Biography
Flamenco soul meets African groove and Caribbean rhythm in a cinematic, cross-cultural live experience!
Pedro Makay is a musical traveler whose sound reflects a life shaped by global influences and cultural encounters. Born in Bilbao, Spain, he began his musical journey with classical piano before finding his true voice through the Spanish guitar. A formative trip to Jamaica introduced him to Caribbean rhythms — mento, calypso, and soca — which left an indelible mark on his style.
Back in Bilbao, the renowned gipsy guitarist José Cortés guided him in flamenco, influencing both his technique and his emotional connection to music. After recording his debut album, Pedro moved to Buenos Aires, where he immersed himself in the local music scene, performing in theaters, clubs, and cultural venues while studying harmony, singing, and stage performance. His second album, Ojos Negros, recorded with renowned Argentine musicians and producers, gained recognition within the Latin Grammy circuit.
Upon returning to Europe, Pedro settled in the vibrant and multicultural neighborhood of Lavapiés in Madrid, a true crossroads of cultures that deeply influenced his artistic vision. There, he collaborated with West African griots such as Abba Suso and Fakuli, with Cuban singer Lázaro Armenteros (nephew of Benny Moré), and with numerous artists from diverse backgrounds, enriching his
sound with African, Latin American, and Mediterranean influences.
The guitar leads Pedro’s sound, creating melodic riffs that flow like brass sections: dense, vibrant, and full of life. His music is alive and communicative, built through call-and-response structures, shaping handcrafted pieces that transcend trends and stand out for their purity and emotional intensity. Like a painter, Pedro creates unique musical patterns; magnetic in his interaction with the audience and powerful on stage, he possesses a warm and expressive voice that balances melody, emotion, and spontaneity.
His compositions reveal an extraordinary fluidity of influences, naturally integrating African breaks within a flamenco soul and embracing folkloric rhythmic patterns as if they had always been part of his sonic language. The melody emerges organically, as if flowing directly from the soul, guiding stories and songs with deep emotional honesty.
Pedro Makay’s live activity has taken him across Europe, with performances at major folk, rock, and world music festivals in Spain, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Serbia, and other territories. One of his most notable projects, Colores, released by the Italian label Caligola Records, is an album of original compositions born from intercultural encounters. Featuring Norman Hogue, Miron Rafajlovic, Aboubakar Syla, and Pancho Brañas, Colores weaves together flamenco, calypso, African rhythms, and R&B into a colorful and expressive soundscape within the realm of World Music.
Pedro Makay’s music is cinematic and poetic: each piece functions like a sonic short film, evoking distant landscapes and deep emotional resonance. His live performances are intense journeys, where his expressive voice and his ability to fuse rhythms, cultures, and languages create experiences that are both intimate and universal. He is currently working on new material, continuing to explore uncharted sonic territories and artistic collaborations, integrating roots and innovation into a personal and recognizable sound.
