After quarantine, most people were ready to leave their houses. But Uruguay-born singer-songwriter Juan Wauters came to a different conclusion. The time alone made him realize he preferred peace and stability over constantly touring from town to town, leading to the creation of his newest single, “Nube Negra.” Featuring Y La Bamba lead singer Luz Elena Mendoza Ramos on vocals, the song comes as the third to be released ahead of his upcoming album, Wandering Rebel, out June 2 and a US tour including LA at The Echo and SoCal dates. Accompanied by a music video that visualizes what moving on and on does to someone, “Nube Negra,” which translates to “Black Cloud,” finds solace in keeping it slow and steady.
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Though the song comes together neatly, the lyrics leave the longest-lasting impression. Neither happy nor sad, Wauters cautions against wanderlust wanderings and questions what good running away will do if that black cloud keeps following him everywhere he goes. Similar to the lyrics’ lines of questioning, the production steers away from anything too adventurous. Opting for simple guitars and a percussion chugging along, the main attraction is Wauters and Ramos’ vocals. Ramos herself matches his energy, delicately singing alone and briefly stealing the show and making the track all her own until she joins him on backing vocals.
More than before, Wauters is reflecting with an underlying sense of regret or wonder as to what life would be like had this epiphany for stability come earlier. To counteract that, the visuals are grounded and almost mundane. Starring the musician, the camera tracks the move from picking blueberries in vineyard country to inner city Midnight Cowboy-esc walking in search of dental care.
Despite the seemingly reality check subject matter, the last few lines, “Seguir viviendo, descifrando esta confusión / Sabiendo que hay un mañana / Hay tiempo para cambiar” end on a lighter note, noting it’s never too late to change things for the better. As for Wauters, the music couldn’t be more relatable or timely for those moving on and looking ahead.
Words: David Sosa
“Nube Negra” by Juan Wauters, featuring Y La Bamba, is out on all streaming services. Tickets to his upcoming US tour, with an LA stop at The Echo on July 2, are available now. For more on his upcoming album, follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
JUAN WAUTERS US TOUR:
Thur, June 1 – Hudson, NY – The Half Moon
Fri ,June 2 – Freeport, ME – Desert of Maine
Sat, June 3 – Cambridge, MA – Lilypad
Sun, June 4 – Philly, PA – Kung Fu Necktie
Tue, June 6 – Columbus, OH – Rumba Café
Wed, June 7 – Louisville, KY – PORTAL
Thur, June 8 – Rock Island, IL – Rozz Tox
Fri, June 9 -Chicago, IL – Avondale Music Hall
Sat, June 10 – Detroit, MI – Lager House
Mon, June 12 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl
Tue, June 13 – Charlotte, NC – Petra’s
Wed, June 14 – DC,DC – Comet Ping Pong
Tue, June 27 – Seattle, WA – Substation
Wed, June 28 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir/Monqui
Fri, June 30 – San Francisco, CA – Cafe Du Nord
Sat, July 1 – Modesto, CA – Greens on Tenth
Sun, July 2 – Los Angeles, CA – ECHO
Mon, July 3 – San Diego, CA – Voodoo Room at House of Blues
Wed, July 5 – Phoenix, AZ – The Rebel Lounge
Thur, July 6 – Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
Fri, July 7 – Albuquerque, NM – Sister
Sat, July 8 – Denver, CO – Hi-Dive
Mon, July 10 – Oklahoma, OK – Res Head
Tue, July 11 – Austin, TX – The Ballroom
Wed, July 12 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
Thu, July 13 – Denton, TX – Rubber Gloves
Fri, July 14 – Nashville, TN – Third Man
Sun, July 16 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Made
