“In love with my country”: what moment of anxiety inspired her by this Creole success, where did the money from royalties go and more secrets

Terrorist violence kept Peruvians in distress during the 1980s and 1990s. A time when car bombings, deaths, disappearances, destroyed power towers, and blackouts were reported daily. A devastating scenario that, in 1991, motivated the Peruvian singer-songwriter Fahed Mitre to create a hymn of hope and love for Peru, called “In love with my country”

“In 1990, as a result of all the social upheaval that we were experiencing due to terrorism, full of bad news, uncertainty and general concern, I wanted to do something different, change the chip of Peruvians a little, tell them that Peru is really beautiful, beautiful , and that I was in love with my country”, Narrates the national artist.

Miter and his wife, Marisol Martínez, had just met, when the musician decided to honor Peru with his art. “I remember I was at my house, in my room, and Mari in the living room watching television, we were just starting to go out when I wrote the song. ”, Says Miter.

December 1991. In those days, América TV had launched the call to choose the song that would represent Peru in the Ibero-American Television Organization (OTI), which in that edition was held in Acapulco, Mexico. Several Peruvian musicians presented their proposals. Fahed Miter applied with “In love with my country” and managed to qualify.

“At that time, Channel 4 had the responsibility of choosing the Peruvian song for the OTI. Nicanor González, who owned América TV, loved our proposal, that’s why he chose it”, Says the artist.

On the day of the competition, Fahed Miter took the stage with Eva Ayllón. The couple performed “In love with my country” with the accompaniment of a Peruvian cajon, but they failed to convince the jury and were eliminated in the first round. “I must admit that I was nervous, Eva did very well,” agrees the interpreter of “Jennifer” and “Fashion.”

Back in Peru, the singer-songwriter recorded the song in APDAYC and Eva Ayllón recorded it in a female version, under the name “Enamorada de mi País”. “Thanks to her, the theme became popular, it entered the hearts of Peruvians, it was a success, it even transcended borders.”Recalls the artist.

It also highlights that the royalties on the subject have been allocated entirely to Los Ángeles de Esperanza, a foundation that Miter founded in 2007 with his wife and father-in-law, the late presenter Humberto Martínez Morosini.

“All the profits from this song have been destined to this foundation that helps the neediest people. All the money from the royalties of this song are donated to people who do not have a good time in our country”, Says the artist.

“In love with my country” It has been recorded in a salsa version by the Dominican singer José Alberto ‘El Canario’. In 2018, Fahed Miter and Eva Ayllón re-recorded the song, but in a ballad version.