Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Tote El Entreverao
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
Music has been my companion since before I was born. My mother often tells me that when she was pregnant with me, she would fill the house with her singing and dancing, while my father—may he rest in peace—accompanied her on the guitar. That’s why I can’t recall a single moment when music wasn’t part of me: I’ve always been singing. In fact, my family knew it well—if something was bothering me or I was going through a hard time, my silence would give me away. Stopping singing was their signal that something wasn’t right. So, to answer your question: there was no “beginning.” Music and I have walked hand in hand since forever.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
During my childhood, I went through family difficulties that, I suppose, led me to turn inward and develop a more introspective nature. In that inner silence, I found refuge in writing: I began composing poems as a way to name what I was feeling, to give shape to what I couldn’t yet understand. With time, those words on paper sought melody and transformed into songs. Today, I continue writing with the same purpose—to try to understand what unfolds within me. It’s a constant dialogue with myself, and without a doubt, one of the most sincere forms of therapy I have ever known.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
I’m currently immersed in a Spanish Rumba project—a deliberate turn in my creative journey. After years of pouring my deepest emotions into introspective songs—a process that, while enriching, sometimes leaves me drained—I decided to steer my music in a new direction. In this phase, I’ve chosen to let go: to set aside seriousness and embrace the joy of creation itself. I want to enjoy the process for what it is, without the pressure of having to unravel my inner demons in every verse. It’s an exercise in lightness: rhythm, flavor, and fun taking precedence over emotional weight. It’s not that I’ve stopped feeling; it’s just that, for once, I prefer to dance with what I feel rather than analyze it.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
Repl I would describe it as an energetic, carefree, and joyful sound—though I do have a few songs with deeper emotional layers prepared. But where our style truly comes alive is onstage: that’s where we break down the barrier between us and the audience. Our sound becomes contagious because it springs from the spontaneity and authenticity of each shared moment—it’s not just about playing music, but about creating a collective experience where the music flows without filters and the audience becomes part of the show itself.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
To be honest, I have no formal academic training in music. I’ve always created by ear, without really knowing what I was doing from a theoretical standpoint. Over time, by surrounding myself with musicians who did have that formal background, I discovered something fundamental: the academic and the intuitive shouldn’t compete—they should embrace each other. If we had always limited ourselves to following the perfection of the rules, we’d probably still be stuck in the era of Bach or Beethoven… and rock and roll would never have been born! Intuition gives you the courage to explore the “incorrect,” to break molds and try sounds that theory would discourage. Academics, on the other hand, provide the tools to refine that spark and give it shape. That’s why I firmly believe the magic happens in the balance: intuition to dare, technique to polish.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
For me, the creative process begins with the essentials: always keeping a guitar and a recorder nearby—even if it’s just the one on my phone. Ideas and melodies appear in the most unexpected moments, and those sparks shouldn’t be lost. Once the song takes shape and feels ready, the next step is capturing it in my home studio to give it a first skeletal structure. But the real magic happens afterward: I bring that bare idea to the rehearsal space and share it with my musicians. That’s where it comes to life—a bass line gives it body, the rhythm guitar injects pulse, the drums provide heartbeat, and the brass section breathes soul into it. It walks in naked and leaves the tailor’s shop wearing a custom-made suit, stitched together by all of us. So I believe that to give shape to your ideas, the basics are enough: your guitar or keyboard, a recorder to catch the moment, and a home studio to start weaving. The rest arrives when you share the music with those who know how to dress it.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
I recently discovered an artist named Rusowsky. Although our styles don’t have much in common, his music captivated me from the very first listen. The truth is, Spain is currently experiencing a vibrant indie scene—an incredibly rich and diverse landscape full of authentic talent that deserves to be heard. Beyond Rusowsky, I also highly recommend Dani Fernández and Arde Bogotá: three distinct proposals, each with its own personality and exceptional quality. I encourage you to check them out—or rather, lend them an ear. You won’t regret it.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic visi
One hundred percent. As I mentioned earlier, I believe most of us who create music—if not all—do it to tell something that would otherwise be very hard to express. It’s like the painter with their brush or, who knows, the writer with their erotic novel! hahaha Experiences are everything: for a song to transcend mere aesthetics and carry emotional weight, it needs to tell a story, to convey a lived moment. That, in my opinion, is the invisible bridge that connects a song with the audience—it’s not about what it sounds like, but what it feels like. And that only comes from real life.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
I’ve written about many topics, but nearly all of them share a common thread: reflection. Is this heartbreak you’re feeling now an ending—or rather, the threshold of a new beginning? What have you learned from it? What is the meaning behind waking up each morning? Do you feel gratitude when you open your eyes? My lyrics tend to be more questions than answers—mirrors where I try to recognize myself. I write to understand, to learn, to dialogue with my own inner world. And although these songs may eventually reach others, the truth is they are born for me: they are my way of navigating what I live through, of giving shape to the formless. If someone else finds comfort or resonance in them, that’s an unexpected gift—but their first destination has always been myself.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
It may sound cliché, but it’s a truth that music has burned into me: what matters isn’t the destination, but the journey. There’s no point in reaching the mountain peak if you haven’t savored every step of the climb. Music taught me to love the process—the imperfect rehearsals, the ideas born in the early hours of the morning, the chords that don’t come out right the first time. Because in the end, it’s not about arriving somewhere; it’s about fully living the journey. And in that journey, every single note matters.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to work at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. It’s a magical place, filled with passionate people and graced by some of the most legendary musicians in the world—both past and present. Stepping onto that stage isn’t just a dream: it’s the dream.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
I would have loved to share the stage and studio with artists who have shaped the soul of Spanish music: Peret, the great master of rumba who elevated it to a universal language; Robe Iniesta, for his raw and heartfelt poetry that transforms pain into art; and Los Delinqüentes, for their streetwise freshness and utterly authentic approach to rock. Today, a collaboration with Estopa would be something truly special—their rumba energy and powerful connection with the audience would blend perfectly with the festive and sincere spirit of my current project. I believe together we could cook up a song that breathes rumba, attitude, and heart—without losing an ounce of authenticity.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
I’m currently deep in the development of my project and have just released my first single. It would mean the world if you took a moment to check it out and show it some love! Every listen, every like, and every comment fuels my journey forward.
You can find me on:
🎵 Spotify: Tote “El Entreverao”
📱 Instagram: @Tote_entreverao
▶️ YouTube: Tote “El Entreverao”
Thank you for walking with me at the start of this path! 🙌
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
Ambition is the engine that drives us forward, and there’s nothing wrong with dreaming big as long as we keep our feet on the ground. So, if I let myself dream a little, my wish is to take the world’s stages alongside my musicians—who are family to me—and share our music wherever there’s someone willing to listen. But I’m also aware that great journeys begin with a single step. That’s why, for now, I’m focusing on what truly matters: finishing this project with the care and honesty it deserves. The rest… will come when it’s meant to come. Time always has a way of putting things in their place.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
To be honest, I don’t obsess over what others might discover about me. I just try to be the same person with or without a guitar—no artifice, no walls. I don’t put on a mask when I step on stage because, truth be told, I’ve never been good at wearing one. So if there’s something listeners might find in my music, I hope it’s simply this: a real person, with all their light and shadows, sharing what they feel exactly as they live it. Nothing more, nothing less.
If you want here you can add a representative Youtube video to insert below the interview 🙂
Link
Here’s my first music video! 🎥
It’s the first step of this project, and I made it with a lot of heart and excitement. I hope it connects with you and makes you want to dance, feel something, or simply unwind for a moment. Thanks for watching until the end! 🙌
▶️ Watch it here:
Cheers, and see you at the next song,
Tote “El Entreverao”
