Lyrics For Change
Lyrics For Change
by Sergio Villegas & Jorge Ramirez
"We are working for a different Sucre, to replicate it with all my people. We are working for a different Sucre, so that my friends don't end up screwed up, like I did, in my past"
The lyrics of the chorus of "Letras Para Transformar" summarise both the meaning as well as the objective of this song. Sergio and Jorge come from a place where's little opportunities and have themselves been through hard times. While their past has not been easy, they now want to help young people to stay away from drugs and together with them create a Sucre without crime and without drugs. The song is also a gesture of gratitude to all the people that have helped them to turn their lives around. Now they want to return the favour and help kids through art and music.
Most incredibly, Sergio and Jorge have never written a song before in their life. They created the song after being inspired by Yan Carlos Guerra during a visit to Bogotá, where they wrote and recorded the song in just a few days. Learn more about how this song came to existence here. And of course watch the music video below.
Interview Sergio & Jorge
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Sergio Villegas
Sergio (26) is from the neighbourhood of Altos de Rosario in Sincelejo, Sucre. He explains that while his past has been difficult, Sucre Escucha, as well as the music has helped him to turn his life around. He's no longer sad, but happy and grateful for all the people that believe in him and have helped him along the way. His is dream is to open a community center in his neighbourhood. A place where kids can be kept away from drugs through art, music and mutual support. As regards to his music, he'd like to continue and write songs that are about self-reflection and with lyrics that bring change.
Jorge Ramirez
Jorge (26) is also from the "barrio" Altos de Rosario in Sincelejo, Sucre. He explains that for him it is most important that kids that have problems with drugs or delinquency, learn that through art or music they can change, and heal the soul. As he raps in the song, he wants to help young people to not end up like he did in his past. His dream is to create a foundation in his neighbourhood Altos de Rosario, to give a hand to young people. This way he hopes that in the future, not only in Altos de Rosario, but the entire department of Sucre, will be free of violence and free of drugs.
The process
Sergio and Jorge are part of a program called Sucre Escucha. With this program they work to change the department of Sucre, decreasing drug consumption, violence and poverty. Sergio and Jorge a "pares" of their community called "Altos de Rosario", a neighbourhood in the capital of Sucre, Sincelejo. Altos de Rosario could be described as a slum, and includes long-stretching informal settlements. There're not many opportunities for youngsters like them, and gangs are quick to recruit kids that have no other options. For the same reason drug rates are high and Sergio and Jorge have themselves been problematic consumers in the past. However, Sucre Escucha has helped them to change their path and now they are helping youngsters to stay away from drugs and create a better future for themselves.
In October 2021, Sergio and Jorge were part of a group from Sucre that visited Bogotá. In Bogotá they were welcomed by a project called "La Esquina Redonda" as they visited El Bronx and participated in an exhibition in the National Museum of Colombia called "Voices Without Borders". During this exhibition they used a knitted "painting" to tell the story of Altos de Rosario to the visitors of the museum. Yan Carlos Guerra, also know as Free Soul, with whom we recorded several music videos, was among those receiving Sergio and Jorge in Bogotá. Yan Carlos inspired the guys to write a song about their story. And just two days later the song was ready and we recorded it in Upeksha's studio. We immediately filmed the first scenes of the music video in the National Museum as well as in El Bronx.
A few weeks later through our project "Voices of Sucre" and thanks to Sucre Escucha, we had the opportunity to visit Sergio and Jorge in their hometown, in Sincelejo. Here we recorded the rest of the scenes for the music video. Later that week, Sergio and Jorge helped us with a workshop on storytelling to a group of children in Sincelejo. They inspired the kids by performing the song in front of them and after helped some of them to write their first lyrics. Sergio and Jorge both said that this is their main objective: helping kids to understand that with art and music they have an alternative to drugs and crime. It's a way to express yourself, to heal your soul and tell your story.
On a personal not, Sergio and Jorge have showed us that you don't need to be a trained and educated musician to make music that has an impact. They have written this song without any formal musical education. The merely wrote from their heart, with a goal in mind that reflects their goals in life. And that is why it already inspired kids before we even published the song. Sergio and Jorge show us the power of music and we are grateful to have been able to work with them.
Thanks to la Gobernación de Sucre, la FUGA, el Museo Nacional and Sucre Escucha to help make this project possible.
