A Conversation with Aurelio Martínez About International Touring
Aurelio Martínez is a Honduran-born singer-songwriter and activist that has toured the world for the past three decades. Aurelio is known as the most important cultural ambassador to the Garifuna people, and has performed at some of the most prestigious music venues globally. In this conversation, Aurelio discussed the challenges he encountered when he began touring internationally.
International touring is not just a glamorous perk of being a successful artist — it is a crucial component of building a global fan base, cementing your place in musical history, and most importantly, it is a way for artists to share their culture with others, building empathy and understanding along the way. Going on tour, however, is not easy and requires meticulous logistical and financial orchestration. This becomes an increasingly difficult task for artists based in Central America in particular. Although most countries in this region are only a 2–4 hour airplane ride to major music markets like Mexico City, Dallas, Miami, New York, and even Bogota, the lack of support systems and structural frameworks in the creative industries in this region make it twice as difficult for its artists to tour internationally.
Aurelio Martínez stands as a rare example among Central American artists that has managed to decipher the secret code of international touring. Aurelio is a Honduran-born singer-songwriter and activist that has traveled the globe for the past three decades. Aurelio is known internationally as the most important cultural ambassador to the Garifuna people, and has performed at some of the most prestigious music venues globally, including Carnegie Hall, Union Chapel, Lincoln Center, The Hollywood Bowl, just to name a few. In a significant recognition of his artistic prowess, earlier this year, he received an invitation from Rolex to perform at the 20th commemoration of the Rolex Arts Initiative that took place in Greece.
Back in April I sat down with Aurelio to discuss some of the challenges he faced earlier in his career, as he started to tour globally. The following is the transcript of our insightful conversation:
José: Master Aurelio, thank you for taking some of your time for this interview. Let’s dive right in. You’ve toured all over the world, however, you are one of the few artists from your country and from the Garifuna community doing it at this scale. I’m wondering if you can walk us through how the first opportunity to perform internationally came to you.
Aurelio: Well, that was in 1997. It was the first time I traveled outside of Honduras as a solo artist. It was one year after the Garifuna community had celebrated 200 years of arriving in Central America. At this point I had started a parranda project with Andy Palacio, and he introduced me to Sandra Bell and Ivan Duran. I had a club called Centro Satuye in La Ceiba and we were in charge of the celebration — this is where I met all these people. It was my friendship with Andy Palacio that really opened all these doors for me. After meeting Sandra Bell, she then invited me to New York to perform at the Lincoln Center Outdoors Series.
José: That’s a great story! I get messages all the time from artists based in Central America asking how they can perform at festivals in the US. Are there any tips you can give artists that want to perform at festivals specifically?
Aurelio: The world is looking for artists that have an identity. The important thing for me has been not focusing on the fame or looking to be the most popular artist internationally, but rather having music that is rooted in my culture. Exploring the stories of my community has allowed me to tell my own as well — the world anxiously waits for these stories and I believe this is what has opened the doors for me. I think that the power in my music is not necessarily my voice, but rather the power my culture holds. It is also important to be in the correct spaces at the right time. For example there are some festivals that happen in Europe, but also in other countries around the world, where artists can go to meet the most important managers, agents, and producers in the music industry. I think this helps a lot too.
José: Wow, that is very powerful. I agree about the importance of identity and telling one’s unique story. Are there any tips on the business or musical side that you think are valuable to share?
Aurelio: I think having a good music producer is key. The first thing is finding someone that respects your culture and what you are trying to say, and that can paint within those lines. For music to travel it really needs to be rooted in something and combined with elements that can make it accessible to others.
José: Is there anything you believe that is missing in the way governments in Central America support their artists?
Aurelio: Definitely. For example Colombia has a fund that artists can access to cover some of the touring costs. At the end of the day, not every artist is a headliner at a festival, so the fees that we get paid do not always cover the costs. I guess it all starts with having experts in cultural legislation too, otherwise governments will not get these types of ideas. In Honduras, for example, we had the program “Marca Pais” but it did not clearly delineate ways that would make it easier for artists to represent their country internationally.
José: That is true. I remember thinking of all the lost opportunities with the “Marca Pais” program in Honduras. It was a great idea, but poorly executed — it lacked so many elements.
Aurelio: I’m wondering what is your perspective on all of this?
José: I have to give you a long answer because it’s a complex topic. On the one hand, I think that cultural institutions, especially those that manage a lot of funds, have part of the responsibility in this discussion. I’ve seen a lot of times “world” music lineups created without the inclusion of our culture, or award shows that celebrate Latin American music and do not reward artists from our region. On the other hand, I think it all starts with local governments. What are they doing to facilitate artistic expression in their communities? Are they providing production grants, travel and touring funds, or at the most basic level, providing healthcare to their artist? Once some of these things are in play, I think artists will have an easier time creating and looking for opportunities internationally. And it is not just about the government providing support for the sake of providing support, it’s been proven that investing in culture brings great financial and economic benefits back to the country. And like you said, having experts in cultural legislation is key.
Aurelio: I agree with you! How would you advise an artist to pitch themselves to a festival for example?
José: From my experience, it is very rare that an artist would pitch themselves, although I’m sure that sometimes it happens. Mostly, it is the artist’s agent that handles this part. So I would say, it is important for artists in Central America that in addition to creating their original music, they also build a team which includes an agent. There are many agencies and agents that could support this part, some big and some independent, similar to record labels. It is about doing a lot of research and networking, and finding what is best for their individual projects.
Aurelio: We could talk about this for hours.
José: Haha yes! Aurelio, thank you for your time — what a pleasure and a privilege to have this conversation with you.
Aurelio: Likewise! Thank you.
