Soy Valgur, the duo formed by the Valdivieso brothers, originally from Juchitán, Oaxaca. With more than ten years living in CDMX and a first album released in 2019, today they bet on authenticity and the strength of reality in a musical proposal that mixes dreaminess and nostalgia with eighties rhythms, while embracing a modern pop tone. Their music seeks to connect with the raw and real emotions that many of us have experienced in this dystopian reality.
I will begin by describing the spaces in which the interview took place, which you can see in the video of our studio visit, available in any of our networks.
Su apartamento en Eje Central, a la altura de la Colonia Portales, tiene ese aire clásico de la CDMX de los 60s y 70s, y de inmediato me siento parte de una de sus canciones, envuelta en ese toque nostálgico. Al entrar, me encuentro con un espacio pequeño pero acogedor y luminoso, con piso de azulejo moteado al estilo de los 50s-60s, y puertas de lámina que dejan entrever la edad del edificio. Los muebles son pocos, pero cuidadosamente elegidos: destacan una mesa circular de estilo setentero en el centro, con sus sillas originales; una mesa alta con un tocadiscos, un pequeño pero práctico display para vinilos, y un par de teclados de los 80s, cubiertos contra el polvo con lo que parecen ser un rebozo y una carpeta decorativa.
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Las recámaras, ubicadas en los dos extremos del departamento, son idénticas en lo básico. Ambas cuentan con un colchón matrimonial cubierto por un duvet blanco y una mesita de noche, pero la diferencia radica en los detalles.
La de Elizabeth es zen, luminosa, con una silla baja de madera, un par de lámparas space age cromadas y dos muñecos de Demon Slayer sobre la mesita de noche.
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En cambio, la de Hugo tiene un estilo más trasher: aunque también tiene una lámpara de pie space age, la habitación es menos luminosa. Hay ropa fuera de su lugar, una silla vieja tapizada en rojo, un espejo antiguo y un pequeño escritorio lleno de papeles y objetos, que le dan un aire más desordenado y personal.
Su acercamiento a la música comenzó cuando sus padres los inscribieron, siendo niños, en el grupo de alabanza de la iglesia de su ciudad natal. Hugo, con apenas 8 años, y Elizabeth, con 10, asistían cada miércoles, sábado y domingo a ensayos en Juchitán. Fue allí donde se encendió la chispa creativa que a la fecha los acompaña.
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I asked them about a moment that marked their childhood, and they both agreed that the experience of taking music clinics with renowned musicians such as Heriberto and Hector Hermosillo, and Alvaro Lopez opened their eyes to the impact of music in their lives.
Talking about their creative process, they shared with me that for them making music is something that comes very naturally, but what really represents a challenge is to build the discourse that will shape each album. The narrative evolution of their project has changed since Zapandú, their debut, in which they explored their Zapotec roots and talked about their place of origin in Juchitán. Now, with Armageddon, the focus turns to their primordial root: religion, and how it intertwines with social phenomena in Mexico, generating reflections that transcend the personal.
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How did you decide to create Armageddon?
E- We decided to compose and release Armageddon after having lived through unpleasant circumstances, experiences with substances and also rehabilitation, events that led us to write about stories that make up this album.
H-Armageddon is a word that appears in the book of Revelation and is deeply linked to this religious universe. It speaks of going through difficult situations that put at risk one's integrity, health, family and even life itself. Inspired by this idea, we decided to create our own Armageddon: a symbolic space where the final battle between the forces of good and evil takes place.
At the time, our Armageddon represented going through the fire and, in doing so, discovering that coming out unscathed is an opportunity to celebrate life and regain the energy to create. Thus Armageddon was born, an album that channels this force into nine songs. Each is a conversation and dialogue that explores religion and culture within the diverse religious strands in Mexico.
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By creating Armageddonwhat emotions prevailed in you?
E- Sadness, anger, disorientation and frustration.
H- An air of hopelessness since we hadn't made music for four years. Personally, I felt very rusty in that aspect, because making a new album implies comparing what we had done before with what we were about to do. That comparison made me despair, thinking that maybe it wouldn't be a good idea due to the great reception of the previous album.
How would you describe a Valgur show in 2024?
H- It is a show that works at the level of an ecclesiastical cult where you find many religious concepts such as the bible, the sword and the robes.
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How were you received on your US tour?
E- We had the opportunity to open the Magdalena Bay shows in many parts of the USA and 96% of the audience was Anglo-Saxon, which made us think that maybe the language barrier would be a problem, however the magic of the music and the scenic art connected strongly with the public that we found in each place of these shows having a pleasant reception.
What is a day on tour with Valgur like?
H-It's a working day, as it is, with its policies, regulations and well-defined margins. So it is to get up, do "loading" and be ready at the right time, always considering arriving well in advance, especially if you are in an unfamiliar city, where getting lost is a possibility. Time, in this case, becomes an important factor.
Upon arrival, the first thing to do is to have everything ready: the setup and routing prepared before going on stage. Then, do the soundcheck and, of course, have something to eat before the show. Once the show is over, the rest of the day is pretty quiet. We don't drink or consume anything; maybe have a light dinner and go to sleep.
It's a simple day but loaded with responsibility. When you play every day, the routine becomes demanding, so it is essential to have a clear personal schedule and an internal clock that helps you maintain a balance between waking up on time and getting the necessary rest. In the end, it is a job that requires good performance, but also discipline and organization.
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Something you had a hard time learning together?
E- For me, forging an itinerary, disciplining myself with schedules, not forgetting certain things, I feel that with time I have been improving, but at the beginning it was hard work.
H- Work on tolerance, especially when it comes to collaborating with people and building interpersonal relationships, as this always generates friction. In this job, you work with audio engineers, people in charge of the stage, booking, tour management... each one with different temperaments.
For me, practicing tolerance is not always easy, but it has been a skill that I have learned and developed over time, thanks to my experience in music and doing live shows.
Two of your favorite songs from your discography.
E- Vampiro y Desnudx
H- Rogelia and Sons of Chaos
What was the best thing that happened to you this year?
To have the confidence of the public, of the venues, of the promoters, and that they have opened doors for us in every corner of Mexico and abroad, more than anything else, to have the confidence of the people.
How do you envision valgur in 3 years?
E- As a more consolidated project, working and keeping us on this road of life on tour. As my brother mentioned, it is an important source of income for us, something that allows us to live and, besides, it is something I love to do.
H- As something more solid, as a whole that can change my day. I always see myself in relation to Valgur, as that project that allows me to cover the essentials, like the pantry or the rent, but also helps me to sublimate emotions while making music.
If you could do something else, what would it be?
E- To write, I really like that practice and I like literature, but also photography.
H- I also at some point had to make the decision to make music or write. I specifically like the short story, I tried to cultivate it for a while; I don't know if I did it well but I liked it, it was fun and I enjoyed it almost as much as music. But you can't pray to two saints, so I had to decide for one. But I would have liked to dedicate myself to narrative.
3 emotions that mexico city provokes in them
H- Euphoria, anxiety and joy
E- Very similar, also nostalgia and longing.
3 places recommended in the portals
3 places we should visit in Oaxaca?
Beaches in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
Conejo Point
Brazil Beach
Chipehua Beach
Which Anime character do you identify with?
E- Ranma ½
H- Lucy from Elfen Lied
What do they look for when they meet someone?
H- I believe that in conversation and everything that can contain your universe through words, that definitely ends up defining a person.
E- Also, to talk to someone, to know what he/she offers by means of the conversation at the moment of meeting him/her.
A guilty pleasure?
E- Whenever I'm here in Mexico City, sometimes I'm tempted and I buy these bags of homemade cheetos that are not so healthy, and I end up eating a bag.
H- Eating bad hamburgers.
With whom would you change your life for a day?
E- With Raymond Carver Poet
H- Charlie Parker jazz saxophonist of the 50s.
Vintage or New?
E- New
H- New
Aliens or ghosts?
E- Ghosts
H- Ghosts
Pantheons or Churches
E- Churches
H- Evangelical churches
Things they don't like about this time?
E- Maybe I'm going to sound a bit old fashioned, but I don't like when I talk to someone they are on their cell phone all the time, although I have done it too, I don't like it when they do it to me and I feel it has become too common these days. Also, to be honest, I'm not a fan of those trends where people change clothes quickly while dancing.
H- Some idols of this time, some religions and ideologies, I just don't connect. I don't have tiktok and I miss a lot of things too.
Guide to 4 must-see churches in CDMX by Elizabeth Valdivieso
- Temple of Our Lady of the Pillar in the center of the city.
- The church of San Juan Bautista in Coyoacán
- The Light of the World at St. Simon's
- Semilla de Mostaza Church there is live music and the musicians are amazing, in fact a friend of ours plays there and plays guitar with us from time to time.