Arturo Rojas voices a human truth in the universal language of music with his latest release Te Diré (Ser Humano) — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
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 imparts with his new single, taken from his self-titled debut album that dropped in April.
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 join 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.
Put simply, the song 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 he just released his first album, he has plenty of experience in the music world. He has performed live at venues in Toronto, New York City, and Peru. 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).
Watch the video for the song above, sample Arturo Rojas’s self-titled album below, and tell him what you think on his website, Instagram and Facebook.
