An Interview with Mapy B
By José Luis Ortiz Güell
Mapy B: “They Called Me Misunderstood Until I Realized That My Voice Was Not the Problem, but a World That Did Not Know How to Listen.”
There are artists who are measured by the number of streams they receive. And then there are those others, the ones measured by the lives they touch. Mapy B belongs to the latter breed, the kind that does not appear in rankings of empty popularity, but rather in the hearts of those who have, at some point, felt that the world was either too big or too small for them, depending on the day.
We meet in a dimly lit studio, surrounded by guitars and memories. She has just finished rehearsing for her tour, but she does not talk about stadiums or figures. She talks about a girl from Puerto Real who one day stopped apologizing for being who she is. She talks about “Incomprendida,” her most recent project: a song, yes, but also an embrace, a loudspeaker, a crack in the wall of indifference.
What follows is not a conventional interview. This is a journey into the heart of a woman who understood that art serves no purpose if it does not stir the deepest parts of the soul. This is Mapy B without her armor. And believe me, it has been a long time since my hand trembled while writing.
1. You have been part of bands with millions of streams, shared the stage with major artists … and now you arrive with “Incomprendida.” What does it feel like to trade the noise of success for the whisper of what truly matters?
Trading the noise of success for the whisper of what truly matters was, in reality, a return to myself. For a long time, I thought I had to fit into an industry that sometimes rewards appearances more than truth. And although I am grateful for everything I have experienced, the time came when I realized that I wanted to make music that embraced people, not just music that made a sound. “Incomprendida” comes from a much more human place. I no longer need to prove anything; I need to feel that what I do has a soul and that someone, when listening to me, feels less alone.
2. In the press kit for “Incomprendida,” I read: “It is an embrace for those who have felt alone.” Tell me about a moment when you yourself needed that embrace and could not find it.
There were many moments in my life when I needed that embrace and could not find it. Perhaps one of the most difficult was when I felt I had to apologize for being different, for feeling too much, for not fitting into certain molds. Sometimes, incomprehension hurts more when it comes from places where you expected love. And that is where I learned something: some wounds do not heal by hiding yourself, but by turning them into art. That is why this song is so important to me. Because I hope someone will listen to it on a bad day and feel the embrace I once needed.
3. You are a member of the LGTBI AMARE Association in Puerto Real; this is not about appearances, but about life. What did you learn there that no stage could ever have taught you?
At AMARE, I learned something no stage can teach: the courage to exist as yourself. There, I understood that many people live fighting simply for the right to love, express themselves, or walk peacefully down the street. I learned real empathy, the kind that is not posted on social media and does not need applause. And I also learned that listening can be a revolutionary act. Being close to such deeply human stories changes the way you see the world.
4. You have said that “Incomprendida” is aimed particularly at the LGTBI community, but also at anyone who has ever felt judged. Do you believe the world has truly moved forward, or have we simply replaced insults with hypocritical silence?
I believe we have made progress, yes, but I also believe that a great deal of hypocrisy still exists, disguised as tolerance. There are people who no longer insult others out loud, but who continue to judge them in silence. Sometimes rejection is now more subtle, more hidden … for some people … but for others, it remains very blatant, and violence is still there. That is why songs like “Incomprendida” remain necessary. Because they speak not only about the LGTBI community, but also about anyone who has ever felt too strange, too sensitive, or too different for this world.
5. Desy Rodríguez, an authentic voice from the community, appears in the music video. What moved you most about working with her?
What moved me most about working with Desy was the truth she conveys. She does not act out pain: she knows it. And when someone speaks from real experience, the emotion cannot be faked. There were moments during the music video when there was no need to act; simply looking at each other was enough to understand what we wanted to convey. I felt deeply grateful to share something so intimate with such a courageous person.
6. Speaking of blood … You have spent 13 years in music and have explored pop, urban music, copla fusion, R&B … At what point did you decide that Latin identity was the language that resonated with your soul and body?
I believe Latin identity was always within me, although it took me some time to fully embrace it. I have experimented with many styles because I am artistically restless and because each stage of my life had a different sound.
But there came a moment when I understood that my body, my way of writing, and my energy were calling for rhythm, fire, roots … and that was when that Latin blend with a flamenco soul emerged, the one I now feel is so truly mine. It was not a strategic decision; it was an emotional one.
7. Your musical novel, “Entre2 Mun2,” tells a real love story in 18 chapters. Is that story yours? And if it is … would it hurt to sing it every night?
Mapy B
Yes … there is a great deal of me in that story. “Entre2 Mun2” was born from real emotions, from a love experienced with intensity, through the highs and also the wounds. And of course, singing it hurts on some nights. There are songs that reopen doors you thought were closed. But I also feel that when art is born from truth, it ceases to belong only to you and begins to heal other people. And that gives the pain meaning.
8. If you could sit down with that little girl from Puerto Real who did not yet know she would become Mapy B … what would you whisper in her ear?
I would whisper: “Do not dim your light so that others can shine comfortably.” I would tell her to stop apologizing for taking up space, for feeling deeply, and for dreaming big. And I would also tell her that one day, all those things that make her feel different today will be precisely the things that will make someone need her. I would hold her tightly … because I know how much she cried in silence.
9. You were named Breakthrough Artist at the Premios Europa Multicultural, but your true revolution seems to be something else: empathy. How do you measure success when you no longer care about being a trending topic? As a compassionate and committed person, what is your opinion of associations such as AMUDI, which works with people with neurological disabilities and is chaired by Killa, the CEO of the Premios Europa Multicultural?
For me, success is no longer measured in numbers. It is measured by the people who approach me after a concert and say, “Thank you, I needed to hear this.” It is measured by the ability to move people emotionally, raise awareness, and extend a helping hand. Associations such as AMUDI constantly remind me that there are struggles far more important than being a trend for one week. I deeply believe in people who use their visibility to help others and create more humane spaces. And I greatly admire those who work from the heart for people who have so often been made invisible by society.
10. To close … if “Incomprendida” were a person to whom you could give an hour of your life, what would you tell them before saying goodbye?
For me, success is no longer measured in numbers. It is measured by the people who approach me after a concert and say, “Thank you, I needed to hear this.” It is measured by the ability to move people emotionally, raise awareness, and extend a helping hand. Associations such as AMUDI constantly remind me that there are struggles far more important than being a trend for one week. I deeply believe in people who use their visibility to help others and create more humane spaces. And I greatly admire those who work from the heart for people who have so often been made invisible by society.
10. To close … if “Incomprendida” were a person to whom you could give an hour of your life, what would you tell them before saying goodbye?
I would tell them: “Thank you for existing.” Because “Incomprendida” was not born merely to tell a story; it was born to offer companionship. I would tell them to keep embracing those who feel broken, to keep reminding people that being sensitive is not a weakness. And before saying goodbye, I would probably tell them something I also tell myself: “Never silence yourself again just to make others feel comfortable.”
We switch off the recorders. Mapy B gets up, asks for a glass of water, and, without anyone asking her to, quietly hums the opening of “Incomprendida.” It sounds like a secular prayer. Like an intimate manifesto. Like a manifesto of emotion.
At that moment, I understand why some journalists chase easy clicks, while others—the ones who still believe in the craft—chase these moments. Because not every day an artist tells you, “I do understand you,” and splits your soul into two halves that, for the first time, fit together.
Mapy B is not just a singer with a powerful voice. She is a reminder that, in a world obsessed with labeling people, there are still those who would rather embrace them. And that, dear reader, is something you do not learn at any conservatory. It is something you carry in your soul.
End of the interview. The beginning of something I hope you will never stop listening to, and that you will read with your heart. She captivated me, and I am certain she will captivate you just as she captivated me. Thank you.
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