Exclusive: Alvaro Soler talks La Libertad, Javi Martinez and Lionel Messi
Alvaro Soler’s favourite Bundesliga player may be Javi Martinez, but his newest hit, La Libertad, has gone down a storm with more than just the Bayern Munich midfielder…
Simply click PLAY on the YouTube video below to watch some of the Bundesliga’s best dancing to Soler’s song, or read on for an exclusive interview with Barcelona-born star.
bundesliga.com: Alvaro Soler, what can you tell us about La Libertad?
Alvaro Soler: “There are still places in this world that don't have the same freedom that we have at home, so it's just a song for me to also just personally say, hey, you know, you're lucky to have what you have. Just, you know, cherish it and be happy about it. Freedom is the deeper meaning of the song. Just exploring new places, being open, being curious and just taking a car or whatever, to just drive and say, hey, I want to stop here. Why don't we do that? We can, we're just going to do that.”
bundesliga.com: Would you say it’s a dance song? Is it a summer hit? How would you describe it?
Soler: “All of my songs kind of have a message that is packed in a musical world of just happiness and just dance, joy, everything together. Somehow I feel that when I play my songs live also, that everyone just starts moving and dancing. I like to make music where people can be happy and not have to worry about what they're feeling maybe right now or [their] problems.”
bundesliga.com: So with La Libertad being about freedom, how does that correspond to your life in Germany and the Bundesliga?
Soler: “Well, La Liberta is about traveling, being open to new opportunities, and I know Javi Martinez. Actually we're two Spanish people living in Germany somehow by, I don't know, destiny, chance, you never know. But we both had to adapt to a different culture and it's fun to see how we somehow have this connection because we're living this experience even if we haven’t known each other for so long, we're still doing this together somehow.”
bundesliga.com: Do you have a favourite Bundesliga team?
Soler: “Well, of course my Bundesliga team would be Bayern Munich, especially because of this connection I have with Javi. But also because they've treated me very, very well.”
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bundesliga.com: And what do you like best about the league itself?
Soler: “What's special for me about Bundesliga is the atmosphere. The preparation that there is before there's a game, the city's full of people wearing the jerseys. And it's something that you, even if you're not maybe paying attention to that game that day because you've forgotten or something, you're obviously going to see it in the streets. I think what's special about the Bundesliga is the combination between huge stadiums, full stadiums, incredibly passionate fans and also very good quality football. I mean, what you see there is top players of the world. So you're going to see a great game, it's not only the atmosphere. So it's a combination of all those things that makes this a special and incredible mix.”
bundesliga.com: Perfect. So who was your favourite player growing up?
Soler: “My favourite player growing up? That was, and still is, Leo Messi. I think also he has a very peculiar story also, a very hardworking story that he moved to Barcelona to train in their camp and everything. And it's something that is not very... there's so many people trying to do that and then to stick out somehow is just very, very difficult. It's like in music a little bit, you know, there's so many people doing music as well. And then somehow you have to have that something special, which you never know what it is exactly. But you're there and you have to take it. So I think Leo is also very... first of all it's beautiful to see him play. You always enjoy it and he’s just a cool person.”
bundesliga.com: And what about in the Bundesliga?
Soler: “I would say this is obvious: my favourite player in the Bundesliga is Javi Martinez, of course. He's the one that I have most personal contact with. So I think that's of course, yeah, my pick.
bundesliga.com: Finally, how do you think music compares to these players who have made it to the top of the game?
Soler: “What I think is most beautiful about music and football is that it's a sport and an art that you can enjoy and work at without having to have so much money. But if you want to, you know, anyone can have a ball and anyone can have a guitar, even if it's half broken, it's not so expensive. It's really something that you have so much access to. That, for me, is just incredibly cool, because everyone can do it. So nobody has this financial border that they cannot do it. So I think that's why I like football so much because everyone can show their talent, and that's the only thing that matters.”
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