José González

Biography

Exactly six years ago today, on February 17, 2015, José González released his last album, “Vestiges & Claws”. Astonishingly, it was only his third studio album*

Today, on February 17, 2021 González returns with a new song called “El Invento”. It is the first time the Swedish singer/songwriter recorded a song in Spanish, the native tongue of his Argentinian parents, and coincidentally “El Invento” also marks his first solo release via City Slang, the label that he previously collaborated with for his band project Junip. He recently debuted the track during a live performance in December as part of the 2020 Nobel Prize Award Ceremonies.

González credits his young daughter with helping him during the writing process. He says, Every now and then I try to write lyrics in Spanish - this time I succeeded! I guess talking to Laura in Spanish everyday helped. I started writing ‘El Invento’ around 2017 when she was born. The song is about the questions - who we are, where we’re going and why? Who can we thank for our existence? Historically, most traditions have invented answers to these questions. Thereof the name of the song: The Invention (god).”

* José González’s stellar career can only be described as a dream. His classic interpretation of The Knife’s “Heartbeats” provided him with a jumpstart that has since tallied more than 1 billion streams, 150+ licensed TV, film, and video game uses, and a major presence on radio stations around the globe. He has won a range of honors, performed on high-profile network television shows, headlined prestigious festivals, sold out concert venues on virtually all continents, and collaborated with Ben Stiller on an inventive film soundtrack for The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty. González’s warm, intimate voice and tender harmonies, underlined by a dexterously plucked Spanish guitar and muted percussion, deliver profoundly thoughtful lyrics largely revolving around ideas of civilization, humanism, and solidarity. A sincere, artful performer whose singular approach to songwriting and sonics sets him worlds apart, José González is in a class by himself.

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