PeakDash

[ ] I've been to a couple of weddings where they played my music. And I've danced to it, yes, to be honest.

I think that every artist, deep down inside, wants that — regardless of the outcome. You just want your music to transcend generations, and hopefully in the future someone will revive the song just to keep it going. When it actually happens, it's a sense of release; but yes, you feel pressure of what's coming up next.

Yeahhhh [l ]

I was in Nepal trekking in the Himalayas. I thought I was in a really remote area — I thought I could touch the sky because of how high up in the mountains we were — and I walked into a very small shack, and someone had my poster [on the wall] and he was playing my song. I come from a very small island in the Caribbean. So to be in the Himalayas and interact with someone from a small village that he's never left was beautiful.

First of all, the song was written by the public, the audience. To give the power to your fans to write a song is something that I've never done before. It was a unique contest.

Melody. For me, the melody was very catchy. [ ] I immediately heard a stadium singing the song. And later on, we worked on arrangements, you know. But when I first heard it, I said, "This is it". And apparently, we did something right in choosing the song, because the reaction on social media has been outstanding.

[ ] I was there. I was in the stadium, and I was rooting for Brazil. Very painful.

[ ] Brazil winning! Revenge?

You mean, like, Brazil beating France 3-0? That would be great. That would be … too much to handle. But I also believe that a good final between Brazil and Argentina could be fantastic as well. So, I'm going to have my aspirin and medication for my heart ready.

Well, I grew up in Puerto Rico — and we don't have a team in the World Cup — but I'm a US citizen because I was born in Puerto Rico. I'm also a citizen of Spain, I have a Spanish passport. But then I lived in Mexico and Argentina and Brazil, too.

I go for Brazil … and the US … and Spain … I don't know, it's very interesting.

I'm the father of two boys, and they keep giving me this information. I had so much information that I don't know what to do, so I started writing. I started with one book of children's stories and now I have five. It's effortless. It doesn't take much of my time, to be honest. It's fun. I love my kids and it's part of my legacy that I write for them.

Never. If you asked me seven years ago, I'd be like, "Really?! OK … " I love it — and that was only the beginning. We have a children's clothing line, cartoons, and we're doing music for children — all with my record company. It's going to be very, very beautiful.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: THE INQUISITION

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tK%2FMqWWcp51kuqKzwLOgp52jZIF5tNGsZpqqpJ6wrbGOamxrbWFphHC1zaqsoquZqbawuoyroJyjqWK6or7ToqVmq5mjtKa%2B