he results speak for themselves and Cuba ’ s latest Grammy nomination is proof that he ’ s found a formula that ’ s working across the border . While some Canadian artists struggle to translate their success to American fans , Cuba ’ s background has actually helped him establish a foothold with America ’ s fastest growing demographic : Hispanics .
“ There ’ s not much difference [ between Canada and the U . S .]. The only difference is there ’ s a big Spanish population [ in America ] – about 51 million ,” he says . “ So , I get more screaming fans going to my shows and people singing my songs . I haven ’ t really tried to get famous there . I ’ ve just been making my albums and going on tour in key markets .
“ My music speaks very well to second generation Latinos , born in the United States ,” he adds . “ They understand the language of my music to the core because , in my opinion , I ’ ve fused myself to the environment where I live but I still show my roots .”
He expresses some wariness of the racial tensions that are currently at a high in the U . S . After all , when you ’ re singing in Spanish , it can be a bit scary to go through states where the most popular politician is a guy with bad hair screaming about building walls to keep Mexicans out . He recalls a show in Memphis where no black people showed up because he had been booked into a venue on the wrong side of town . “ That kind of shit , I like to stay away from it ,” he says .
It ’ s that kind of shit that might make him appreciative of Canada . He might be thankful for his American success but he has only kind words for the people here . He generally avoids politics in his music and that includes what some might call the immigrant experience .
“ I came here because I wanted to ,” he says . “ Nobody forced me . I didn ’ t make an
PHOTO : CHELSEA BROOKE ROISUM artificial reason for why I was coming here . It happens a lot when it comes to immigration , people are maybe trying to find what they think will be a better life . I came here following my wife , totally in love with her . That put a beautiful view in my eyes , from the beginning , of Canada .”
His desire to keep his music apolitical also extends to Cuba : don ’ t look to him for harsh words towards the Castro brothers . While Cuba remains one of the most controversial countries in the world in terms of its politics despite a somewhat thawed recent turn in its notoriously frosty relationship with the United States , these are not the things Cuba is interested in singing about . He ’ s a lover , not a ( freedom ) fighter .
“ I have no opinion ,” he insists . “ I ’ ve never been political . I was never interested in politics in Cuba and I was never interested here . Keep shining and keep sending a message of positivity and maybe that will help people have a good time with the music and inspire them to do something positive .”
Still , a connection to his birthplace remains . With his tour wrapping up , he will be headed back to the island nation shortly to shoot a documentary before another tour of Eastern Canada and then a much-deserved break .
“ I ’ m going to be showcasing unknown talent , finding people that nobody knows about ,” he says of the documentary . “ We ’ re throwing a recording studio on a tour bus and going to be recording these people . I ’ m just the host for that .”
It ’ s a fitting role for Cuba – an artist who brought the sound of traditional Cuban music to audiences across Canada , a country known for its historic role in diplomacy , yet again becoming an ambassador for the melodies he grew up around . A man who continues to import the sound of Havana to cities like Lethbridge .
If only he could bring the weather on the road with him , too .
Adam Kovac is a freelance journalist in Montreal and a weekend guitar warrior in his band Adam ’ s Always Late .
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