Discovering the best in Catalan music at Primavera Pro

Where to start? Start with nada nada, one of the stellar collaborations on her latest album mai adeu (2025), featuring Catalan singer and trombonist Rita Payés. A delicate organic acoustic song that serves as a gateway to Kris Tena's universe.

The o

What you don't need to know but is cool: Her first album, Game Girl (2023), was born at home: it is a compilation of songs that she wrote, recorded and produced herself. A totally DIY album.

Kris Tena's second album mai adeu showcased a virtuoso in the making, with delicately delivered, slow-burn compositions fusing poignancy with fragility. "I feel that labeling things can be somewhat reductive, so I prefer that people come, listen, and allow themselves to feel the experience," she says of her sound. "Trying to put music into words can be difficult and, in some way, impossible — music is a unique language in itself. My intention has always been to create music like a child at play, trying not to lose curiosity and imagination. I usually create from emotion — from crying to joy, or even frustration. In my songs, I try to talk about life and universal ideas that resonate with everyone."

Her origins

"I started playing the piano when I was five years old. My father taught me a song, and I played it over and over again, so eventually my parents signed me up for music school in my town. After some time, I switched to guitar, and later I began singing and learning songs I loved, like those by The Beatles. I also always enjoyed inventing my own songs and lyrics, almost like a game. I even have recordings of myself as a child singing and playing my own music.

Music has always been part of my life, mainly thanks to my mother, who taught me how to truly listen to and love it. I was also very lucky to grow up in Begues, where there were many jazz musicians living at the time. I started taking lessons with Dee Jay Foster, a bassist who studied at Berklee College of Music and became my mentor."

Her influences

"A lot of different music has influenced me over the years. When I was younger, I was exposed to many different artists and learned so much from them. I remember listening a lot to Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, and Nina Simone, and I also became fascinated by the character of Amy Winehouse, as well as Lauryn Hill.

I’ve also been deeply influenced by instrumental jazz, like Lester Young, Thelonious Monk, and Joe Pass, as well as Latin music from Caetano Veloso, José Antonio Méndez, and Marta Valdés. From my homeland, I carry in my heart many artists, such as Alejandro Sanz, whose music I’ve sung and danced to so much, and Sílvia Pérez Cruz, whose songs I’ve listened to repeatedly and that I deeply admire. I feel very lucky to live through music and to have close friends with whom I’ve discovered so much music and shared creative processes and projects."

Thoughts on the music scene in Catalonia

"I feel so happy because I think there’s a lot of beautiful music being made with love and care in Catalunya. There’s a real sense of community, with people creating very different kinds of music, and I feel constantly inspired by those around me. It’s a small country where we more or less all know each other, from pop to singer-songwriter music, including folk and urban music. From my point of view, it all feels interconnected, like we’re all pulling in the same direction, towards culture. Some artists I really admire are Mar Pujol, Leyre Estruch, Meritxell Neddermann, Rita Payés, Lucía Fumero, Pol Batlle, and Xarim Aresté, among many others."

On her upcoming performance at the Primavera Pro showcase

"I’m very excited because we’ll be performing as a trio with Dario Barroso and Jordi Matas. They’ve been playing with me for a long time now, and both of them worked on my latest release, “mai adeu” — Dario on guitars, and Jordi on guitars as well as production. I feel a very deep connection with them when we play; there’s something really special about it.

Sometimes I even get emotional on stage, because I feel so much while performing. I would love for the audience to feel that too, and to share the experience with us. I’m very grateful to have a band made up of close friends — we truly enjoy playing together, and I’m really looking forward to this show."

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