At 11:15 pm this Sunday, April 30, the stage presenter of the 56 Vallenato Festival, the veteran announcer and journalist Isaac León Durán, made the announcement that a large part of the Vallenato people and Javier Matta Correa himself had been waiting for 16 years: ‘El Pollo’ Matta is the new King.
The native of Santa Marta achieved it after beating his opponents Omar Hernández, José Juan Camilo Guerra, Camilo Molina, Enderson Rada and Chucho Ocampo in a frank fight in one of the most even finals in recent years.
The masterful interpretation of the walk ‘Jardín de Fundación’, the merengue ‘La fama’, the son ‘Marisela’ and the puya ‘Gallo peligroso’, gave Matta a crown that he sought with perseverance and discipline and that had been elusive until for twelve times.
After the ruling, Matta took the stage, accompanied by the president of the Fundación Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata, Rodolfo Molina Araújo, to receive the first ovation as king of Valledupar.
Then, as is now traditional, he sat for the first time on the throne reserved for the best, in the back of the Parque de la Leyenda Vallenata Consuelo Araujonoguera.
There, Javier Matta Correa spoke with EL PILÓN to talk about the musical feat that elevated him -finally- to a special place in the vallenato Olympus.
To whom do you dedicate this crown?
To my family for supporting me, for giving me encouragement, every time that unfortunately, due to emotions that human beings have, I said that I would not compete again, thanks to all the people who went to all the rounds every day, who applauded me every day, I am the happiest man on earth, it is a smile that will not be erased for a long time.
Decade and a half fighting to achieve it…
I collect the fruits of so much effort, as soon as I got off I felt happy for what I did. (…) There were 12 versions of insistence, of discipline, of people telling me, Javier Segundo, that you are not going to make it, but always motivated and with the satisfaction and desire that he was finally going to achieve it, one day.
Did you ever think that the crown was slipping away again?
When I found out that I was going to be here in the final, I played with a calmness and a serenity that I knew I was going to give it my all and as soon as I went down I clicked that whatever happened I was going to be very happy for what I had done.
Crown one of the toughest finals in recent years…
One of the toughest finals, more couples, I congratulate all my opponents, the level was super brave, I know that there are some who were left out of the final who are also brave, invite everyone to continue competing in the festival, not to give up , I often said ‘that I was not going anymore, that it was the last time’, but God has a purpose and he was preparing me to arrive at this moment and win as I had to win.
What do you think Jorge Oñate would say at this time?
Thank teacher Jorge Oñate because he gave me the opportunity to spend 2 years in his group, he gave me learning, advice, his family, an enduring affection, I have had an evolution and growth.
What does it mean to you to be the people’s favorite at the latest festivals in Valledupar?
Valledupar means to me the same as Santa Marta, Valledupar has given me immense love and support and I will be infinitely grateful to the Vallenata Legend Festival and the city of Valledupar.
What next for the new King?
Keep working, I make a musical formula with Jorge Antonio Oñate Dangond, we have many musical projects and obviously do the deployment that the Festival of the Vallenato Legend and the crown of Rey Vallenato deserves.
It is important to have companions of the stature of ‘Ñeco’ Montenegro and ‘Manón’ Castilla…
I am infinitely grateful to my companions, thanks to them for their experience, their advice, without them none of this would have happened.
What changed this time that perhaps did not in another Festival?
The serenity, the experience, being here so many finals, and obviously my companions and the advice of my teacher Navín López.
BY: JOSÉ ALEJANDRO MARTÍNEZ / EL PILÓN