Carlos Sadness

Carlos Sadness, a Spanish singer-songwriter and illustrator, fuses vibrant percussive pop with introspective indie folk. National recognition arrived after he issued his 2015 album La Idea Salvaje. Poetic lyrics paired with bright, acoustic-centered pop quickly attracted a broad audience, which in turn drove his next release, the 2018 album Diferentes Tipos de Luz, onto the upper reaches of the charts in Spain and Mexico.

While employed as an illustrator in Barcelona, he launched his recording career under the alias Shinoflow, delivering two alternative rap albums in 2002 and 2007. After a period spent in Los Angeles in 2010, he came back to Spain determined to shift toward a more melodic style rooted in indie folk and pop. Two collaborations with Spanish singer and actress Bebe preceded his signing with Sony Entertainment; under the Shinoflow name he then released the Atraes a los Relámpagos EP in early 2011. Fully committed to the new direction, he adopted the name Carlos Sadness in 2012 for the album Ciencias Celestes. That record, which merged propulsive rock with ukulele-led folk-pop, secured his place in the national spotlight, culminating in a San Miguel Beer advertising campaign by year’s end.

An EP titled Monteperdido surfaced in 2014, setting the stage for the breakthrough full-length La Idea Salvaje the following year. Strong sales and streaming numbers established him as a headlining performer and regular presence at Spanish festivals throughout 2016, during which he also released the book Anatomías Íntimas. His gentle acoustic single “Amor Papaya” became another hit in 2017 and prompted a U.S. tour. In 2018 he returned with his third album, Diferentes Tipos de Luz, which peaked at number two on the Spanish charts and number three in Mexico. After subsequent tours that reached Latin America, he issued the stand-alone single “Isla Morenita” in early 2019.