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The interview with Ana Mena (1997) begins somewhat bumpy. We have stayed in the suite of a central hotel in Madrid. One more among the points from which the Malaga has attended the media in recent days to talk about her new album, Bellodrama, which is published this Friday.

When recording video we do not warn that we will also take photographs but, when we arrive, one of the three people who accompany her informs us: "We are not letting anyone take pictures. We send them to you." A small sample of how in just three years it has gone from being one more for Sony Music to be among its biggest bets in Spain. And, as always, the more fame, the more control. Especially if they are female artists.

The numbers back it up. His songs have been played non-stop at parties and clubs in recent summers. From this new work he has already placed up to four advances in the Top100 of Promusicae, the official list that manages the industry. In addition, it does so by embracing pop and moving away from the prevailing urban. In spite of everything, he does not shy away from any of the questions.

When and with what idea was this album born? Well, look, we hadn't released an album for a long time. The first one came out when I was about 18 years old. I've been thinking about whether to take out or not for five or six years, but I wanted it to have a sound that I was convinced of and felt mine when I did. And it was about two years ago when I felt it and we started working on it. I thought that maybe I already had that personal and artistic maturity that makes me have things to tell, be clear about how I want to show myself to the public or know what my sound is. And you decide on pop when it seems that everyone is running away from the genre. (Laughter) That's why? To differentiate yourself from the rest? No, because I've always liked it and this album is a tribute to that. In addition, what has always moved me the most have been the songs that tell stories and that has a lot to do with pop. You have defended that they are not songs designed to create dances on TikTok, something very moda.No. It's true, it's true. When making this album we always thought about letting ourselves be guided in the composition session. Let it flow. In fact, there are many songs that have a hard time choreographing TikTok because we told other stories. The common thread of the work is the lack of love understood in a positive way... More than positive, beautiful. When I did creative meetings with my team and we thought about what title we were going to put on the album I always said that I needed a word that explained that enjoyment of melancholy. That sweetness, that romanticizing the drama. That not everything is to throw zascas or take revenge for it. Exactly, but to get that beautiful side, that poetic side. Is it born from a story you've gone through or from many? What's going! Not even all the songs are my stories. Many times you get into the studio and imagine fictional situations, because in the end I do not have many stories with the life I lead. I am also very inspired by taking different phases of the same story that I have lived. We talked about TikTok before, you've always personally taken your social networks. With the growth of your popularity, how have you managed it? I imagine that you will receive more and more comments, both positive and negative. Yes, I've noticed that. In fact, before I perhaps looked more at a certain social network that now I forbid myself. But, otherwise, I keep carrying everything and try to show myself in the most natural way I can. It's me always. Just as you see me. I even have a secondary Instagram called The Mourning Diva. I use it to contextualize everything that has been the process of creating Bellodrama and also to upload random things that I want and that maybe I would not upload to the official account. To post more naturally. Less spam, less ad. Obviously there are things you have to announce if you use an official profile. But yes, there I share certain things that maybe I would not upload because maybe the photo is ugly, but I like it. You have triumphed in Italy, but this is an album for the Spanish-speaking public. How to make that leap in popularity in Latin America? There you have more room for growth. Yes, absolutely. Now in May we have a trip planned to Mexico. I really want it. It's a country I went to more than six times before the pandemic. I love it because the people there are very dedicated to the music. They love artists and discovering new music. In addition, I have always considered it the cradle of Are you going to release new songs or try new sounds that may fit more with the ones you might like there? Oh, no. We have a pretty cool album to defend and that's what we're going to do. We have to promote it there to continue making it grow. It is not an album to suddenly go viral because pop is perhaps not what chats the most on platforms like Spotify. But I do consider it an album to settle down in the live as you go doing concerts. It will mature over time when people attribute it to their personal stories. Speaking of the charts and Spotify, the release of the album coincides with releases quite famous as the EP of Rosalía together with Rauw Alejandro or the album of Mike Towers. In networks your fans are somewhat annoyed with this, how do you take it? (Laughter) But there are always going to be releases! The important thing is to be sure of the work that has been done. We are a lot, and very proud. And, I tell you, my thought is to make it grow over time. I wanted to talk to you about the importance of your image beyond music. Do you see it as something natural or for you it is an imposition? Oh, no. So I understand that you consider collaboration with brands one more leg of your work. Yes, right. Yes of course. I believe that everything is important, everything adds up and everything is learned. In addition, with the brands I work with we always completely agree. They know that I am a person who makes music and that the main focus of my Instagram is usually my songs. But I would never work with a brand I don't feel like I am concerned with. In 2019 we did an interview and the headline was "We are number 1 six weeks in Italy and here nobody has echoed". How everything has changed. Wow, how strong! Yes, it was another time, but things happen with effort and work. And, now that it has happened, has it been better or worse than you imagined? No, man, when things happen after chasing them is cool. Of course it's cool! I'd be lying to you if I said no. And you celebrate and think it has been worth it. Before the claim was 'I want to be taken more into account' and now we have passed to Ana Mena everywhere. Wow. Let's see: El Hormiguero, Planeta Calleja, interviews in all the media... How do you face this change? Does the fear arise that your image will burn? No, it goes. Always grateful. Very grateful because, well, it is gratifying to see that what you are doing has an exposure. We have pursued it and thanks to the fact that things have been happening because some doors are opening. But it is a natural consequence, it happens in any profession. In the end it is to try all the time to ascend in your goal.And as far as the control of your image is concerned? By having so much exposure you lose power over everything that is said or all the images that are published about you. Well, you can get some paparazzi in a restaurant without makeup. Well, it's inevitable and I can't do much. I try to cover everything, really. I'm like that. I want to cover everything, but there are times when you simply have to accept that you can't do it and that it's natural. I don't know, I'm not too obsessed either. How do you take that you talk about your personal life or your relationships when you have never given rise to anything? [In recent days he has been linked to Abraham Matthew. An information that she herself has denied by settling that they are only friends]. No, because in addition I am zero controversy. I don't like polemics, I don't like gossip... I don't like any of that. All I've done in my life has been work on my own thing. But when you say things that are lies... Well, you laugh. In the end, what are you going to do? I have already said what it is. I guess he will die on his own. It's something you can't control either. I have many friends and I am a very affectionate person. Look, you've walked in the door before and Paco was here, my right-hand man at Sony, and I was hugging him. I am like that, but nothing beyond that. Many times you can tell things that are not true and what can I do about it? Well, to say that they are not true and little else. With a pandemic in between, you have gone from playing at the Changó room in Madrid for 600 people to announcing a WiZink. What madness, huh! It is very strong. We have just announced it and the truth is that it causes me a shock, a short circuit. Do you look back a lot? Not too much and not too little. I guess normal. I live day to day, yes. But I consider myself an ambitious girl and I look a lot to the future. After WiZink, what? Well, I don't know. We'll see what happens. For now working on the WiZink because it's going to be a super special concert. I want it to be something to remember.

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