Noel Schajris loves country music and this friday in Fort Worth he will perform a duet with the Sugarland vocalist in a special performance by the renowned musician and member of Sin Bandera.
Schajris spoke with HOY Dallas after his arrival in DFW, where he elaborated on his recent collaboration junto a Jennifer Nettlesthe female voice of the country group Sugarland. He also announced that Sin Bandera is about to start composing new songs and hinted that they would record independently. Living in Los Angeles for several years, he ended the interview with a hopeful message for Latinos living in the United States.
NS: “I have a very nice project with Jennifer Neddles, she is an incredible country singer, with a lot of experience, a friend of Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift adores her (they did a duet many years ago) with John Gorban, with Bon Jovi, she has done duets with Legend, like me. I met her about six, seven years ago. We clicked wonderfully.”
SV: Where did you meet?
NS: “In Los Angeles. And the culprit, I always thank publicly, is Jaime Camil, my great friend Jaime, who brought us together at his house (on that occasion) because they were doing Mamma mia at the Hollywood Bowl. So, at the house of Jaime I know her, we started singing, we started to realize that we had similar influences, from Kenny Rogers, to, forget it, everyone.”SV: So you like country?
NS: “From a very young age. I listened to Kenny Rogers and I started to cry.”SV: What a surprise.
NS: “If you imagine, a kid from Argentina listening to Kenny Rogers, Ray Charles singing all those songs, I grew up with the blues, with rhythm and blues and rock and roll…. (With Neddles) we made an impressive click and said, let’s do something“And what started with one song ended up becoming 10 songs, an album that will be released next year. We already released a song that we presented at the Latin American Music Awards a few months ago, Love’s still here (Love is still here)
SV: You both sing bilingual in that song, right?
NS: “From the beginning we realized that it was very natural to do a verse in English and one in Spanish (he says while gesturing as if he were throwing cards on a table). She speaks Spanish very well, so it is a completely Spanglish project, we went from English to the Spanish that you don’t even know what’s happening, it doesn’t shock.“(It’s a surprise) the song we are going to present (Yeah, Babe) at the Dickies Arena, she has been very generous in inviting me. We are both from the same year, 1974, but we look great (smiles). It will be the second single, part of the album “Timeless” (mentioned above) that comes out next year, and well I already said it all, we want to tour together, that’s why I’m here.
SV: What about Sin Bandera?
NS: “We are in a beautiful moment. Next week, Leo arrives at my house in Los Angeles and we are going to start composing what the new project is. And that project marks the beginning of a glorious stage for us, it is the beginning of a lot of things that means that we are also going to be owners of our music, of the group, of the destiny of the group, of the decisions we make.SV: Despite being so eclectic, do you give yourself permission to be romantic in Sin Bandera? NS: “I always differentiate between being romantic and being corny. To be cheesy is to be, ‘oh look at the little cloud. You saw the cloud, it has the shape of a little dog.’ I’m not like that, but I am very romantic when it comes to honesty and authenticity. Being romantic is being authentic, it is being vulnerable, not being on guard, being open to what life bravely brings you; To be romantic is to be brave for me. “Being vulnerable, being brave, a real guy… And yes, I do cry, I cry every day.”
SV: Thank you for your time and for sharing your ideas with our readers..
NS: “A hug to the Latin community, we are very important for this country and for the world. The Latin strength in the world is invaluable and what we generate for this country is invaluable.”
Schajris spoke with HOY Dallas after his arrival in DFW, where he elaborated on his recent collaboration junto a Jennifer Nettlesthe female voice of the country group Sugarland. He also announced that Sin Bandera is about to start composing new songs and hinted that they would record independently. Living in Los Angeles for several years, he ended the interview with a hopeful message for Latinos living in the United States.
NS: “I have a very nice project with Jennifer Neddles, she is an incredible country singer, with a lot of experience, a friend of Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift adores her (they did a duet many years ago) with John Gorban, with Bon Jovi, she has done duets with Legend, like me. I met her about six, seven years ago. We clicked wonderfully.”
SV: Where did you meet?
NS: “In Los Angeles. And the culprit, I always thank publicly, is Jaime Camil, my great friend Jaime, who brought us together at his house (on that occasion) because they were doing Mamma mia at the Hollywood Bowl. So, at the house of Jaime I know her, we started singing, we started to realize that we had similar influences, from Kenny Rogers, to, forget it, everyone.”
SV: So you like country?
NS: “From a very young age. I listened to Kenny Rogers and I started to cry.”
SV: What a surprise.
NS: “If you imagine, a kid from Argentina listening to Kenny Rogers, Ray Charles singing all those songs, I grew up with the blues, with rhythm and blues and rock and roll…. (With Neddles) we made an impressive click and said, let’s do something
“And what started with one song ended up becoming 10 songs, an album that will be released next year. We already released a song that we presented at the Latin American Music Awards a few months ago, Love’s still here (Love is still here)
SV: You both sing bilingual in that song, right?
NS: “From the beginning we realized that it was very natural to do a verse in English and one in Spanish (he says while gesturing as if he were throwing cards on a table). She speaks Spanish very well, so it is a completely Spanglish project, we went from English to the Spanish that you don’t even know what’s happening, it doesn’t shock.
“(It’s a surprise) the song we are going to present (Yeah, Babe) at the Dickies Arena, she has been very generous in inviting me. We are both from the same year, 1974, but we look great (smiles). It will be the second single, part of the album “Timeless” (mentioned above) that comes out next year, and well I already said it all, we want to tour together, that’s why I’m here.
SV: What about Sin Bandera?
NS: “We are in a beautiful moment. Next week, Leo arrives at my house in Los Angeles and we are going to start composing what the new project is. And that project marks the beginning of a glorious stage for us, it is the beginning of a lot of things that means that we are also going to be owners of our music, of the group, of the destiny of the group, of the decisions we make.
SV: Despite being so eclectic, do you give yourself permission to be romantic in Sin Bandera? NS: “I always differentiate between being romantic and being corny. To be cheesy is to be, ‘oh look at the little cloud. You saw the cloud, it has the shape of a little dog.’ I’m not like that, but I am very romantic when it comes to honesty and authenticity. Being romantic is being authentic, it is being vulnerable, not being on guard, being open to what life bravely brings you; To be romantic is to be brave for me. “Being vulnerable, being brave, a real guy… And yes, I do cry, I cry every day.”
SV: Thank you for your time and for sharing your ideas with our readers..
NS: “A hug to the Latin community, we are very important for this country and for the world. The Latin strength in the world is invaluable and what we generate for this country is invaluable.”
Considering Schajris’ emphasis on authenticity and vulnerability in his songwriting, how might his own experiences as a Latino artist influence the themes and messages he conveys in his music?
Here are some open-ended questions for discussion, divided into thematic sections based on the interview with Noel Schajris:
**Section 1: Musical Collaborations and Inspiration**
* **Beyond musical influences, what personal qualities do you admire about Jennifer Nettles that made this collaboration work so well?**
* **How important is it for artists to collaborate across genres? What are the benefits and challenges?**
* **The article mentions you both share a love for Kenny Rogers. How have those early influences shaped your musical paths and sensibilities?**
**Section 2: Creative Process and Authenticity**
* **Schajris talks about writing songs that are “authentic” and “vulnerable.” What does this mean to him, and how does it translate into his songwriting process?**
* **How does Schajris push himself to be brave and vulnerable in his music, especially when exploring themes like crying “every day”? What message does he hope to convey to his listeners?**
* **”Sin Bandera” is starting a new chapter as independent artists. How might this change their control over their music and its message?**
**Section 3: Evolution and Growth as an Artist**
* **Schajris mentions that “Sin Bandera” is embarking on a “glorious stage.” What are some potential directions you see the band taking with this new music?**
* **How do artists manage to stay relevant and evolve their sound over time, while still connecting with their core fan base?**
* **What advice might Schajris give to aspiring musicians about staying true to their artistry while navigating the music industry?**
**Section 4: Latin Identity and Impact**
* **Schajris expresses pride in the Latin community. What are some specific examples of the strengths and positive contributions he believes Latinos bring to the United States and the world?**
* ** How can artists like Schajris use their platform to amplify Latin voices and advocate for positive change?**
* **What role do you think music can play in fostering understanding and celebrating cultural diversity?**
Let me know if you’d like me to delve deeper into any specific area or explore different angles.
