# Singer looking for a new life in Spain



## colesinger (Sep 6, 2015)

Hi. I'm 60-ish and a professional singer/actor with lots of professional Musical Credits, West End, UK and abroad. Looking to move to Spain with a view to being a host/entertainer in a hotel/complex etc. Can anyone help with ideas or advice?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

colesinger said:


> Hi. I'm 60-ish and a professional singer/actor with lots of professional Musical Credits, West End, UK and abroad. Looking to move to Spain with a view to being a host/entertainer in a hotel/complex etc. Can anyone help with ideas or advice?



Spain and indeed the hotels are awash with singers and musicians. In Nerja and I'm sure other areas, there are many who have had successful professional music careers who now simply do it as a hobby at "open mic" nights. 

However, I believe most of the hotels use agencies, so you should make contact with them (chains such as Thomson, Thomas Cook????) and ask who they use in the different areas of Spain???

As an aside, have you looked at doing the cruise ships???? 

Jo xxx


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## colesinger (Sep 6, 2015)

*Singing in Spain*

We are really wanting to move out to Spain and me do some singing work there, whilst my other half does childcare maybe.

So cruise ships dont come into the picture really - looking for a new life abroad!

Thanks for your reply, I will contact the companies you mentioned

Phil


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

colesinger said:


> We are really wanting to move out to Spain and me do some singing work there, whilst my other half does childcare maybe.
> 
> So cruise ships dont come into the picture really - looking for a new life abroad!
> 
> ...



There is mass unemployment in Spain, so make sure you have done your homework on how things are. Have a good look through the forum, theres loads of advice etc. The first thing you need to know is that to gain residency, you would need to prove you have an income enough to support yourselves and have healthcare provision. Although if you're going to be self employed, you will need to register as autonomo and pay a monthly fee of around 250€ a month, but that will solve your need to prove income and healthcare. 



Jo xxx


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

It takes around two years for the autonomo fee to reach that level but it will. It starts at around €50 per month for 6 months and then increases thereafter. Just now we seem to have a number of very successful bands doing very well indeed. Of course, they are successful because they have everyone they need but it would certainly be worth your while visiting Spain and checking out such bands. I only know about my area, of course, but I don't know where you are looking at locating.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

thrax said:


> It takes around two years for the autonomo fee to reach that level but it will. It starts at around €50 per month for 6 months and then increases thereafter. Just now we seem to have a number of very successful bands doing very well indeed. Of course, they are successful because they have everyone they need but it would certainly be worth your while visiting Spain and checking out such bands. I only know about my area, of course, but I don't know where you are looking at locating.


Thats interesting Thrax. As you know, I seem to know most of the musos in Nerja, do I know these ones????

Jo xxx


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## DunWorkin (Sep 2, 2010)

I would think Benidorm is your best. There are lots of singers/entertainers coming and going there. The trouble is there would probably not be a long term contract as the bars and hotels change their acts quite often so it would not be a very secure life. Also I don't think it pays very well.

Nowadays they are mostly 'tribute' artists. I know a few people there involved in this.

What style of singer are you? If you are interested I could maybe pass on your details to them and find out who you should contact to enquire.

PM me if you want more information


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

jojo said:


> Thats interesting Thrax. As you know, I seem to know most of the musos in Nerja, do I know these ones????
> 
> Jo xxx


They tend to cover quite a large are these days - the best ones, that is - Los Romanes, Comares, Malaga, Almuñecar, Motril and so on. A band doing really well just now are called Mentally Ska'd.


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## owdoggy (Jul 23, 2008)

colesinger said:


> Hi. I'm 60-ish and a professional singer/actor with lots of professional Musical Credits, West End, UK and abroad. Looking to move to Spain with a view to being a host/entertainer in a hotel/complex etc. Can anyone help with ideas or advice?


You're going to need to have something different to set you apart from the droves of other singers, most of whom will be working on the black (illegally).

Unfortunately, the touristymo music scene is like any other business in that people want results, they don't care what you do as long as you get bums on seats and they don't have to pay too much.

I know of one guy in Benidorm that sometimes does three gigs in a day, just goes from bar to bar with his mp3 player full of backing tracks, plugs into the venue's PA, bish bash bosh, 50 sovs then on to the next one.

If you are going to work legally then your fees will have to be higher to accommodate that and if you don't have that certain different something (or you're not the best singer since the year dot) then......... you see my point.

Sorry if you think it's a bit of a jaundiced view but I can only tell it how I see it.

The best of luck with whatever you decide :yo:



Doggy


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## deefitz (Apr 19, 2014)

Hi colesinger. Check out Peel Talent (website is a dot com on that). That's the company used by Thomson for all their entertainers, hosts etc.

Alternatively you could look around the hotels in the area you're interseted in relocating to. Any posters advertising singers, bands etc. often have a small print mention of the agency repping them. Might be worth contacting some of those?


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## Wibs (Apr 1, 2015)

The Sunset Beach Club in Benalmadena is one of the hotels that stays open throughout the off-season, due in no small part to the fact they have live entertainment on every night in the restaurant and nightclub. I would call them and ask if them hire acts directly or through an agency, and which agency.

Wibs


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## Leper (May 12, 2010)

I don't know the going rate for a singer/entertainer on hotel complexes at the minute, but I bet it is a lot less than crummy 3 star hotels in the UK. Furthermore, I reckon unless your name is Presley, Sinatra, Stewart, Gaye, Minelli, Williams, Dylan, Jagger or Richard forget about the whole thing. When you start at the bottom in the Costas you can go only lower.

Sorry for bursting your dream.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Like I said earlier, I know lots of musos in Spain. I can think of two who are making a living, one lives with his mum and the other has another income source, maybe they're not good enough?? I'm sure there are others who are getting by and better probably. But I do know it's "cutthroat " 

Jo xxx

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