at the time, but it was also an event that made us rethink many things. It made us unite more, we reaffirmed that this is what we want, that we want to support each other and be there for each other.