A closer look at some of the kindie albums featured in this blog, the first being one that defies language barriers and sends vital messages.
EDITORS NOTE: This new "In Focus" series puts some of the albums previously featured in my blog into greater context.
One of the many kindie groups with significant activity in the year gone by was 123 Andres, known as "uno, dos, tres con Andres" or "one, two, three with Andres". It is comprised of a duo of Andres and Christina based in Washington, DC. They are a well-known Latina-American duo (both of them have Colombian roots) and have made a string of albums ranging from upbeat songs to lullabies in both English and Spanish, one of which had garnered them a Latin Grammy.
However, this album, on the other hand brings about a relatively new dimension to the group's sound and reach as it spreads vital lessons and messages. This along with some of the biggest and best names in the field of children's music. And a lot of this album is made up older singles that they had put together into one album.
It was one of the many albums mentioned in reports on the lack of diversity in the Grammy children's album, so I put this on me weekly list of albums, however I realized there is more to the album than my short descriptions and I wanted to go further to dissect the messages and the meanings of the songs involved.
There are many, many songs in this album that hit me very hard and the messages of every song was very resonant in a way that I can relate to them and so can you.
First up is a very catchy and motivating song called "Keep it Up", which came out in 2018 and it was written to help support cancer awareness, and it has a very cool message about never giving up and persevering. Sometimes, I smile at that song and I think about things like this blog you are reading and also other matters like my schoolwork and hopes for a better world, especially now with this pandemic and all the buzz around vaccines. And it also shows finding common ground in your struggles, as there is a line that says "I have a friend who went through this, too" and it also sends a message of learning from a friend who has failed. And it hits me as I had learned from my past errors and took a few of my friends' advice and also learned from my shortcomings. It makes me think of things that I keep failing at but am getting better at. And it also features Sugar Free Allstars, another key kindie band.
This really is a perfect song to blast when feeling down and out and feel like you have no chance of getting back up again.
Another song I like from this album that I had covered is called "Boomerang". It is an original song created for the album, however in an interview with Devin Walker's WEE Nation Radio, it took them four years to make, but it was only made now during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is my favorite of all the songs in this album as it has a very hard-hitting and powerful message about ethics and what kind of energy you emanate in this world. It features social activist/rapper Konshens the MC, Spanish children's singer Rita Rosa, and and cello player Verny Varela.
The message in this song is simply put, like a boomerang, the things you say will always come back at you, and that if you have good things, they will always come back at you. And if you do something bad, they will do you bad things in return.
It seems quite inspiring, riveting, and very beautiful, like a perpetual "Despacito"-styled reminder of the consequences of our actions and doings.
Once you have a listen to this song, the lyrics and messages will really leave you thinking. \
A very influential tour de force .
Lastly, I like "Fly, Shine, Soar" featuring another favorite of mine, Little Miss Ann. This song was originally from their album of lullabies called "La Luna", however it was put in this album as it has a message of hope and affirmation that I really admire.
The lyrics are very much relatable and it gives you a sense of your potential. It really does give you a reassurance that despite how hard life is, there is someone who believes in you, your dreams, and your potential in the world. It feels like a message your parents or friends or someone who holds you dear would say whenever you feel like all is lost.
And it's something worth playing at the end of a hard day, as it reminds you that someone is always there to believe in you. Like a message saying "everything will be okay!!"
A moving piece of music indeed.
All this and many, many more wonderful songs featuring some more collaborations with other kindie movers and shakers like Uncle Devin and Cathy Fink, are in this amazing album.
It's impossible not to miss this album. It may have been shunned at the Grammys but it always has a place in my heart! You're bound to enjoy this, and it will leave you moving, dancing, thinking, and motivated, but most of all, inspired.
This is, without a doubt, the best album I've ever heard this year!
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Website: https://123andres.com/
