Tony Succar at the Grammys 2022: “They advised me to make a fuss, but I'm not like that, I'm a musician” | INTERVIEW

Coming from a family of musicians, Tony Succar has been able to stand out as a percussionist, composer, arranger and record producer. This Peruvian's career began at the age of 3, playing for The Peruvian Cajon in the United States.

At just 35 years old, the artist with American nationality and Japanese ancestry managed to win two Latin Grammys in 2019 as “Producer of the Year” and “Best Salsa Album” for the album “Más de me”, making history as the youngest winner to have achieved both categories.

In addition, he has played alongside great national and international artists, such as Tito Nieves, Marc Anthony, La India, Daniela Darcourt, Christian Yaipén, Bartola, among other successful industry figures. During his time in Peru, he was a juror in Yo Soy and La Voz Senior during 2021.

On November 23, news filled the Succar family and thousands of Peruvians with emotion, the musician was his 2022 Grammy nomination for the album “Live in Peru” at the category “Best Latin Tropical Album”. Undoubtedly, this 2021 has brought him great satisfaction, because in addition to this, he recently fulfilled the dream of his mother, Mimy Succar, to record her first single called “No me habit”. In addition, a few months ago, the artist announced that he will become the father of a girl along with his wife Lauren Christine.

Infobae spoke with Tony Succar to give us a balance of this year 2021, between successful professional achievements and family joys.

“I DON'T GET USED TO IT”

This year you recorded a song with your mother, what was this process like?

It all came about as a result of what happened in La Voz Senior, when my mother surprised me on the show and I didn't know anything. I was inspired to make a whole album but start with this song “No me accustomo”. I already had it ready but without the lead vocals, a friend wrote the song in waltz version and when all that happened in La Voz, I said that my mom had to be the lead voice.

I produced it between Peru and Miami, with Peruvian musicians and it has been a great success. People have reacted very well to the song and are enjoying it very much.

How did you convince your mother to be the lead voice?

She's always wanted to record but she never asked me to. She thought her career was over. So, when I asked him, he said yes, it was always his dream.

I built a studio in her house, she always served coffee for musicians and people who went, but she never recorded. Now, it was the first time and it was very exciting for the whole family, it did super well.

What did she say when she saw the result?

She is very happy, happy, it is the first time she is doing promotion. She is living the dream of an artist at 62 years old, she is very grateful and I see her as much happier, she is very happy.

Do you feel that your parents have stopped fulfilling their dreams so that yours can come true?

Of course, that sacrifice that they made and that many parents do for their children. When they decided to migrate to the United States, they left everything behind to lead a relatively more comfortable life and let us have much greater potential. I am very grateful and I appreciate it very much.

It's nice to be able to give it back, it's the least I can do for them. Definitely, if I hadn't had the education I had in the United States and all the opportunities, I wouldn't have this career. My parents started playing in the streets.

With the work you're doing with your mother, do you feel that you're somehow rewarding her for all the effort she's made for you?

It's not really something she asked me to do, I was born to do and I feel super good. I am proud, there are people who write to me and tell me that by watching the video they have been inspired to resume their career, to continue to fight for their dreams and there are children who have joined their family more.

That message is very important and it is what really fills me with great satisfaction. I want the story of what we are doing to inspire others to continue with that same energy and to know that love of family is the greatest thing.

GRAMMY 2022 - LIVE IN PERU

Peru is proud of the Grammy nomination with Live in Peru, what is the first thing you did when you found out?

We were all surprised, I couldn't wait to get up from this dream. I was like I couldn't believe it, but little by little I realized that it was real, that it was happening. People called me to congratulate me.

I celebrate this nomination as a trophy for Peru. This album has musicians, songs and Peruvian talent and it is not every day that an album is nominated for Best Tropical Album that is from Peru to the world. It is something very important and that will motivate Peruvian youth more.

Do you feel greater responsibility to your compatriots to win the Grammy?

That's all I want to do. I am very proud to be Peruvian, I am very grateful to Peru and although I left at the age of two, my identity is Peru. Wherever I go here in Miami, I meet Peruvians who are very supportive of me.

I can't control the result, I just have to wait, but I did put a lot of heart and life into this album “Live in Peru”. The show was spectacular, the music is impressive, as well as the quality of the audio and the mixes.

You recorded at the Gran Teatro Nacional del Peru, a rather imposing stage...

The National Theater is a source of pride for Peru. It is a platform that, just as I used it to record, many people can do it. All artists can go and record their albums, but sometimes what they need is an example of how to do things.

The whole team is from Peru, so there they are, the talents are there and it is only to put the effort it requires. It takes a lot of detail to be able to achieve that level, as I say, of excellence.

HIS NEW FACET AS A FATHER

How have you been preparing for this new phase of your life?

I am very happy, together with my wife we are going to the doctor to prepare everything. I am doing a lot of research on YouTube, we were in classes for about 6 hours. My brain is exploding, but it's important, and besides, everything there is today for babies is impressive.

Do you project yourself as a cocky father or the one who sets the rules?

Right in our classes, the teacher said that you have to be the one who disciplines and who puts the fun. We were watching that the other day, because with our dog we are both super good and we can't discipline her.

I still think I'm going to be the good guy and she's going to be the one who disciplines. Mainly because she's a little woman and I wouldn't know how to say no to her.

Will this new stage as a parent limit your trips to Peru or future projects?

I don't really think so. Obviously the priorities change, it may be that at first I limit myself, but I have many things planned in Peru. Hopefully this Covid-19 thing will be controlled a little sooner.

Let's see what happens, but I intend not to. I really like being in Peru, I want to do things to help those who want to study music.

In the art world it is difficult to stand out if you are not a media person, has it been difficult for you to get to Peru and try to get people to know you better?

I have tried to make my way at the right time and with things as they should be. There are many people who have advised me to be media or to form a scandal but I am not like that, I am a musician. When I was trying to enter Peru first, nobody wanted to interview me because they didn't find my story interesting, and they told me I had to make some scandal.

Thank God, I won the Latin Grammys, and from that moment on many doors opened for me. It was a lot of news. Gian Marco was one of the first to help me because I was able to collaborate with him.

Do you feel that having been in competition programs such as Yo Soy and La Voz Senior, gave your name the impetus to become better known in Peru?

I would say it was an incredible thing because there are a lot of people who are not aware of what happens with the Grammys but they do care about television. In Yo Soy they were able to get to know me and people loved it, they connected with me a lot. Then they called me to do La Voz Senior and there it exploded, it was a success and from there everything was incredible.

What did you learn from those programs?

I learned a lot of things because I had never spent more than 3 to 4 minutes on a TV show. I learned how not to have so many nerves in front of the camera, because I was sweating a lot until little by little I started to get used to it.

I learned that television is an extension of who you are as a person and you simply have to give your feeling as it is. I also learned that many dreams come true after La Voz Senior. I was able to learn more about life and to appreciate the details of the family.

NEW YEAR

We are days away from the end of 2021, what are your plans to celebrate the New Year?

My wife and I are going to stay home alone because we don't want to risk it, since she is in the last stage of her pregnancy and if she gets infected it can be a complication. We're being super careful about that.

Do you have a cabal or do you do something special to welcome the year?

Just eat the grapes, because almost every new year I spend it playing, but this year I don't have anything, they have called me for several things but right now I'm being very careful about the case of COVID-19.

What are your projects for 2022?

Next year I have several things in mind about my music. I'm going to keep doing my mom's record. I'm producing for different artists like La India, I'm making her album too.

I'm working with Luis Enrique and I'm going to be a dad. I am creating my new studio that is being built in my new house. For now we are seeing if you can take some shows to Peru.

What message would you leave to people who want to venture into music but aren't sure yet?

For anyone who wants to enter art, I would tell them to have a lot of discipline. This is not a race, it is something that one has to cultivate little by little. Do not run, patience, a lot of passion to keep them going. The process is the richest thing, also that they fight it a lot and be well shaped, strong and with great humility.

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