Boza, a TikTok hit, talks about his new album, criticism of urban machismo, “disposable music” and more

eight years ago, Humberto Boza he was experiencing a stormy loneliness after being jailed for hiding a firearm under his clothes. At only 19 years old, he sank with hatred and sadness in the four walls of his cell, so he decided to channel his emotions by composing as many songs as possible. “From that period 400 intimate singles arose that today he keeps under lock and key. Thus, he hopes to keep that past buried, perhaps until he feels ready to face it.”

I will change it to: The 25-year-old Humberto who landed a few days ago in Peru is different. He is now known only by Boza, his last name which is also his stage name, his brand. The loneliness of yesteryear was replaced by the more than 850,000 people who follow him daily on his social networks and who dance to his catchy songs. Almost as a penance, the Panamanian artist dedicates a large part of his career to providing happiness with his music; challenge in which he has been successful adding more than 6 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

“I am grateful to the Peruvian public that has given me a lot of support, they are one of the first to consume my music and if it were not for you, I think my career would not have expanded further.”, he comments during an exclusive conversation with El Comercio, where he told details about his stay in prison, his mental health, alcoholism, his next album and more.

—You are involved in the composition of most of your songs, that is a privilege that not all artists enjoy. Do you have your personal formula for creating big hits?

I think it’s just me. I am a human being just like any other, but I write about real things and I say what many people do not dare to say. I always capture my emotions and synchronize with the people, that’s the key to my music. Also with my producer [Irving ‘Faster’ Quintero], we are a dumbbell, and we always try to evolve creating new sounds. We like to make music and even after signing with Sony I continued with him. I think that is also another formula.

—Some of your most personal songs, “Párrafo 8″, and “Talismán” cover topics related to depression and anxiety.

It is a recurring theme in my life. When I feel bad, instead of talking to someone, I write it down. As an artist, I am surrounded by many people who I appreciate, but who don’t always appreciate me in the same way. I get those emotions out with lyrics that can be super sad, but after that super happy songs come because I try not to stay there. If he did, imagine, he would be a super artist sad.

—But has it affected your professional career?

Yes, sometimes it affects. Sometimes you get discouraged by things that happen to you, and just as depression enters the personal life, it enters the professional. But for that I have people like Faster, who is like my older brother and distracts me making music. Unfortunately, it is a situation that can greatly harm an artist’s career depending on the type of person. Although just like me, there are millions of people who suffer from the same thing, and that is why I try to send messages that encourage them to find a way out.

—Of course, although within several of your catchy songs like “Hello” it contains messages where you encourage drinking alcohol to drown those sorrows. Aren’t you worried that the message encourages alcoholism?

Yes obviously. I know that many times we do not make the best decision when faced with problems. Like I said, I’m a person like anyone else and suddenly I can drink alcohol thinking that it’s what will get me out of the situation, but when the effect wears off you feel the same. I have already learned that drinking is not going to solve my problems. I don’t want to say it’s a positive when the song does have a negative message, but I try not to get involved in that anymore. Now I listen to instrumental music and I relax, I know that everything has a solution.

—For a long time your music sang of heartbreak, to keep emotions cold. How are you emotionally now?

I believe that each person has a story and learns with each character that passes through their lives. There are songs that refer to things from my past and others to my present. Just as I came to think that all women are bad, there comes a time when you meet someone else and you realize that not everyone is the same.. That happens because I always write my songs with the emotions of the moment, although now I have several commercial songs, in my beginnings it was not like that.

—Precisely because of that mention about women, you have been criticized for having macho lyrics.

They will criticize me even for doing things well, I try to do what I like. Maybe yes, I say explicit things, but I think I speak more in favor of women than men. But since I am a man, I give my point of view from my experiences. I only flow because, just as there are bastards, there are also bastard women; And if they hurt me, I’m going to say it. I know I don’t understand what a woman feels, because they say that you can’t understand them one hundred percent, but I have a mother who taught me a lot and those who sing my songs are also women, so I try to refer to them. With respect.

—You mentioned earlier that you also make purely commercial songs. After your song “Hecha Pa’ Mi” had great success on TikTok, did you try to make another hit for that social network?

I did like one or two tries but it didn’t work for me. Obviously it is a super elementary platform for music today, they did a dance to “Hecha Pa’ Mi” and it was what it needed to be organically successful, I didn’t make the song thinking about TikTok because that hadn’t exploded yet. It seems to me that it is more useful to compose songs that fill me up and with which I have a connection, because in networks they only last one or three months; now the songs are disposable, and I try not to let that happen with my career.

—If we talk about songs of great connection, you composed a lot during the seven months you were in prison. Is there a chance that one day it will become an album?

No, I think I keep that personal box waiting for a day when I can sit down and read everything, because in addition to 400 songs, there are proverbs, poems, sayings and personal thoughts. These are my experiences from when I was in prison, venting hatred, and I don’t know, maybe anger, discomfort, sadness. I felt very bipolar, I think that’s the effect created by the lack of freedom. Imagine, seven months in a box without doing anything. In the end, I only got one song out of it, one of the first, “Imbara Ambara”, which was a code for conjugal visits.

—Well, maybe your fans won’t be able to listen to those songs, but there is a fourth album on the way. Do you already have a release date?

Yes, I already finished the album, it’s going to be called “Cuántico”. I released three songs recently in a bundle with Beéle, called “¿Qué Prefieres?”. Now in December I’m releasing another three songs, because I’m releasing them in threes. I have already recorded the main video in the Dominican Republic and in February the complete album will be released with the remaining six songs. I am grateful and happy with all the people who are supporting me. This year I’m doing promotions, but next year a concert tour is being planned and Peru is included in it.