The Power of Music and Culture (or Your Parents are Right)

Photo credit: M. Sharkey

Editor’s note: the following is a guest post by Sandra Velasquez, the talented lead singer of Moona Luna, a bilingual family friendly band from the members of Latin-Alternative musical group Pistolera.  Read all the way through to find out how your child can be in their music video!

Growing up in San Diego my mother used to speak to me in Spanish and I would answer her in English. “Contéstame en Español!” she would demand. I would run to my father in hopes that he would let me continue my conversation in English. Refusing to speak the native tongue of my Mexican parents was another way to rebel. Just like I didn’t want to hear “their” music and instead filled my bedroom speakers with American rock n’ roll. Fast forward twenty years, and here I am in New York City leading two bands that not only draw musical inspiration from the Latin rhythms I heard coming out of my parents living room stereo, but I am singing about the beauty of my cultural heritage, in Spanish!

Moral of story: your parents are right.

It is a testament to the power of music and culture that even if you think you aren’t listening, its melodies and messages are storing themselves in the far recesses of your brain for later use.  I’ve been playing music since I was five, so it’s hard for me to imagine life without it.  But I do know that it’s almost impossible for me to say the ABC’s without singing it. Have you ever tried? It’s hard. This is because music is one of the best tools to remember and retell stories. Melodies and lyrics form songs that create a visceral experience like no other art form. Not only do I remember the songs from my childhood, doing so transports me back to that time. I remember what the house looked like, what I wore, what we ate.  The soundtrack of my childhood is filled with cumbias, boleros, and baladas.

Upon moving to New York City over a decade ago I realized how much I missed Mexican Culture. I formed the band Pistolera in 2005 to recreate those border sounds for myself in the Big Apple. During the making of our second album in 2007, I had my first child. I know I don’t have to explain to any of you how becoming a parent changes one’s life perspective! With the birth of my daughter came new inspiration: bilingual music for families! I started another group called Moona Luna.  Now I do both, because becoming a parent endows one with the superpower known as multi-tasking.

Moona Luna just finished its first album, Piñata Party, and is making its first music video for the song Todas Las Comidas / All The Foods and we want you to be in it! The song is about trying different kinds of foods from all over the world. How do you know if you don’t like unless you try it? Does this sound familiar parents? You don’t even have to leave your house, just send us your video clips of your child eating food!

The video will premiere right here on SpanglishBaby in January 2011!

You can download the song for free from our Facebook Bandpage.

The Details

What To Do:
– Film your child (age 2-6) eating, tasting, enjoying, or not-enjoying any kind of food.

- Digital cameras, iPhone or other smartphone video are acceptable (use best resolution)

-  Up to 30 seconds in length.

-  Make sure you are well lit

-  Different distances, angles, and funny faces encouraged!

Deadline: December 20, 2010

Food Ideas:
Anything sweet, salty, or spicy. Foreign foods are encouraged!
Does your kid like dumplings? Tacos?  Sushi? Spanakopita? Thai curry? Great!

How To Send Your Video:
If your file is under 25 MB email directly to moonalunamusic@gmail.com
For larger files use Filedopper.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to sign up for anything!
Upload your file: http://www.filedropper.com/
Send the link to moonalunamusic@gmail.com

What Is The Video For?
This video is just for fun and will be used solely for promotional purposes.
After it premieres right here on SpanglishBaby, we will post it on our respective websites and YouTube channel.

The video clips you send in will be professionally edited with shots of different foods from around our hometown of New York City (filmed by us), and of course, Moona Luna playing the song! It is going to be beautiful.

Thank You! And Happy Holidays to all!

For more information, including terms, you can go here.