Pepe Benavente is leaving the stage: the singer has announced the end of his career.
Singer Pepe Benavente has announced plans to reduce the number of performances after the summer in order to devote more time to family and health, planning to give no more than five concerts per month.
Pepe Benavente visited the studio of the "Minuto 33" program on Atlántico Televisión. In the show with host Carmelo Rivero, the singer shared the secrets of his long career and talked about plans to end his performances.
"I wanted to talk about it here, for my people, as I always say. Next year I want to slow down a bit, because I need to. In August, I performed 22 days, and in September – 24," he shared.
The singer reminded that he is already 71 years old, and such a rhythm is "beyond his strength": "If I live to January, I will be 72. I want to spend more time with my family, enjoy life."
Pepe Benavente hinted that he wants to reduce the load for the sake of health: "Many people suffer from strokes or heart attacks. I'm afraid of that. Sooner or later, something might happen to me too, so I want to travel and live to the fullest. Although, to be honest, when I'm not home for three days, I miss it very much."
So, for the sake of health and because it's time to "take a little break", Pepe Benavente plans to perform less after the summer: "I will raise the price, and if there are not 10 performances, there will be five, but for those five I will get more money. I have been on stage for 55 years. Local artists are not valued much here. I performed with foreigners on the same stage, and they received 20 times more than me. Leaving on time is also a victory. I want to leave the big stage."
The singer plans to give "three, four, maybe five" concerts a month: "I already have four orders for May, they called, but I said that I don't want more than five. I think it's the best."
Benavente recalled an incident that made him think about ending his career: "After the verbena, I went to collect onions to a friend. I tripped over the cord, fell and hit myself hard. I was taken to the hospital, and three days later they put a prosthesis in my right shoulder."
Pepe Benavente admitted that he does not yet know which song will be his farewell: "There is still time for that, but I am happy to sing, even once a month."