Las Migas, a flamenco pinch for four voices

We surprise them with their bags packed, one foot here and the other there, brimming with energy to defend their new album on stage. The photo shoot at Tres Xemeneies, Barcelona's new cultural icon, on the outskirts of the city. The conversation, days later, in a café in Poblenou, after a rehearsal, exhausted. Las Migas have been Libres , they have been Rumberas , and now they want to be Flamencas —the titles of their last three albums. This new project represents a statement, a willingness to look back to reinterpret from a contemporary perspective a musical style that has been key to the group since the beginning.

Mestizaje, roots and renewal

Paula, the new voice Draped dress by Mango, black heeled shoes by Ingorokva, and a vintage crochet scarf provided by the stylists. Marta, the veteran Silk dress by Mango, lacquered heeled shoes by Ingorokva, a vintage crochet shawl and scarf provided by the stylists. Alicia, the other guitar Dress by Mango, shoes by Ingorokva, a chiffon shawl and vintage scarf provided by the stylists, My Essence yellow gold earrings and ring by Joyería Grau. Laura, the violin Dress by Mango, shoes by Ingorokva, a vintage lace scarf provided by the stylists, My Essence yellow gold ring and earrings, and a rigid necklace, all by Joyería Grau.

To break the ice and get to know them a little better, we propose a game, an experiment, to which they immediately agree with enthusiasm: take turns defining each other, while the aforementioned remains silent. We start with Marta Robles (48 years old, Virgo), the only one who has remained in the band since its beginnings in 2004, when Las Migas were a little secret, a cult group completed by Isabelle Laudenbach on guitar, Lisa Bause on violin, and Sílvia Pérez Cruz on vocals. How would you describe Marta, the leader? Well, according to her current bandmates, this Sevillian from Mairena del Aljarafe is "the gifted one in the group, the superwoman , the one with the best ideas." Flaws? "A perfectionist to the core, although it's also a virtue when it comes to creation." Joining the group in 2013, fellow guitarist Alicia Grillo (36 years old, Gemini), from Córdoba, Peñarroya-Pueblonuevo, represents "prudence personified, the best listener." Her only slight problem, perhaps, is her early morning delay in fixing her hair.

Now let's move on to the younger members : Madrid-born violinist Laura Pacios (24, Aquarius) never says no; she's up for anything, a woman whose fellow travelers emphasize her courage when it comes to taking on technical challenges. She's the one who says, "Yes, okay, I'll do it; count me in." Of singer Paula Ramírez (21, Sagittarius), from Seville's Triana neighborhood, her colleagues assure that she's the most affectionate of the four, the one who needs the most pampering, even though she sometimes gets a bit temperamental. "She's like an affectionate cactus. It has thorns, but it produces a very pretty flower."

They all agree in highlighting the enormous personal effort that Paula Ramírez has made.

They all agree in emphasizing the tremendous personal effort Paula Ramírez has made, not only because of her youth, but also because she has joined as a singer a group that has featured exceptional voices such as Sílvia Pérez Cruz and Alba Carmona, as well as Begoña Salazar and Carolina Fernández, La Chispa. For the newcomer, the fact that so many fine performers have left their mark on the group doesn't feel like a burden, a sword hanging over her head, but rather an incentive. Furthermore, violinist Laura points out, these mutations, the transition of so many women, are part of the group's magic: "A whole is built; you reap what others have sown; you think: oh, how beautiful what so-and-so did is, so I'm going to take it and do my own thing with it." All four seem to keep their egos in check.

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It's true that the departure of Pérez Cruz and his splendid voice, with the intention of embarking on a solo career at the end of July 2011, changed the balance of the band and somewhat shook up Las Migas's initial effort. But the years and albums—six studio recordings—passed, and each addition "has been an opportunity to improve, to continue delving into the formula, into our unmistakable mark," assures Marta, the founder. After all, life flows, groups tend to be volatile, and there's no tragedy in it. "No way! Dramas are for something else. This is music, and you have to be comfortable making music with the people around you." There was also a connection with the previous members, the Sevillian guitarist confesses, but "I feel like we have a special affection for each other now, that there's a very beautiful harmony."

The flamenco touch has always been there. To defend it, they now have the voice of Paula—they discovered her during a festival in Seville, when she was singing a soleá—and the collaboration, for the album, of two Cadiz artists: percussionist Paquito González and guitarist José Quevedo, Bolita . Together, they master the palmas and jaleos (singing) in two songs from Flamencas : Celos (tangos) and Agua (bulerías). An aesthetic refinement is also perceived in the staging, a certain bareness, a stripping away of the artichoke leaves until it is left at the heart of its essence. The sobriety of black, the purity of white. Without stridency.

“I don't know what traditional flamenco artists will say, but I feel very proud of the work we've done; I think it's a beautiful album,” Marta ventures. Of course, orthodox flamenco tends to be inflexible, sometimes severe, and merciless even if the work jars. “Sometimes,” Alicia notes, “I feel very comfortable being a little further away from that rigid flamenco, because, among us, we can be ourselves, freely and calmly. And that's despite the fact that the flamenco artists we've worked with have always treated us with great affection.” The world of flamenco, especially that of the guitar, tends to be very masculine. On occasion, years ago, guitarists Marta and Alicia, both with more than 14 years of conservatory and arduous musical studies under their belts, found themselves greeted like this at the concert venue: “Hello, how are you? Are you the dancers?” Perhaps the problem lies in the fact that in flamenco, unlike classical music, there's no sheet music, and to learn, you need a close-knit group that supports and encourages you to dare to let loose. Paula, the singer from Triana, also wants to weigh in: "It's a very closed world, a very difficult art. Not just anyone can come in and do something outrageous." The four members speak from a deep respect for flamenco.

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The continuous dialogue between two guitars, one of the band's hallmarks, sounds like a stream of clear water in Flamencas : "We're used to that sound and we always seek it out. We're two super-complementary guitars, and each of us covers a different range. I think Marta hates unisons." The aforementioned singer chimed in: "I have a hard time composing for just one guitar; I don't know how to do it. It feels lacking." Another of the band's unmistakable hallmarks is the violin, an instrument that would have been unthinkable in a flamenco group 20 years ago. Laura, with a solid musical background and a granite-like calling—she's been playing the violin since she was 4—has found her place in the world: she says that when she left high school, she used to walk to the conservatory, listening to Las Migas on her headphones. It was a rush when they signed her.

The group's third essential hallmark is their vindication of women, a celebration that is once again present in their lyrics: "I love you, and that's why I want you to be free. I don't want to be jealous; I want you free, gypsy, and for you to come back with the wind." To underline this message, they have collaborated with the Galician group Tanxugueiras on the song "Grito," a cry against inequality between men and women. "They recorded tambourines for us and some super cool parts in Galician. The result is a song with a very powerful feminine energy," reveals Marta.

We left Las Migas almost at the foot of the plane's steps. They continue their tour, a journey of performances that will stop at the Palau de la Música Catalana on November 20th, a date they face with excitement and also a certain trepidation. They will be accompanied on this occasion by other Migas members: Oriol Riart (double bass and arranger of the group), Alba Armengou (trumpet and backing vocals), Marina Calleja (trombone and backing vocals), and Abril Saurí (drums and backing vocals).

Photography and art direction: Bèla Adler.

Photography assistant: Edu Criado.

Styling: Kati Lanhe and Gema Sales Cid.

Makeup and hairstyling: Paca Navarro and Rita Skomrova. Accessories: Última Parada.

Acknowledgments: Tres Xemeneies (Catalunya Media City)

Favorite things

MARTA ROBLES A destination I would love to do a gig with Las Migas in Japan A flower The carnation. It smells like Seville and the fair A must-have when travelling My notebook My favourite musicians Manuel de Falla, Gustavo Santaolalla, Estrella Morente. ALICIA GRILLO A colour Yellow A book Steppenwolf , by Hermann Hesse Skirt or trousers? Trousers, like Carmen Amaya My favourite musicians Vicente Amigo, Josemi Carmona, Bach. When we travel together by car, Bon Iver. LAURA PALACIOS A recipe Potato omelette. With onion (it is important to specify) A perfume All the floral aromas A corner of Barcelona The Teatre Grec, in Montjuïc. It is my place of introspection My favourite musicians Didier Lockwood, Los Panchos, Joaquín Díaz. PAULA RAMÍREZ A corner of Seville The Triana Bridge A dish Rice blood sausage, accompanied by any cheese A favorite item A pair of red fringed pants that he used to wear in the tablaos Main musicians Enrique Morente, Camarón de la Isla, Paco de Lucía.