As travel restrictions keep him close to home, the three-time Latin Grammy winner is busy preparing for a virtual concert on July 18, while always making time for family.
Diego Torres , Streamed live on Saturday, July 18, 2020 at 8 p.m.
Mastercard Priceless , 01-07-20
Latin Grammy winner Diego Torres is prepping for his next act
Latin Grammy winner Diego Torres is prepping for his next act
As travel restrictions keep him close to home, the three-time Latin Grammy winner is busy preparing for a virtual concert on July 18, while always making time for family.
Diego Torres
Challenging times can bring out the best in people. For Diego Torres, that means helping out by doing what he does best: making music. The singer, songwriter, actor, and three-time Latin Grammy winner recently rerecorded his 2001 hit “Color Esperanza” with some of Latin music’s biggest stars, with proceeds benefiting COVID-19 relief across the Americas. It’s a labour of love for the Buenos Aires native, who’s been staying active during the pandemic recording music in his home studio. Despite the travel restrictions, Torres is maintaining a strong connection with fans around the world, which will culminate in a YouTube Live Mastercard Music Session on Saturday, July 18, 2020 at 8 p.m. ET. Here, he shares his tips on maintaining a positive outlook and harnessing your curiosity to create something meaningful.
What advice would you give someone who is just starting their life’s work?
I would give the same advice I give to my nephews: study hard and get a proper education. The more knowledge you have, the better.
Remember, your ears are not there to look pretty; they’re for listening. Be attentive to the advice and experience that someone older can share with you. But ultimately, you’ll have to rely on your own judgment and make your own decisions. Also, strive to find balance in your life. That can be one of the most difficult things to do, but it’s the only way to go.
What’s the best way to learn?
I think we learn from situations that don’t go as planned, whether you call them slip-ups, failures, or mistakes: things we thought would turn out one way instead turned out another. They’re part of our journey, and we can learn more from them than from our successes. You have to study those events and be aware of why something didn’t happen the way you wanted it to. There’s always something to take away from it.
How do you stay up to date musically?
I’m restless, and I let my curiosity guide me. When I’m working on music in the studio, I’m always looking for new sounds and fusions—like electronics mixed with acoustic instruments—before arranging and producing the songs. When you’re curious all the time, you get to reinvent yourself. You find out what elements you like so you can bring them into your work and make them your own. It’s like cooking, in that you take ingredients you enjoy and make a dish your own. That’s how we stay current.
How are you maintaining connections with others during the pandemic?
This partnership with Mastercard is a chance to bring my music to everyone who wants to connect during these strange and special times when we’re without concerts or stages. It’s a great opportunity to reach a lot of people who are at home, want to be entertained, and want to see their favourite artists and hear the songs they love.
What tips do you have for people who are feeling isolated?
One the one hand, have creativity and a lot of imagination. On the other hand, stick to a routine. I was talking to my friends the other day and somebody mentioned how important it is to stay active, have experiences with your family, do things you enjoy, and share them with others. Music always helps, and dancing is great. Take advantage of this time. You can read, study, and learn things you didn’t have time for before. Do your best to enjoy life.
What have you learned from this experience?
The isolation has made me realise that I have a great time at home and that I’m happy there. That might be because those of us who travel a lot for work value the time we have at home even more. Having my home studio, being able to make music, and staying connected to what I love is also good.
What have you been doing besides making music?
I’ve been able to cook more, which is great because I love to cook. Before, I did it sporadically, but now I do it much more often. This period has also brought me closer to my family, and I love having more time with my daughter. We’re learning the art of living together. You get to see how we interact with one another, how supportive we are to each other, how we complement each other, and how we can help each other. The isolation shows us what’s working and what isn’t.
How do you cope with being separated from people you care about?
You have to be responsible and manage your emotions. When you’re not able to hug someone, when you can’t be close to someone you care about, it becomes a complex situation that you’re not used to. So be responsible, but stay in touch with your loved ones. This is a transitional stage. The more responsible we are, the faster we’ll get through it.
What’s priceless to you?
Sharing music and conversation with friends. Getting a chance to work with artists I really admire, like (Panamanian musician) Rubén Blades and (Dominican musician) Juan Luis Guerra. Meeting my sports idols, like Alfredo Di Stéfano. Moments like that are priceless.
