Born to Chilean immigrants in Denmark, Iván Lemus Barrales Spargo Martínez has traveled across fluid musical and cultural borders for his entire life. At childhood family parties, relatives and friends from Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina - many of whom were displaced as a result of the region’s violent dictatorships. As a preteen, his uncle introduced him to Boyz II Men; on visits to Chile, his cousins put him on to Daddy Yankee and Don Omar. He’d often spend a whole day watching performance videos of iconic bands like Earth, Wind & Fire with his father, mesmerized by the allure of the entertainment world. Enraptured by these diverse influences, he knew that his future lay in music.
CONFUNDIDO, his forthcoming album to be released on March 1, is his most impressive and versatile project to date. Its stories of infatuation and estrangement showcase IVAN$ITO’s capacious vision of Spanish-language music: CONFUNDIDO luxuriates in a broad spectrum of sounds, dipping into elements of R&B, trap, reggaeton, flamenco, ballads, and beyond. Ultimately, CONFUNDIDO is an aesthetic delight that refuses simple categorization and unveils IVAN$ITO’s promise as a vocalist and composer.