Local singer-songwriter Belén Castells, who currently resides in Malaysia, has just released with her group the video clip of the single “Todo y nada”. “When they get together and record a video, I feel like I’m there; my music is there ”, he said in contact with LA OPINION. On February 13 will be the recital in our city, with the band live and his voice recorded in Asia.
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Belén Castells, musician born and trained in Pergamino who currently resides in Malaysia, has just released with her band, “Semilla Viva”, the video clip for the single “Todo y Nada”. The shots in Parchment were made by Cecilia Alegri and in Malaysia, Denise Teo A Ming. The edition was in charge of the author.
Regarding the musical project, which unites Johor Bahru -the city where she currently resides- with Buenos Aires -where the material was mastered- and Pergamino -where the members of the band are found-, the singer-songwriter had in contact with LA OPINION: “El Summer 2019-2020 we decided to record an EP and start this project. The musicians Ezequiel Chariotti (drums), Nahuel Notta (bass), Juan Lucidi (guitar) and Leandro Amoruso (sax) joined in there, with whom we formed ‘Semilla Viva’ ”.
Although Belén had to go back to Malaysia, after that recording they decided to go ahead with the project.
“The name ‘Semilla Viva’ arises from so long that latency without making music. I think we all have a living seed inside when it comes to personal desires. And in my case it was a matter of watering that desire with music, incorporating music into everyday life and carrying out dreams and projects, ”Castells said.
Remote testing
His current residence and the great distances marked a very particular way of working. “We do the rehearsals through video calls, I don’t sing but I do prepare their voices so that they can play on that. I’m sending you the vocal and guitar tracks. I do the same with the arrangements, ”he explained. It is a permanent communication that we have between all of us. Sometimes they make arrangements with each other, other times I with one of them or all together. It is something very special because it takes place in two very distant places. This is the power of music. When they get together and record a video, I feel like I’m there; my music is there. In this way we have already recorded a first single that has already come out and is called ‘Todo y Nada’ and can be seen on YouTube. For us it is the song that shows us how to have to work. I hope people get all the positive vibe and all the good energy. We have many projects, for now the boys want to start playing somehow with my voice there in Pergamino ”.
-Your first destination was Germany and then you moved to Spain. Why did you choose Malaysia?
-That same question I asked myself for several years. I’ve been here for more than four years. After a long time I realized that unconsciously all my life I had spent making decisions and opportunities so that today I can be here. There was always a very deep desire to know these sides. The Asian culture always caught my attention, the heat of the whole year. The doors were opened to me in 2016 and without thinking I took that job opportunity, I got on a plane from Spain. It was the shortest 17 hours of flight of my life because the feeling of throwing myself into the unknown made that moment very intense. From the moment I got off the plane, I began to experience all the cultural shocks that I have to experience to this day, but I am already very used to it and the objectives of the trip are being met, which is to know another culture, to know other ways of seeing the life and doing things. It is reasonable because we are on the other side of the world and here everything is like the other way around.
In 2014 I went to Germany for my job – Amazon track jumping – as I am a riding instructor, then I went to work in Spain and from there to Malaysia.
-Where do you see yourself in the future?
-I always dream of returning to my hometown and my customs, to my people, but, for now, as soon as this intense situation that we are living in the whole world is over, the idea is to return to Argentina, meet with the band to play and bring our music to the people and be able to show it in different parts of the country. We have confirmed that on February 13 we will be with “Semilla Viva” at Ritmo Club (exCasa Bemba). (N. de la R: Belén’s participation will be through her voice and image pre-recorded in Malaysia).
The members of the band “Semilla Viva” in Pergamino. (CECILIA ALEGRI)
Your training
Belén Castells began with music in Pergamino. “When I was 7 years old, I took guitar lessons with professor Juan Carlos Migliaro. Later my father –Armando Oscar Castells- enrolled me in the Conservatory of Music and my teacher was Marina Figueredo for several years, a person I remember with great affection. From there, and already reaching adolescence, I formed some rock bands and also participated as a backup singer in “Insomnia rock” and “With conceived sin”. Later I formed the band called “La rayada reggae” with which we did reggae fusion. My family is completed by my mother, Elba Cristina D’Aloisio, and my brothers José and Sebastián Castells.
One click and thank you very much
Closing the note Castells thanked “on behalf of the entire band to all the people who give us their support: to friends, family, the media of Pergamino, to the musicians who collaborated with the songs, and to tell them that we always have very much into account how valuable it is that now, in these times that we live, that they share a song, since for us, independent bands, it is the only means we have to make our music reach ”.
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