Spanish musician and rising actor Guitarricadelafuente, born Álvaro Lafuente Calvo, recently marked a major milestone by debuting his first substantial acting role in the historical queer film "La Bola Negra," which opened in Spain this week. The 29-year-old artist, known for blending folk and pop sounds, wrote and performed the film’s original song "La Nieve" live for the first time during a sold-out concert in Madrid attended by more than 15,000 people.
"La Bola Negra," co-directed and co-written by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo—collectively known as Los Javis—and poet Alberto Conejero, is a multi-layered narrative set during the 1930s Spanish Civil War. The film intertwines three interconnected stories, drawing from Federico García Lorca’s unfinished play of the same name and Conejero’s 2013 work "La Piedra Oscura," which chronicles Lorca’s romance with actor Rafael Rodríguez Rapún. Guitarricadelafuente portrays Sebastian, a trumpeter compelled to serve in the fascist National Army who forms a poignant bond with the imprisoned Rodríguez Rapún. A contemporary storyline ties the historical accounts to present-day Spain.
Guitarricadelafuente’s transition from music to acting emerged from his longstanding desire to explore performance. Though widely recognized for his musical career—catapulted after his 2018 viral hit “El Conticinio” on SoundCloud and further propelled by his recent album "Spanish Leather"—he describes acting as an unexpected but welcome new pursuit. “It’s funny because being a musician is just about the last thing I ever imagined I would do,” he noted in a recent interview from his Barcelona home.
The collaboration between Guitarricadelafuente and Los Javis began with a documentary miniseries on filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, where his performance prompted the directors to cast him in "La Bola Negra." He was brought on early in the project’s development, with Ambrossi describing him as the “first piece of the puzzle” necessary to shape the film’s narrative. Both Ambrossi and Calvo credit him for bringing a fresh energy to the portrayal of Lorca’s era and the queer experiences depicted in the story.
In preparation for the role, Guitarricadelafuente immersed himself in the emotional repression of Sebastian, a character whose only reprieve from trauma is music. “From all the pain Sebastian lived through, I have learned to be grateful for the life I have,” he reflected. The song he composed, “La Nieve,” was inspired by Lorca’s last letter to Rodríguez Rapún and emerged during a sleepless night following a particularly intense day of filming.
The film has received notable attention in Spain, quickly becoming a box-office success and selected as the country’s submission for the international feature category at the upcoming Oscars. Pedro Almodóvar serves as an executive producer through his company El Deseo, further elevating the film’s profile.
Guitarricadelafuente, who is openly gay, also uses his music to challenge traditional ideas of masculinity, incorporating elements of queer liberation into his sound and videos. His work often melds folkloric influences from his childhood in the Spanish village of Las Cuevas de Cañart with contemporary pop sensibilities, reflecting a generational blending of styles and identities.
Looking ahead, Guitarricadelafuente expressed a desire to continue pursuing acting alongside his music career. Sharing scenes with Oscar-winning actress Penélope Cruz in "La Bola Negra" marked a significant step in his artistic journey, which he envisions expanding further in the future.
Los Javis summarized their confidence in the artist succinctly: with Guitarricadelafuente, they found the right figure to bring their complex vision to life.