Pau Dones, lead singer of the Spanish band “Jarabe de Palo,” which will perform in Philadelphia Oct. 3, talked to AL DÍA about the trajectory of the musical group that after almost 20 years, is still garnering hits.

For their first show in the city of brotherly love, the band will play classics like “La Flaca,” “Depende” and “Grita,” as well as songs from their latest album “Somos,” which last week earned them three nominations for the Latin Grammy.

The band is nominated for album of the year, pop/rock album, and rock song in the awards ceremony that will take place Nov. 20 in Las Vegas.

According to Dones, “Somos” is an album of happy and melancholic  songs, and yet full of hope.

Another theme that the band explores in the album, in songs like “Hoy no soy yo” (today I’m not myself) is self identity.

“We are living at a moment in which human beings are a bit lost. We think we live in a society of well-being but we are not happy. We have cars, and apartments, and flat TVs because someone told us that was going to make us happy but we are unsatisfied, and I think that is a matter of identity,” Dones said.

For him it is a grand coincidence that the announcement of the nominations for the Latin Grammys took place just as the band was on their second tour this year in the United States.  

“We are going to close the year 2014 with with almost 30 concerts in the United States, which is like a dream to us,” Dones said. “Our relationship with Latin America is already strong, but when it comes to the United States, we are strengthening it.”

Besides being nominated for the Latin Grammy this year, the band was also honored by legendary guitarist Carlos Santana, who covered their song “La Flaca” and featured Colombian superstar Juanes. Santana’s rendition is included in the studio album “Corazón,” as well as in the live album “Corazón, Live From Mexico: Live It To Believe It.”

“It’s tribute to the song and an honor for us that the master chose this song and that someone like Juanes, who is a great artist, can sing it,” Dones said.

For tickets, visit Ticketweb.