Paco Feria Urges Quality Amid Canarian Folklore 'Fever'
Canarian folklore icon Paco Feria discussed the current "folklore fever" in the Canary Islands, stressing the importance of maintaining quality in performances and acknowledging Los Sabandeños' transformative impact on the genre.
Paco Feria is widely known as one of the top voices in Canarian folklore, island lyrical music, and South American songs. His career has made him a respected musical figure both in the Canary Islands and beyond.
In a recent chat with Andrés Chaves for DIARIO DE AVISOS, Feria spoke about the "folklore fever" currently sweeping the Canary Islands. He believes this is a great opportunity, but only if "quality is maintained."
"This folklore fever is important because it's how people express themselves through music, and everyone connects with it differently," he explained. "But if you're performing on stage or on TV, quality really matters. I think it's disrespectful to the audience when it's clear there hasn't been enough practice, or when the singing and instruments aren't up to standard. For a street parade, anything goes, but not for a proper stage show."
Feria was also asked if Los Sabandeños, a group he was part of, had changed Canarian folklore forever. He gave a clear answer: "I don't have much information from 'before' their time, just a few old recordings. But I certainly saw the 'after' – how the public reacted, their huge success, how everyone copied them, and how Canarian folklore reached audiences across the country and overseas. So yes, I can tell you there was definitely a 'before' and 'after' Los Sabandeños."
The full interview is available here.