READERS DIGEST EN ESPAÑOL
Genevieve Marlin Fernández

-ALL GROWN UP-

Sitting before his desk in his office in Miami, decorated with little furniture but with a lot of style, the successful Puerto Rican singer, Chayanne, personifies the ‘chic’ essence. His characteristic smile and his youthful appearance make it difficult to believe his popularity covers more than 20 years. Taking a break from his exhausting international tour through 26 countries to promote his most recent album, SINCERO, Chayanne talks to Selecciones (Reader’s Digest title in Spanish) about his most important role: that of a husband and father and how he combines it with his life as a super star.

Your career as a singer and actor often takes you away from home. How do your children, Lorenzo and Isadora, react when you have to travel? Do they miss you very much?

“Oh, yes! But I talk to them. I have a lot of communication with them.”

They are still very young. How do you explain your absence to them?

“I talk to them; I tell them: ‘Look, now papi has to go on tour, and I’m going to be in Venezuela,' and I show them a map and point to Venezuela. I tell them, ‘Papi is going to be there three days and he’s going to be singing and working.”

Judging by your expression, I realize you miss them very much.

“It’s always more painful for me than for them. Children forget rapidly; we, the parents, are the ones who are always thinking.”

Have you ever taken your family on tour with you?

“During the tour through the United States, I took an entire week off and I took them to San Antonio, to The Alamo and to the San Jose Mission and Sea World.”

The media has criticized you for keeping your family life very private. Why do you do it?

“I always keep them at margin. In one form or another, one is always overprotective, and even more so during these times, with everything that’s going on today. What I want is if one day my daughter is at the park playing with your daughter, like two normal and healthy little girls, that my daughter doesn’t attract the attention and all the badness that exists today.”

And do you still have problems with paparazzi? Do they follow you?

“Ah, yes! The other day a helicopter went over the house with a very long lens…”

And if your children tell you one day they want to be singers or actors, what would you say to them?

“I introduce them to you and you interview them and afterwards, I’ll support them. What I want is that they have alternatives, a lot of rope. I don’t want to cut their wings, just like my parents never cut mine.”

How did your parents contribute to your personal upbringing? What values did they instill in you from a young age?

“I come from a family of traditions, of maintaining tradition. From Thanksgiving to Father’s Day, Mother’s Day. Those days are special to me. But most of all, they taught me family values; to respect my elders; to help anyone whenever possible; the difference between a formal and informal way of addressing someone; all those things.”

Do you try to instill those same values to your children?

“Yes. If I can do half of what my parents did for me, I’ll be happy. I try to make sure we eat together at the table. And when I have the opportunity, I like to take them to school. I have an extremely busy schedule, but I try to maintain all those things.”

What did you dream about as a child?

“When I was young, I didn’t know what I wanted to be because the career chose me, I didn’t choose it. For example, I used to play at singing and I didn’t know it was a profession.”

You had to leave your family at the age of 10 to join Los Chicos. How did your life change from that moment on?

“Since I was with three other boys of my same age, we took everything as a game. We would go to the stadium, we would get off the helicopter, and we would see the stadium full of people. We would imagine ourselves to be a soccer team ready to play. We would then go to the hotel and we swam in the pool. I mean, our schedule was very irregular. It wasn’t set like “you have to go to bed early because you have to go to school tomorrow.”

And don’t you feel as if you lost something during those years you were with Los Chicos?

“No, to the contrary, I gained much. Those four years I was with the group shaped me.”

I read they offered you a spot with Menudo.

“They came to my house three times!”

And why didn’t you accept?

“Menudo was a group similar to us. They went looking for me and out of loyalty, I would say: ‘No, I can’t go because I’m already in a group.’ I couldn’t desert or abandon them. That was my thinking. We were very close.”

Do you see your family in Puerto Rico often?

“Whenever I can, I visit my parents. As a matter of fact, I just came from there. I spent a few days with them. I hadn’t seen them in three months. And I always tell everyone that whenever they have the opportunity, they should go to their countries and visit their family. It’s very important that one goes back to where you were born and grew up because that gives you a very strong inner strength.”

The first day you performed as a soloist, were you afraid?

“Always. I continue being afraid.”

No! Even today, after more than 20 years of career?

“I get nervous because I always want to do a good job. In my opinion, nerves work like adrenaline.”

Unlike other celebrities, you have the reputation of always giving autographs to the fans who ask. Is that important for you?

“Look, I work for the public. It takes the same energy to smile or be serious. For me, it’s easier to smile than to be serious. It doesn’t cost a lot to greet someone or sign an autograph, I do it gladly.”

You seem to be more focused in your music these last few years. Are you planning on working as an actor again?

“I love acting and I’m trying to go back to it. I was recently in Malibu with my agent to see if I could do a movie next fall.”

If you could choose anyone, in any era, to do a duet with, whom would you choose?

“The king of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. I think he was someone who revolutionized music. He knew how to sing, dance and play. I identify with him.”

And at home, when you were little, what music did your mom play? Elvis Presley?

“We listened to everything. You would turn on the radio and you would hear Salsa; you had the romantic music of Nino Bravo, Julio Iglesias and Raphael. Then came the Commodores, Air Supply, Earth, Wind and Fire and Cool and the Gang.”

What television programs do you like to watch? Or you don’t have time to watch television?

“No. Look, I watch television when I’m in Lorenzo and Isadora’s arms and what I watch it’s the Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and goodbye, lot’s of luck.”

What projects are you working on right now?

“Mainly, the tour. There are 26 countries. I will soon be going to Mexico, Venezuela, Central America and then Spain. From Spain I’ll jump to Portugal, Italy…”

Where do you find so much energy?

“I exercise and I like doing it. Also, I eat well and I eat of everything. Diet all the time. There are times when I eat grilled salmon with vegetables, or meat, but there are times for a good osobuco with rice, or fried bananas with rice and beans.”

Who cooks at home, you or your wife, Mari?

“I’m only in charge of the barbecues, but I don’t cook at home because Mari cooks very well.”

And do you thank her by taking her to romantic places? Do you go out a lot?

“We do everything, more than people think. We go to the restaurants in Miami. I have also surprised her, out of nowhere, at the Piazza San Marcos in Venice, that type of things. Marriage is like a garden, you must water it.”

Sentado ante su escritorio en su officina, en Miami, decorada con pocos muebles pero con mucho estilo, el exitoso cantante puertoriqueño Chayanne personifica la esencia chic. Su sonrisa caracteristica y su aparencia juvenil haven que sea dificil creer que su popularidad abarca mas de 20 años. Tomandose un descanso de su agotadora gira internacional por 26 paises para promover su mas reciente album, Sincero, Chayanne habla con Selecciones sobre su papel mas importante, el de esposo y padre, y sobre como lo compagina con su vida de super estrella.

SRD: Tu carrera de cantante y actor te lleva a menudo lejos de casa. Como reaccionan tus hijos, Lorenzo e Isadora, cuando estas de viaje? Te extrañan mucho?

Chayanne:Oh Si! Pero yo les hablo, yo mantengo mucha comunicacion con ellos.

SRD: Estan todavia chiquitos. Como les explicas tu ausiencia?
Chayanne: Hablo con ellos, les digo: "mira ahora papa se va a hacer la gira a...y voy a estar en Venezuela" y kes enseño un mapa y les enseño Venezuela. Les digo, "papa va a estar tres dias ahi, va a estar cantando y trabajando".

SRD: Por tu expresion, me doy cuenta que los extrañas mucho.

Chayanne: Siempre es mas doloroso para mi que para ellos. Los niños olvidan rapidamente; nosotros, los padres, somos los que siempre estamos pensando.

SRD: Alguna vez te has llevado a tu familia de gira contigo?

Chayanne: Durante la gira en Estados Unidos, me tome una semana completa y los lleve a San Antonio. Nos fuimos a El Alamo, a las misiones de San Jose y a Sea World.

SRD:Los medios te han criticado por mantener tu vida familiar muy privada. Por que lo haces?

Chayanne: Siempre los mantengo al margen. De alguna manera uno siempre sobreprotege, y mas con el tiempo, con las cosas que pasan hoy. Yo quiero que si un dia mi hija esta jugando con la tuya en el parque, como dos niñas sanas y buenas, que la mia no atraiga la atencion y toda la malda que hay hoy en dia.

SRD: Y sigues teniendo problemas con los paparazzi, te persiguen?

Chayanne: Ah, si! El otro dia paso un helicoptero por arriba de la casa, con un lente larguisimo....

SRD:Y si tus hijos te dicen algun dia que quieren ser cantantes o actores, que le dirias?

Chayanne: Los presento con tigo y les haces la entrevista y despues los apoyare!Lo que quiero es que ellos tengan alternativas, mucha soga. No quiero troncharles como tampoco a mis padres me troncharon nada.

SRD: Como contribuyeron tus padres en tu formacion personal? Que valores te inculcaron desde chiquito?

Chayanne: Vengo de una familia de tradiciones, de mantener la tradicion. Desde el dia de Accion de Gracias, hasta el Dia del Padre, Dia de Las Madres. Son dias especiales para mi. Pero mas que nada, me enseñaron los valores de familia: el de respetar a la gente mayor, el de ayudar al que se puede, la diferencia entre el usted y el tu, todas esas cosas.

SRD: Tratas de inculcarles esos mismos valores a tus niños?

Chayanne: Si. Si puedo haver la mitad de lo que hicieron mis padres por mi, estare contento. Trato de que comamos juntos en la mesa. Y cuando tengo la oportunidad, me gusta llevarlos al colegio. Tengo una agenda super atareada, pero todas esas cosas trato de mantenerlas.

SRD: Con que soñabas de niño?

Chayanne: Cuando era chico, no sabia que queria ser. Porque la carrera me escogio a mi. Yo no escogi la carrera. Por ejemplo, yo jugaba a cantar y no sabia que era una profesion.

SRD: Tuviste que dejar a tu familia a los 10 años para integrarte al grupo Los Chicos. Como cambio tu vida a partir de ese momento?

Chayanne: Como estaba con otros tres niños de la misma edad, pues entonces era todo como un juego. Ibamos al estadio, nos bajabamos del helicoptero, y veiamos el estadio lleno. Nos imaginabamos que eramos un equipo de futbol que iba a jugar. Luego llegabamos al hotel y nos bañabamos en la piscina...o sea, el horario nuestro era muy irregular. No era el horario marcado de "acuestate temprano porque vas a la escuela mañana.

SRD: Y no sientes que te perdiste algo en esos años que estabas con Los Chichos?

Chayanne: No, alcontrario, gane mucho. Esos cuatro años que estube en un grupo me formaron.

SRD: Lei que te ofrecieron una posicion en Menudo.

Chayanne: Tres veces fueron a mi casa!

SRD: Y por que no aceptaste?

Chayanne: Menudo era un grupo mas o menos parecido. Ellos fueron a buscarme y yo, por lealtad, decia: "no, yo no puedo ir porque yo ya estoy en un grupo:. No podia desertarlos o abandonarlos. Esa era mi mentalidad. Eramos un grupo muy unido.

SRD: Ves mucho a tu familia en Puerto Rico?

Chayanne: Cuando puedo, voy a visitar a mis padres. Justo acabo de llegar de alla. Estuve dos dias con ellos. Hacia tres meses que no los veia. Y siempre le digo a la gente que cuando haya la oportunidad, siempre vayan a sus paises y visiten a su familia. Es muy importante que uno vuelva a ver el mundo donde un crecio, porque eso te da una fuerza interna muy grande.

SRD: El primer dia que te presentates como solista, tenias Miedo?

Chayanne: Siempre. Sigo teniendo miedo.

SRD:NO!nTodavia hoy, despues de mas de 20 años de carrera?

ChayanneMe dan nervios, porque siempre quiero hacer un buen trabajo. En mi opinion, los nervios son como adrenalina.

SRD: A diferencia de otras grandes celebridades, tu tienes la reputacion de siempre dar autografos a los admiradores que te le piden. Es importante para ti?

Chayanne: Mira, yo trabajo para el publico. Para mi, los mismo cuesta una sonrisa que estar serio. A mi me sale mas rapido la sonrisa que estar serio. Saludar no me cuesta nada, ni firmar un autografo, lo hago con gusto.

SRD: En los ultimos años te pareces haber enfocado mas en tu musica. Piensas volver a trabajar como actor?

Chayanne: Me encanta la actuacion, y estoy tratando de volver a ella. Estuve en Malibu recientemente con mi agente para ver si podemos haver una pelicula para el otoño del año que viene.

SRD:Si pudieras escoger a cualquier persona, de cualquier epoca, para hacer un dueto, a quien escogerias?

Chayanne: Al rey del Rock'n Roll...Elvis Presley. creo que fue una persona que revoluciono la musica. Sabia cantar, bailar y tocar, y me identifico con el.

SRD: Y en tu casa, cuando eras pequeño, que musica ponia tu mama? Elvis Presley?

Chayanne: Se oia de todo...Prendias el radio y tenias salsa, tenias musica romantica de Nino Bravo, Julio Ilgesias Y Raphael. Despues tanias Los Comodores, a Air Supply, Earth, Wind adn Fire Y Cool & the Gang.

SRD: Y que programas de television te gusta ver? O no tienes tiempo para ver television?

Chayanne: No...Mira, television veo cuando estoy en los brazos de Lorenzo e Isadora, y lo que se ve es el Disney Channel, Cartoon Network y Adios, muy buena suerte.

SRD:En que proyectos estas trabajando ahora?

Chayanne: Principlamente la gira. Son 26 paises. Pronto voy a Mexico, Venenzuela, Centramerica y luego a España. De España voy a estar brincando a Portugal, a Italia...

SRD: Como mantienes tanta energia?

Chayanne: Hago ejercicio y me gusta hacerlo. Ademas, como bien, y como bien de todo. Dieta todo el tiempo. Hay epocas en las que como salmon a la parilla con verduras, o carne, pero tambien hay epocas de un buenosso bucco con arroz o de platanos fritos con arroz y habichelas.

SRD:Quien concina en tu casa, tu o tu esposa, Mari?

Chayanne: Yo solo me encargo de los barbecues, pero en la casa no cocino porque Mari cocina muy bien.

SRD:Y le agradeces llevandola a lugares romanticos? Salen mucho?

Chayanne:hacemos de todo, mas de lo que la gente piensa. Vamos a los restauranted de Miami. Tambien la he sorprendido, de la nad, en la Plaza San Marcos en Venecia...ese tipo de cosas. El matrimonio es como un jardin, hay que echarle agua.