Meet Blanco Leal | Artist and Music Producer (Also a Dentist)

We had the good fortune of connecting with Blanco Leal and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Blanco, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
I believe I’ve reached a point where I’ve managed to work with many great artists, producers, and studios that I always dreamed of recording in, and with all the people I manage to connect with, they are the ones who have the goal of doing their work in the best possible way, always able to add something extra to the team. If you’re a songwriter, achieving collaboration, always without ego, just thinking about the song. Just like people on the business side, always keeping the song in mind and aiming for the best result with the artist, both in art and music, has led to very beautiful outcomes. Surrounding myself with good people, with goals, dreams, and without wanting to overshadow others, has been a fundamental part of my growth as an artist.

Reaching this point, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with numerous prominent artists, producers, and studios I’ve long admired. The key has been surrounding myself with individuals who share a common drive for excellence, always willing to contribute more to the collective effort. Whether it’s songwriting or business dealings, the focus remains solely on the song’s integrity and achieving the best outcome for all involved. This collaborative spirit, free from ego, has consistently yielded beautiful results both in artistic expression and commercial success. Embracing a supportive community of like-minded individuals, each with their own goals and dreams, has been integral to my growth as an artist.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a musician, specifically an artist and a music producer. I also do a lot of other things related to music, like music distribution, mentoring artists, music direction, and creative production. But my main gig is producing. For me, the song is everything. We won’t even go to a studio or open a recording device without having a song that works on an acoustic guitar. Once we find it, with the songwriting on point and the lyrics evoking emotions and taking us through a journey, that’s when we dive into the world of producing, searching for sounds and building the whole canvas. But we need a main idea: the song. I think that’s what people can take from working with me; I strive to be very detailed with the lyrics and the way we express ourselves. Back in high school, my favorite class was Spanish, and coming from a country of poets, strong lyrics mean so much to me.

Getting here wasn’t easy. I come from Chile, where I made music my whole life in my bedroom, and suddenly things happened—it’s pure magic. My biggest dream was always grand: big festivals, moving to another country, making music in different languages, collaborating with artists from all over the world. Recently turning 30, I realized that I’ve achieved all of my personal goals with music. Now, I’m enjoying the ride without any pressure. I want to make music for the rest of my life, and I’ll be super grateful. Life can be a very beautiful thing when you do what you love, right?

Probably the hardest decision was coming here to LA in the first place. Back home, I was a dentist (that was my side hustle so I could afford recordings, music, and basically my career). Being a dentist by day and an artist by night was extreme, but I managed to make it work (thanks to caffeine and a very supportive family who wiped my tears away many times). Then came a moment of realization that back home, I’d have to be a dentist my whole life to live the life I wanted with music. So, I decided to leave everything and come to LA. It was an extreme decision at the time—I lost a lot of friends, a relationship, and I miss my dog every day—but I don’t regret it at all, in any way. I took the plane and never looked back. Made some friends along the way, and here we are.

What I’m really excited about is that I recently released my single “Que-Ma,” a song that talks about getting out of a toxic relationship here in LA. Writing that song helped me so much in the healing process that I ended up writing a whole album that I’ll release at the end of this year called “Flotando” or “Floating,” which is pretty much my vibe now. Not restraining myself from anything, just enjoying the ride. I don’t care about the numbers too much anymore; I feel like I have something to say, and I will.

I’m also super excited for my new single coming up late May of this year called “Cinco, Seis (Que estí bien)” (Very strong on Chilean Slang). A song I wrote in Malibu on a trip with my best friend and Visual Director, Martin (Shoutout to Martin, we played Lollapalooza and SXSW together too—so many stories). That song is coming soon, and I can’t wait for everyone to listen to it. It’s opening up this new universe of Latin Pop for me, and I love it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If we only have a day, we’ll head to Downtown LA, Grand Central Market, then to The Broad to soak up some inspiring art, perhaps grabbing a drink afterward, taking a leisurely stroll, and possibly catching a show at night. The local music scene in LA is incredible and highly motivating. It’s amazing how this city exudes art throughout the day.

Lately, I’ve been really into surfing, and Zuma Beach has become one of my favorite spots. It’s perfect for some alone time, just me and my mixes (to see if I really like them, haha). Spending a day at the beach around that area and in Malibu is definitely one of the best parts of this city, especially with summer almost here again.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to Gary Keller, the author of “The ONE Thing.” That book changed my perspective on how to focus on the main goal, which eventually feeds into all my other goals. Finding that one thing, especially for someone like me, who is super hectic, always creating, and involved in different projects, was key to getting myself to Los Angeles and being able to make music with incredibly talented artists, like the ones I’m producing/collaborating with right now.

That book definitely changed everything for me.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blancolealmusic/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorge-blanco-61b264256/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@blancoleal

Image Credits
Martin Van Der Valk