Gizmo Varillas Calls for Community on New Single “One People”(premiere)

It should come as no surprise that artist Gizmo Varillas stands as a strong proponent of crossing cultures. Raised between Spain and the United Kingdom, his has never been a stagnant life. Varillas’ world travels have taken him far and wide, and his current home base is one of renowned diversity: London, a veritable hub for both humanity and the music it inevitably creates.

For “One People”, the second single off of Varillas‘ upcoming album Dreaming of Better Days, Varillas explores the idea of a world united in difference rather than carved up and divided by manmade borders. “We go on and on and on,” he sings, walking down sunny streets, quiet alleys, and bustling corridors of both Spain and Morocco. As Varillas sings, he revels in the color and life of both places, a celebration of the world contained within a multi-continental slice of it.

“With all the divisive narratives going around today,” says Varillas, “I think it’s important to remember we all are more similar than different. This song is a plea to remember that.” Seamless transitions from scene to scene emphasize Varillas’ sense of the greater human community, as does his music, a global mix of rhythms and sounds pulled from the cross-cultural flows connecting Spain, Africa, and the Americas – ones that, while often violent in origins, can now be rebuilt as bridges connecting distant groups of people, as Varillas suggests with his music.

Varillas’ latest song has a simple message, asking each of us to remember that we all share this world. “To quote the song,” he continues, “if not us, who will?” It’s a warning, in a way; to cultivate a sense of detachment between groups and nations is to tear ourselves apart from the inside. At the same time, “One People” brings hope and idealism, reminding us that there are people who love deeply enough to write about it. With a voice meant to soothe and heart-on-sleeve lyrics, Gizmo Varillas is a beacon of compassion on “One People”.

Dreaming of Better Days comes out July 6 on Muisca Records.