Born in the Canary Islands as Pedro Miguel Herrera, Brass made Valencia his artistic and sentimental home, becoming an essential figure in understanding the decline of local music-hall. He was key in venues like Belle Époque, La Bohême, and Lady’s, which kept alive a popular, sophisticated, and theatrical form of entertainment.
Before becoming a showman, singer, dancer, presenter, artistic director, and master of ceremonies, Brass considered a religious life. However, he found his true calling on stage, exchanging the religious habit for makeup and conventual silence for the nocturnal sound of a city seeking modernity.
After passing through various circles of the peninsula's entertainment world, he found a decisive school in Barcelona, coming into contact with the cabaret scene and figures like Dolly van Doll. His encounter with Carla Follis, a pioneering transgender woman and entrepreneur, was crucial for his arrival in Valencia and his participation in the Belle Époque project.
The Belle Époque venue, opened in 1977 on Cuba street, became the temple of Valencian music-hall and an important space for the LGTBI community. By attracting a diverse audience, it allowed the world of cabaret to open up to the entire city. There, Miguel Brass acted as the central figure, presenting, singing, directing, and overseeing the staging, becoming the common thread of a universe of glamour and humor.
Brass did not arrive in a vacuum; Valencia had a cabaret tradition dating back to the early 20th century. In the eighties, his image - shaved head, elaborate makeup, elegant demeanor, and powerful voice - encapsulated the idea of cabaret as total art. He was part of a generation that understood performance as a craft.
His career extended beyond Belle Époque, leaving its mark on venues like Lady’s and participating in projects such as Le Paradís. He also took his craft to cruises and local television, championing artists and keeping alive a way of understanding show business.
He considered Lola Herrera a decisive professional reference, and their collaboration allowed him to engage with text-based theatre. Despite exploring different genres, Brass remained recognizable for his blend of elegance, measured excess, emotion, and boldness.
In recent years, his figure had also become a living memory of a Valencia nightlife often excluded from the official narrative. His presence at tributes served to recall the existence of that culture of nightclubs, showgirls, and nightlife entrepreneurs.
