As part of Freedom Frequencies, the musical collaboration between Bar Brutal and futura artists, we sat down with creatives and agency owners Meritxell Bonastre and Avril Ceballos to dissect what moves them, Barcelona, what they do and how they do it, and what's in the bag for 2026!

Bar Brutal: Hello! Very happy to have you here! Thanks for your time. For a little bit of context, would you mind please introducing yourselves?

Avril : My name is Avril. I’m originally from Mexico, lived in Berlin for over 15 years, and have recently relocated to Barcelona, which is also Meritxell's hometown.
Meri lived in Berlin for a couple of years as well, which is where we met and where everything began. I come from a background in literature & editorial, while Meri’s roots are in cinema, but we've always had one foot firmly planted in the music scene.
That shared sensibility brought us together at exactly the right moment, in exactly the right place.

Bar Brutal: I can feel a profound friendship between you two. How do manage this within the agency and with your life outside the agency?

From the very beginning of working together and founding futura, we understood that sharing responsibility on an equal level would be central to our strength and growth. We manage the team and the company together, without rigidly defined roles. Instead, our way of working is intuitive and responsive; we take the lead in different areas depending on where each of us is personally and professionally at any given time.
Over the years, this balance has evolved naturally and proven effective and sustainable.

After 15 years of knowing each other and building a project like futura together, our personal and professional lives have become deeply intertwined. Our relationship has grown stronger with time. This is the first time we are living in the same city, which feels like a new chapter. It has been an intense and beautiful sisterhood. We’ve witnessed each other grow, change, and transform. In this new phase, sharing a city allows us to think beyond bookings and day-to-day operations, and gives us the space to start diversifying and imagining the future in broader, more expansive ways.

Bar Brutal: talking about a new chapter and finally sharing living in the same city, could you let us know a little about what's so special about Barcelona.

Meri: I always say I’m spoiled because I come from Barcelona. I’m very lucky; every time I come back after being abroad, I feel genuinely happy to return. There’s a balance here that’s hard to find elsewhere: the sea, the mountains, the food, the sun. The city's pace, the ease of getting around because it’s not too big, the mix of cultures, the queerness, and the way daily life and creativity naturally coexist all make it very special. There’s a very particular quality of life here.

Bar Brutal: Your favorite spots here? (you have no obligations to say Bar Brutal!)

M&A: The sea and a fresh cold beer at a chiringuito by the beach. Then everything else. We love the culture of wandering around, eating, and drinking all day, if you want, in different spots. The culture of a vermouth on Sundays.
Places like La Cova Fumada, where you still feel, taste and smell the ‘pueblo’ and the tradition of La Barceloneta. 
Walking through El Raval and going to bars like La Ravala to eat a tortilla tapa, we have a soft spot for METL and Tacos Juan, La Vermuteria del Tano, for something simple and perfect; Bar Super for a delicious business lunch.
Casa Montjuïc for concerts; Zum Zeig for cinema evenings; and the cosiest Canino FM to listen and discover.

Bar Brutal: Could you describe your routine and why it's really linked to this city in particular? 

M&A: Our routine is quite simple and very tied to the city. We work a lot (laughs) from our Poble Nou office, spend time with our cats and dog, and make room for sports, lately swimming in the sea, since we’re both sea lovers. We’ve actually started an open water swimming group, we dive deep into the sea, it is wonderful to observe the local fauna and beautiful little fish around the Barcelona beaches.

In the evenings, we like to keep things calm: meeting friends, going to the cinema, or attending concerts and cultural events. Barcelona allows that rhythm naturally.

Bar Brutal: And now that you are reunited here, are there more chances to see specific futura artists events happening in the city? 

M&A: Definitely. We’re already cooking up some events and collaborations for next year. Our goal is to expand more throughout the city, connect with local promoters, venues, and creatives, and build things that feel rooted in Barcelona’s cultural ecosystem. Now that we are both here, it feels like the right place to grow.

Context: We would like to draw a parallel between the work we do here at Bar Brutal and yours at the agency. Building a strong roaster of incredibly talented winemakers and hoping to give them the best representation. Also, allowing their wines to mature, so the bottles are served when they are ready to be served. With the natural wine movement still being in its infancy if you talk about movements in general, we pride ourselves in working with pioneers while also championing newcomers. We focus on quality versus quantity. We focus on human connection, loyalty and mutual support in a world focused increasingly on revenue making. here is obviously the human behind their products. But with the years, there is ultimately an element of trust.[...]

Do these values resonate with the work you do, and how do they shape the way you choose, support, and develop the artists you work with?

M&A: These words definitely resonate with the work we do. From the beginning, we’ve tried to stay loyal to our project, our ideas, and our taste. This is not always easy in an industry that is volatile and largely driven by consumption, speed, and capitalist dynamics. Finding a middle ground between integrity and sustainability is an ongoing challenge, but one we consciously navigate. Above all, we work hard to keep this project exciting, meaningful, and genuinely fun for us.

When it comes to choosing and working with artists, our approach is long-term and relationship-based. We are drawn to artists whose vision we truly believe in, and we aim to support them in a way that respects their individuality rather than forcing them into predefined market expectations. Pushing an artist, for us, is about timing, context, and care. Trust and shared growth are central to this process.

This way of working can sometimes come at the cost of faster expansion. We are aware that staying selective and loyal to our values may limit rapid growth, but we see this as a conscious choice rather than a limitation. Sustainable development, both for the agency and for the artists we represent, feels more important to us than scaling quickly at any cost.

Bar Brutal: Do you go to artists gig a lot? and from your roaster? 

M&A: Yes, we do, but we’re also mindful about taking breaks from music and events to keep things healthy. Otherwise, it can quickly start to overpower our lives.

We always attend our artists’ shows whenever possible because it allows us to connect in a different way. Experiencing their work live inspires us, helps us imagine more clearly and think more deeply, and ultimately nurtures both our work and the strategy for each artist.

Bar Brutal: how do you choose the venues where you send your artists to play? do you visit them prior? 

M&A: We wish we had the time to visit every venue beforehand, but with the number of artists and shows we work on and the rhythm the industry demands, that’s unfortunately not always realistic. A big part of our job is ongoing research: staying closely connected to what’s happening in the music and art scene, keeping in touch with venues, understanding how they operate, and building an open dialogue. 

From there, we look at which artists can genuinely contribute to their programme and context. Many factors come into play, but one of the main criteria is always whether the venue adds value or meaning to the artist. This is closely tied to the lineup, the audience, and the event's overall context.

More than “choosing” venues, we see our role as a filter, ensuring we find the best possible conditions and the right context for our artists to perform.

Bar Brutal: In an industry driven by hype, quick rotation, and constant growth, how do you navigate highs and lows while staying true to your vision, even if that sometimes slows expansion?

M&A: Navigating hype and lows is part of the reality of this industry. We try not to let short-term trends dictate our decisions, and instead focus on consistency and perspective. Not every moment needs to be a peak, and not every low is a failure. Maintaining balance allows us to stay grounded and make clearer decisions over time.

Bar Brutal: How do you maintain relevance over time without compromising long-term relationships, focus, and sustainability?

M&A: Staying relevant remains one of the biggest challenges. It requires understanding how the market evolves and how new generations engage with culture, while still honouring the artists on our roster and our own identity. Relevance, for us, is not about chasing what’s new, but about staying curious, focused, and aligned with our goals. That focus continues to be a driving force in everything we do.

Bar Brutal: Do you distinguish music for pleasure and music for work?

M&A: Well, that’s the question. And the answer is both yes and no. Music moves between pleasure and work for us in a very organic way. 

The challenge is not to separate the two too rigidly; there has to be curiosity, emotion, a sense of discovery, otherwise the work becomes empty.

Bar Brutal: what do you guys listen to?

M&A: We listen to a lot of music, and we try to keep it as eclectic and diverse as possible. We’re not interested in sticking to a single genre or scene; that would be boring.
That openness is very much part of our personality. We like music to feel colourful, surprising, and constantly shifting, whether it comes from different genres, contexts, or cultural backgrounds. For us, real magic lies in finding the relationships between different styles and scenes. That’s where new meanings appear, when things that don’t obviously belong together start to speak to each other.

Bar Brutal: Could you take us through any artist(s) that has blown your mind live in 2025? your favorite release of 2025?

Meri: Los Thuthanaka and أحمد [Ahmed] live at Le Guess Who? were both mind-blowing experiences. And the Australian band Acopia has been a real obsession for me this year, honestly, all of their records.

Avril: Big City Life by Smerz, Chapter 1 by SAULT,  24/7 Heaven by trickpony, ML Butch live concert, Oneohtrix Point Never with Freekatet live blew my mind, Eager Buyers by JASSS and A Danger to Ourselves by Lucrecia Dalt – can’t wait to see her presenting the new album. The live concert from Kruder & Dorfmeister took me back to a special headspace. 

Bar Brutal: could you tell us where do you see your agency going in 2026, the projects you are working on and your dream projects.

M&A: We see music as something that belongs everywhere. In 2026, we’ll continue expanding and diversifying beyond booking. This marks the start of a new chapter for futura. Over the next two years, we want to take the agency to another level, grow through different projects, and make it more multidisciplinary, exploring how music can intersect with brands, institutions, creative businesses, culture, and art, while also offering specialised services in project management, logistics, production and administration tailored to the client's needs.