iaki Vallejo is at her most forlorn in her latest track, the silky smooth 'Donde está el amor', with a captivating verse from thando.
The two Melbourne favourites combine on Vallejo’s latest for a bilingual serenade, the latest in Vallejo’s long and colourful history of cross-cultural collaboration.
Lulled to sleep at night by the sound of street music – the sound of drums, chants, dances and vinyl records – during her Colombian ‘hood’ upbringing, Vallejo is also of African descent, but has formed a phenomenal reputation within the Melbourne music scene, not just as a performer, but as a singer-songwriter, choir leader, visual artist and producer.
What you need to know
- Artist: iaki Vallejo, featuring thando
- Title: Donde está el amor
- Release Date: 17 March 2022
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‘Donde está el amor’ is described as a heartbreaking admonition of lost love for family, children and the planet, in which Iaki’s serene voice and masterful performance gently mourn for lost ideals in a time of chaos.
The combination of Spanish and English vocals on a smooth R&B track makes for exceptional listening, which iaki previously told us transcends barriers: “Music doesn’t need to be understood, it just needs to be felt,” she said. “That’s what I want for here in Australia and all around the world: for people to feel happy and to be feel identified with the feelings in the songs that I’m playing.
“I want them to enjoy mainly the rhythm. Because I use a lot of rhythm in it, a fusion of African rhythms, and funk and jazz, and a combination of styles in my music, it makes it exciting.”
To celebrate the release, the 2019 Music Victoria Award nominee for Best Intercultural Act nominee will be performing a special on off show for Multicultural Arts Victoria on the evening of release (Thursday 17th March) entitled Tres Cantos.
The concert will feature Iaki alongside Ethiopian-Australian singer and dancer Seble Girma plus a guest appearance from thando for the live premiere of “Donde está el amor”.
Pre-save the new single here. For more information about the event, visit www.mav.org.au/event/tres-cantos/
