Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Manifestus Grito

Manifestus Grito was born during a moment in my life when I felt truly lost—almost suspended in a limbo. In the middle of that search for myself, even before I understood that this was what I needed, I ended up finding clarity through the sublimity of art, as if God were speaking to me between the lines.

My pseudonym is a raw and direct invitation to expression—to reveal who I am beyond dogmas and external expectations. It’s a conscious choice to be authentic, regardless of what others may think.

What is your earliest memory connected to music?

One day, at a neighborhood cyber café where I used to spend time without much purpose, I heard something that changed me forever. The guy who worked there was what we called a “metálico” in my country—someone who listened to rock, wore piercings, and dressed in black. He always played the music he liked, but that afternoon a piano began to play, accompanied by a female voice that was angelic, almost supernatural, wrapped in a gothic atmosphere. I didn’t understand a word, because at the time the language was completely foreign to me, but I felt as if it were speaking directly to me. It was “Bring Me to Life” by Evanescence.

Later on, I looked up the lyrics, copied and pasted them into Google Translate—back when the interface was quite rudimentary—and when I read in my own language what that gothic angel (Amy Lee) was singing, it gave me chills.

That moment marked the beginning of my love for music, and the realization that it wasn’t just entertainment—it was art.

How did your passion for creating music begin?

One rainy day, I couldn’t go to the cyber café. Bored and without any particular intention, I picked up a piece of paper and a pencil and wrote down the first thing that came to mind. The result was the chorus of a song that remains unreleased to this day, which I titled “Cementerio de Sueños”. It was a revealing moment for me, because through those lines I was able to understand what I was experiencing internally.

I also discovered my ability to write and to reach the sense of sublimity I had long admired in the work of others. As I continued researching songwriting and browsing through different forums, I came across the suggestion to learn composition, and eventually, production, mixing, and mastering.

Since then, my mind hasn’t stopped creating, structuring, and assembling ideas around my art.

What’s the story behind your current music project?

My project truly began the moment I gave a name to my search for the ethereal and timeless sublimity hidden within art—what I call “being an artist.” When I understood that this was part of my identity, I felt the need to baptize myself, to choose a name that resonated with that inner truth. My given name didn’t align with it, so I set it aside. I tried using English words, but none felt authentic.

One day, during class, a classmate was looking at an image: The Scream by Edvard Munch. Jokingly, she said I resembled the figure in the painting. I didn’t take it negatively; instead, it sparked my curiosity. Later on, I spent time observing the artwork and realized that my resemblance to the character came from the fact that I, too, “screamed” things without making a sound. That connection fascinated me, so “Grito” became my first candidate.

But something inside me told me that it still wasn’t complete—that I had only found one molecule of my pseudonym. Time passed, and I discovered the concept of manifestos as declarative texts for artistic movements. I decided to write one for myself, to avoid losing my way and to organize my ideas. I opened a document on my computer and typed the heading: MANIFIESTUS GRITO. Yes—“Manifiestus.”

When the program marked it as a spelling error, I checked it. Something within me exploded like a nuclear bomb. It was a eureka moment, though I tried to stay calm. I copied the heading and searched it on Google. The result was: “Did you mean MANIFESTUS GRITO?” And that was it—the definitive eureka. I immediately went to Twitter (now X), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to secure the username.

From that point on, there was no turning back.

For me, Manifestus Grito is not just a pseudonym—it’s the trigger that breaks down the walls of my introversion. It is a courteous call to be histrionic, dissonant, irreverent, rebellious, and bold.

My artistic name reflects both my commitment to the rawness of truth and my respect for aesthetic beauty.

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?

My sound is ambiguous, experimental, and unpredictable. My goal is that every time someone listens to my work, they experience the kind of satisfaction that comes with discovery—finding something new, unexpected, or revealing with each play.

What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?

Music has taught me to let go of the obsession with perfection. In a time when perfection seems common—especially with the rise of artificial intelligence—I’ve learned that true humanity lives in the rough edges and in those small “imperfections” that make us unique and authentic.

What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?

I rely on paper and pencil before or during any stage of the process: I take notes, sketch, diagram, and make lists of everything. I’m a bit meticulous, and I don’t digitize anything until I have the full structure laid out on paper.

To write sheet music, I use LilyPond.

And in terms of software, I work with REAPER for production, mixing, and mastering.

Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?

I’m a nostalgic person, and even though this song was released more than ten years ago, I still love it deeply. It’s “La Hora de Volvé” by Rita Indiana y Los Misterios.

How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?

My entire life is poured into my art to the extent that when I think of myself as an artist, I do so through the lens of being purely a creator: a lyricist, composer, producer, director, and more. However, the essence I imprint on each piece makes it impossible for me to let someone else interpret my madness or my dramatism. Because of that, my work becomes a constant act of philosophizing about what happens to me and what happens around me.

All my experiences up to this point have shaped me into someone with a misanthropic, almost nihilistic perspective. Keeping memento mori always in mind has made me more pragmatic. And I reflect all of this in my art, which is deeply introspective—both toward the individual and toward the collective.

What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?

What I hope listeners will question is this: What is more important—being or belonging? I want them to challenge society, groups, leaders, and the toxic dynamics we’ve normalized, as well as the healthy practices we’ve demonized.

I want them to ask themselves, “Who am I?” and to be able to confront their own reflection in the silent and profound sea of introspection.

What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?

Music has taught me to see beauty in diversity. I’ve come to understand that just as each instrument and musical resource contributes to the final result in a composition, each person contributes to the world in their own way.

So far, music has taught me to respect and recognize that the work we call life is made up of neutral, subtractive, and additive individuals—and that it isn’t fair to appreciate the work in fragments, but rather to contemplate it as a whole.

What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?

I dream of performing at Isle of Light and, later on, at Lollapalooza. I feel that both stages are fully aligned with my artistic essence.

If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?

I would have loved to collaborate with Chester Bennington, the former lead vocalist of Linkin Park. From the moment I heard him sing “In the End,” his voice captivated me. In its nuances, I found reflections of my own self. I am, and always will be, an admirer of who he was as an artist.

Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)

Landing Page: https://linktr.ee/manifestusgrito

YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCHL1wL9mFk5CLltpbOMMEug

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/manifestus-grito/1815804314

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5RkwXmLAitAMvLvnbKaVg8?si=rGpG9JI0RA6_bAiZGcnbUw

Bandcamp: https://manifestusgrito.bandcamp.com

Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?

The next step in my journey is to release my first studio album, with the level of quality that a work of that nature deserves.

What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?

When listeners hear my songs, they can discover parts of me that I don’t always show in my everyday life.

They can sense that I’m someone who thinks and feels deeply, someone who brings emotions into music because that’s where I find the most honest way to express myself. They may notice that I mix joy, nostalgia, energy, and vulnerability depending on the piece; that I don’t limit myself to a single emotional tone.

In my more upbeat tracks, they can feel my connection to my culture, my love for rhythm, and that festive energy that has always been part of me. In my more intense or rock-leaning songs, they can perceive my internal questions, my contradictions, and my urge to scream truths that I sometimes keep to myself.

Overall, they can recognize that I’m in constant pursuit of authenticity; that I experiment without fear, explore different styles, and enjoy telling stories. Every song is a real piece of who I am.

Above all, they can feel that what I create comes from within, and that my intention is always to connect.