Throughout his life, former Stone Giant singer/guitarist Bluhauz has experienced a truly unpredictable and unprecedented journey. From his native Argentina to living in Miami, from admiring Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page to being mentored by him, from attending Berklee College of Music to playing some of the most famed festivals in the world – Bluhauz has done all of these things. Now, with his self-titled debut solo album, setting off on his biggest adventure yet – musically, spiritually, and personally.
The album, which was produced by Bluhauz and David Molho (both are co-owners of LoSweet Records production company) and mixed by David Molho in collaboration with Rodrigo Crespo, is now available via The Orchard on
digital outlets. Videos for “Purify My Soul,” “Everyday,” “Give It Back,” and “Does It Matter?” can be seen now on his official YouTube
page.
Lead single, “Purify My Soul,” signals BLUHAUZ’s intent with the new album, which Classic Rock magazine praised, “…think dirty but decadent slabs of blues rock riffage, boot-stomping delta swagger and a cocksure voice that can’t quite decide whether it wants to be in Led Zeppelin or Aerosmith. There are worse conundrums, to be fair.”
“I’m a more spiritual kind of person now, looking for self-awareness. A lot of my songs talk about purifying your soul and that kind of spiritual growth, and that theme repeats all over the album,” he says.
Bluhauz began his musical journey while growing up in Argentina. A pivotal moment came when he was thirteen years old, when his musical horizons were greatly expanded after his Uncle Martin uploaded songs onto his iPod, giving him his first introduction to Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa and Pink Floyd. “I spent an entire week in awe listening to everything,” he explains.
“From then, I never looked back.” But he wasn’t content to simply listen to this type of music: he wanted to create it, too, so he soon learned to play the guitar. As a teenager, he joined his first band – who rehearsed in a blue house, which later inspired his “BLUHAUZ” artist moniker. When he was seventeen years old, he started playing shows – and immediately knew this is what he needed to do with his life. “There was just something I felt when I started playing live – it just took me to a deeper level,” he says.
Moving to the U.S. when he was twenty years old (though he’d been visiting family in America his whole life), Bluhauz enrolled at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston – where he promptly made his mark by remaining true to rock, instead of the school’s typical jazz focus. In 2013, he formed the hard rock band Stone Giant with like-minded classmates Joao Nogueira, Pepe Hidalgo, and Pedro Zappa.
Bluhauz also stood out at Berklee thanks to legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. When he was nineteen years old, he visited England and first met Page through a personal connection. After seeing a DVD of Led Zeppelin performing at the Royal Albert Hall in London, he was invited to Page’s home. “It was such a powerful experience,” he declares. “He saw me play. We had an amazing chat about everything.” Years later, when Bluhauz was finishing his studies at Berklee (with a major in songwriting), he invited Page to attend his graduation ceremony.
Page accepted, and was in the audience as Bluhauz and his classmates performed their final concert. “I basically ended up music directing the whole section of the Led Zeppelin music that night,” he says. (As part of these graduation events, Berklee also awarded Page an Honorary Doctorate.)
Post-graduation, Bluhauz continued on with Stone Giant, releasing a self-titled album in 2015. It earned praise from Rolling Stone and Billboard, and within months of its release, the band were invited to play the iconic Lollapalooza festival in Chile and Argentina. More festivals followed, where they shared stages with the likes of Gorillaz and Tame Impala. The band also released a well-received EP, NASTY CREATURES, in 2018.
Even while doing other work within the industry, Bluhauz never lost sight of his own musical vision: “I always had that fire, wanting to pursue that artistic life.” All the experience he’s gained working in other facets of the music business have served to help him make better decision for his own career. Now, he says, “I have more control over what I say, what I write, what I play. I already had that band experience where it’s more of a democracy, and now I’m excited to take full control of it.”
That said, Blauhauz isn’t completely going it alone: he’s quick to add that he has a trusted team around him. This inner circle includes drummer Pepe Hidalgo (who was also in Stone Giant) and bassist Pablo Della Bella (who also plays with Ricky Martin). On the management side, Bluhauz is partnering with Nicolas Boskis, Owl Master Booking, and After College Music. He has also teamed up with Nicolas Fernandez. Andrea Fernandez and Anne Godoneo, who are in charge of his creative content.
Musicians on the album include: Stefano Melillo (violin), Maryel Epps (backing vocals, who’s worked with David Bowie and Nile Rodgers), and Travis Bridges (saxophone). The album was engineered by David Molho, Peter Geiser (drums), and Alexis Rodriguez (drum and bass for “Purify My Soul” and “Give It Back”). The mastering engineer is Brian Lucey (Black Keys, Liam Gallagher, Royal Blood). It was recorded at GroovyLand Studios (Miami), while the drums were recorded at Revival Recording Studios (which is owned by Earth Wind & Fire in Los Angeles) and the drums and bass for “Purify My Soul” and “Give It Back” were recorded at Silvergun Records (Los Angeles).
And these are just the start of his plans: “I feel this new Bluhauz era is a rebirth with a fresh new purpose – while staying connected to the reasons why I dedicated my life to music,” he says. “I’m excited to be a good influence and express my values and vision through my lyrics and sound.”