Iberia is returning to Tokyo and it’s impossible not to think of you as one of the artists who has made a close connection with Japan. What does this country represent for you thanks to the song ‘Yamaguchi’?
The truth is that when the song came out, we didn’t expect everything that happened to happen. It’s a simple song and it’s not very commercial, but people there like Spanish folklore and I think it has worked also because it speaks of a Japanese city that is a sister city to Pamplona.

How did the idea of a Japanese version come up and how did you prepare for it?
A friend came up with it and I thought it seemed fun. In the 1960s, songs by Spanish artists like Marisol were translated and we found it interesting to make a nod to that era. The person in charge of the translation, Mariko Ogura, was there when we recorded it and helped me a lot with the vocalisation.

Just a few months ago, you played at Yamaguchi University – where you even have a plaque – and you were on the news in Japan.
Yamaguchi is a small city and it’s incredible to think that on that side of the world there is a plaque with my face on it. We took advantage of the trip for my family to come and, after many hours of flying, when we arrived, representatives of the Yamaguchi City Council were waiting for us with banners. Their hospitality, the enthusiasm they put into everything and how well they organised things made me feel like the queen of Spain. It was very interesting and very beautiful.

It is striking that the vehicle of your foray into Japanese was with Navarra’s traditional jota folk music.
Folk music and the traditional songs and dances known as jotas have been with me since I was little. They remind me of my childhood and fill me with emotion. Nowadays, traditional folklore styles are being updated and I love that.

This summer, you’ve limited your appearances, spending time locked up in the studio. How do you feel about this phase of your work?
The process of making a record is so long that there are moments when I enjoy it a lot and others when I am more insecure and worried, and everything gets all knotted up, although I always do manage to move forward. But the period of the tour and concerts is certainly the one I enjoy the most. I love singing live and connecting with the audience from the stage. It’s something that’s magical, while in the studio you have to be more patient.

What inspired your third album?
I’ve been inspired by the music I’ve listened to over this year and a half while preparing the album, films and everything I’ve been enjoying. I’ve liked having peace of mind and working without haste. This month, I have to deliver everything and there’s been some rushing and stress, but so far I’ve tried to avoid feeling pressure.

You recently released the first single, ‘Nanai’, which has new rhythms such as samba. Will your new album go down that more experimental line?
I have a hard time giving things names, saying what style they’ll be. There’ll be songs that are more reminiscent of others that I’ve already made, but also completely different tunes. I’m very young – this is my third album – and I think I’m going to change over time because I like to try new things. I don’t stop being the same person with the same way of thinking and that’s where I maintain my essence.

In the videoclip of ‘Nanai’, you are seen being continuously watched.
But the song has nothing to do with that. It was inspired by lucid dreams, being aware that you are dreaming something and being able to control it. I thought that the ability to make that person – that reality – that you want appear in your head was a nice idea.

What line would you never cross creatively to stay faithful to yourself ?
I’m a person who has always pretty much done my own thing. Sometimes the pressures affect me – like anyone else – but I find myself just “doing and doing and doing”, without stopping.

Your time in the La Mesías series produced by Los Javis caused a sensation abroad. What was the experience like?
It was incredible. I’ve wanted to act for a long time because acting has always been on my radar. When Los Javis – we’ve known each other for a long time – suggested it to me, I fully trusted them. I knew it would be a very big project and it was a little overwhelming at the beginning, but I always worked with a lot of confidence. I felt comfortable and, above all, I enjoyed it.

The Valencia International Film Festival – Cinema Jove has just awarded you the Un Futuro de Cine Award. Is acting something you’d like to remain a possibility?
It’s an honour to have been given that award. My main career will always be music, which is what I like most. But I also love acting and I would like to do it again, choosing the projects that make sense to me. It’s rare for opportunities like this to arise and fit into the schedule, but it’s a path that I definitely want to keep open and experience and continue to train for.

Enjoy her new album live on 21 and 22 February at the Sant Jordi Club in Barcelona and on 23 February at the Wizink Center, in Madrid