Skip to main content

Maverick Ad

Home

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Cover Stories
  • Features
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Cashbox Legacy Awards
  • Past Covers
  • Weekly Archive
To Be Human: Toronto Peruvian Artist Arturo Rojas Unveils Powerful Message in 'Te Diré (Ser Humano)'

Breadcrumb

  • Home
  • To Be Human: Toronto Peruvian Artist Arturo Rojas Unveils Powerful Message in 'Te Diré (Ser Humano)'
Arturo Rojas
Fri Aug 18, 2023
Cashbox Canada

Humans make mistakes, take things for granted, and experience pain. You cannot run from it. Embrace your missteps and march forward. Humanity demands it.

This is the message of Peruvian-born singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer Arturo Rojas’s single, “Te Diré (Ser Humano),” part of the artist’s debut, self-titled album, “Arturo Rojas,” that dropped in April. Check it out “Te Diré (Ser Humano)” on YouTube here:

Rojas left Lima for New York City when he was 20, where he spent six years. He later crossed another border, relocating to Toronto to start in the Music Industry, Arts & Performance program at Centennial College. He’s found his home in the Canadian metropolis since.

Growing up, Rojas had a wide range of musical influences pulling him in multiple directions. His mother listened to Spanish pop ballads, his father preferred salsa, one uncle engaged with metal, another uncle obeyed classic rock, and his grandparents enjoyed traditional folklore music. They all imparted their styles on him from a young age, he said.

In “Te Diré (Ser Humano),” which translates in English to “I’ll Tell You to Be Human,” you can feel the musical mutt in Rojas. The Spanish influences are obvious given the entire song is in his native tongue, but you can feel that there’s more happening than that. At times, the vocals have a punk twist, while the instrumental borrows from the pop, folklore, jazz, and salsa realms.

Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/track/6BIqXeVwYYUx4T70zWU0Lo?si=75b347d1e0f64ea9&nd=1

 Put simply, “Te Diré (Ser Humano)” delivers something you don’t expect.

“My style is a mix of pop, rock, and Latin,” Rojas said. “I’ve even heard some people refer to some of my songs as punk.”

Though “Arturo Rojas” was the artist’s first album, he has plenty of experience in the music world. So far, Rojas has performed live at venues in Toronto, New York City, and Peru, including Tapestry, The Free Times Cafe, Grossman’s Tavern, Supermarket, Not My Dog, and more. But when he came to Canada, he started from the very bottom.

“When I was new to Toronto, I didn’t know anyone, so I just started playing on the streets and in parks,” Rojas explained. “Eventually, people started handing me tips and inviting me to open mics. I grew from there, and eventually I was hosting the open mics and playing longer sets.”

The artist said his personal life is the main inspiration behind his original music. He uses the musical process to better grasp himself and life as a whole.

“A lot of my music came out of a time when there was a lot of fear and uncertainty in my life,” Rojas said. “Being ill makes you realize that we only have so much time and energy to live. Music helps us understand ourselves and life better, it protects you, and helps you to forgive yourself and others.”

That shines through brightly in “Te Diré (Ser Humano).” The song acknowledges the fear and pain behind knowing the wrong decisions you made in the past while insisting we must forge on anyway.

“Oh, si pudiera
Cambiar algunas escenas,

Como quisiera
Borrar aquellas escenas
Cuando no era yo el que actuaba
Y te hacía llorar
“Pero no llores tanto,
Levántate
Te necesito para poder seguir
Recorrer cantando,
Seguir cantando…”

Translated into English:

“Oh if I could
Change some scenes,
How I wish I could
Delete those scenes
When I wasn’t myself
And I made you cry
“But don’t cry so much
Get up
I need you to be able to continue rolling
To go around singing,
Keep singing…”

But you don’t need to know Spanish to appreciate or feel the mood of Rojas’s track. As the artist loves to point out, music doesn’t abide by the same rules as traditional languages.

“Music is the universal language,” Rojas said.

Go check out “Te Diré (Ser Humano)” and the full-length album “Arturo Rojas” to hear for yourself.

Check it out the website for more information: arturorojasmusic.com/

Reviews
Album
Arturo Rojas
Month: Jul 2021
Trevor Owen Singer/Songwriter Trevor Owen Releases ASL-Enhanced Videos and…
Tommy John Ehman Country Singer/Songwriter Tommy John Ehman is All About the Journey…
Sharkorama Indie Rocker Sharkorama Invents a 'Wicked Machine' in His Basement
Gabriella Verdugo Pop Singer/Songwriter Gabriella Verdugo Is Out to “Finish Strong” with New…
Raina Krangle Folk Singer/Songwriter Raina Krangle Takes You On A Road Trip With “…
 JJ’s Music Retaliation Rocker JJ’s Music Retaliation Ushers In My Blue Beat
Robinson Kirby Folk-Rock Duo Robinson Kirby Dub 2021 the “Summer of Love” with New Feel-…
Sammy Jackson Award Winning Artist Sammy Jackson Sings Regret So Sweet in New…
YNG Travs Rapper YNG Travs Pays Homage to Hometown of Montreal with New Single, “For My…
 Steve Paul Simms Canadian Roots & Blues Singer/Songwriter Steve Paul Simms is…
Michelle Creber Vancouver's Michelle Creber Captures a Picture-Perfect Day with “Feels…
Cameron & Crawford Cameron & Crawford Reminisce In Their Joy-Filled New Single, “This Time,…
Astral Gates It’s Time to Open the Astral Gates on “Devil In A Silk Dress”
ANLIL Forget Ghosting… Toronto Sad Girl R&B Pop Artist ANLIL Haunts with “…
Adrienne Nye There Are No "Lonely Days” with Folk-Pop Artist Adrienne Nye's New…

Pagination

  • First page « First
  • Previous page ‹ Previous
  • …
  • Page 42
  • Page 43
  • Page 44
  • Page 45
  • Current page 46
  • Page 47
  • Page 48
  • Page 49
  • Page 50
  • …
  • Next page Next ›
  • Last page Last »

CEO/PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF
SANDY GRAHAM

email:sandygrahamemg@gmail.com 

Canadian Journalists:

Contributing Journalist - Canada and Global
Don Graham
email: dongrahamwriter@gmail.com

Contributing Journalist - Canada and Global
Lisa Hartt
email: lisahartt87@hotmail.com

Contributing Journalist - Canada 
Michael Williams
email: greydread@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

International Journalists:

Contributing Journalist - Sweden
Malin Osth
email: malin@musicdays.se

Contributing Journalist - Sweden
Jonas Tancred
email: jonas@musicdays.se

Contributing Journalist - USA
Rob Durkee 
email: rockster2746@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Web Developer/Technical Support
Chris Wardman

email: info@chriswardman.com
website: chriswardman.com

Cashbox Cover Design and Graphic Artist
Jain McMillan

email: jainmcmillan@gmail.com

Contributing Photographer 
Tracey Savein - South Paw Productions
southpawproductions@rogers.com

 

 

 

Footer menu

  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Cashbox Archive
  • Issue Archive
  • Past Covers