Sandra Ivette Berriel is a multi-instrumentalist musician from Matanzas, Cuba. She's been playing since she was 6 years old and plays viola, violin, double bass and bass guitar along with being a singer songwriter.
What inspired you to get into music?
"My family it's the main inspiration. Even tho I'm the first musician of my family my mother has a beautiful voice and my father has an amazing sence of rhythm. When I was a child I used to listen a lot of music and the special thing is that it can goes from the traditional Cuban songs like Pablo Milanes and Silvio Rodríguez till the music we listen for dancing, like Van Van, Pupi y los que son son or Charanga habanera (that one was my uncle's favorite)."
Who are some artists that inspire you?
"First of all my professors, Reinier and Ivan Morales. Then one of my favorites musicians, Hector Eduardo Herrera, clarinetist, bass player and singer (and he is amazing in everything he does). The songwriter I like the most, her name is Marta Valdés and she is my biggest reference as a creator.
And I'll add my Top 10 list: Miles Davis, Esperanza Spalding, Hearbie Hancock."
Thoughts on the music scene in Dubai?
"I think Dubai is a great place to find different cultures, it's an incredible cosmopolitan city, that makes the musical environment incredibly rich. My way of playing, my way of singing and my point of view about music has changed a lot since I moved here and meet a lot of great musicians. What I love is to have the opportunity to play originals and have people appreciate it..."
How does your culture influence your musical identity?
"Completely, my culture is what I'm, my history, my country, my city and our customs made the woman I am and my music of course. All my songs have a strong Cuban background and intentionally. I think our generation has a responsibility to build the history and the only way we have to make it grow in a positive way is saving what is authentic, saving what comes from our roots. So I'm made by my culture."
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