Never forget
“Never Forget” is a new single off the upcoming album Space to Play to be released September 22, 2021.
Single
Crash
Artwork by very talented graphic artist Júlio Mesquita⠀
Composed, performed, produced and mixed by Razteria
Mastered by TrakWorx
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Lyrically, “Crash” tells the stereotypical story of tourism in a coastal paradise, where the locals try to please the Gringo (man), but he will inevitably “crash”, a metaphor for death and an end to the power hierarchy which exists in society between humans. Most importantly, recognizing that the destruction and domination of nature is an illusion, we are only destroying ourselves. The wave’s crash represents the transformative power of nature to which we will all return. The song symbolizes the freedom we realize when we embrace our insignificance. By letting go of the myths we hold about ourselves, and allowing our egos to crash, we find peace. Death is the ultimate equalizer, we will return, like the waves to the ocean.
I Feel Naked
My new single is about the vulnerability which comes with the intensity of love and desire for another. I have pushed my limits as an artist and producer on this new single experimenting both musically and lyrically. Originally written in 2016, I first produced and released it as the song “Naked” in 2018, but felt that version was too glossy. After revisiting the track this year, I realized that the original song’s raw qualities should be brought back.
No Veo Nada
“No Veo Nada” was written using a piece of Zezé Fassmor’s poetry. Zezé became blind at 25, 10 years ago, due to a rare disease (sympathetic ophthalmia) resulting from a penetrating eye injury. Despite all of the obstacles that he has confronted he has moved forward, creating his own poetry and promoting other artists and musicians. Living in between reality and the dream world, he finds peace through acceptance, diving deep into his being, and his desire to live and love. Symbolically through this song, I am the “dulce voz,” the sweet voice, helping him to “see the horizon”.
I have launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for buying equipment needed for a home studio so Zezé can start a podcast to further his artistic productions and the promotional efforts he makes for other independent artists and musicians. Learn more about Zezé and how you can support him at https://gofund.me/1cdd8cba.
“No Veo Nada” Credits:
Produced, arranged, performed, vocals, composition and mix by Renée Asteria/Razteria
Co-production and live drums by Jayme Arredondo
Lead guitar by Tomas Salcedo (Fantastic Negrito)
Kora by Yacouba Diarra
Mastered by Justin Weis
Lyrics co-written by Zezé Fassmor (César Julio Santoyo Fassmor)
Art by Julio Mesquita
Watch the music video here.
What I Love
“What I love” is about loving the moment, and appreciating everything that you have.
I finished this one during lockdown – finding the blessings of being alone and focusing on my creative outlets: songwriting & production. ⠀
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This track took three years to finish, first ideas were laid in winter 2017 with Jayme Arredondo. ⠀
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I hope you find what you love and have harnessed these crazy new life circumstances to dive deeper into your passions. ⠀
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Thank You! Blessed Love
Why
“Why”, my new single, of a “classic” song I wrote 15 years ago.
The message is still relevant for me. Speaking to the irrationality of the human condition, our duality or rather –multifacetedness–, the desire to taste good and bad, that one does not exist without the other, and, there is no hierarchy. There is beauty in pain we inflict on ourselves and others and that is ultimately what I’m trying to capture in this song.
When I wrote the first version of this song, I channeled something that I did not yet understand. It was born out of a very toxic pattern that I had with myself, my sexuality and more specifically my relationships with men. I realize now that the pattern progressed from early childhood experiences which formed me into who I am today. Rather than blame myself or others, I become aware of the transformational power of those experiences, therein lies the beauty in the toxicity.
I have no regrets and I embrace all my sides, all my demons and my desires. Each day that I am here still, my awareness is ever expanding.
I still haven’t quite figured out how to break the patterns necessarily but I am aware of them and there is no regret. I’m still alive and healthy and young and powerful and so everything just gives me greater perspective. I think when we push ourselves to extremes, we as a result develop empathy for those that find themselves in those extreme situations. We’ve tasted it and even though it was mentally destabilizing or physically painful, it allowed us to grow towards whatever heightened consciousness we may have the opportunity to develop, God willing, given that every moment is a gift.
The tug-of-war that we have been conditioned to make into a hierarchy “the good over the bad” / “the white over the black”, it’s all one in the same, necessary parts of our Life experience. Our pursuit of perfection is just a distraction, the imperfections make us unique and push us to grow as long as we don’t wallow in self critique.
Credits
WHY (aka So Irrational)
(2020)
Composed, arranged, performed, recorded and mixed by Razteria (Renee Asteria Penaloza)
Mastered by TrakWorx @trakworxmastering
Picture by Baidi Kamagate @im_baidi @le_noir_pxSpecial thanks to the original musicians that recorded the first full band version (So Irrational, from Album “Caras de Agente Doble E” 2007 ) with me in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2006. Matias Martyn (original engineer) @matimartyn / Manuel Lugea (drums) @manu.luge / Pedro Olcese (original bass) Lucas Detone (original guitar).
All rights reserved
Stop
Stop is a new single that I’m honored to present to you. For me it represents ending the toxic relationships that we have within ourselves and with each other and realizing how powerful we are. I want to extend this message to symbolize the necessary end to current systems in place that prevent us from realizing our full potential.
To highlight just two in this first post…
***Can we say “just stop” to the system that monetizes people’s illness and disproportionately impacts black people and other minorities? Healthcare for all is key to ending systemic racism. This is so evident. It’s now that we have to demand that our government recognize the need for healthcare and education for all, defunding police and military to invest in communities. We don’t need policing, we just need tools, and our health is the basis upon which everything is built.***
***Can we say “just stop” to the one narrative of linear progress, development, capital gains, and success tied to fame and material riches? I don’t want to idealize or generalize “indigenous” or “native” people, but I know that my sense of peace, appreciation for life, and understanding how interconnected we all are, stems from the experiences I have had living and working with indigenous people.***
The powerful symbol that you see is a Bolivian flag representing the plurality of Bolivia’s indigenous peoples, the complexity of Bolivian society, landlocked in the heart of South America, where the depths of the Amazon meets the high planes of the Andes, which I am so proud to claim as part of my heritage. I hope that our world will evolve to allow for multiple worldviews to exist and thrive. How wide can we expand our mind, is our ultimate richness, all is circular, nothing is lost or gained.
I hope you enjoy “Stop”, and that the musicality inspires you and fills you with powerful emotions.
Thank you multimedia artist Miriam Speyer for the masterful highly symbolic artwork. I highly recommend her for commissioned artwork and also, she is a very talented musical artist. Please check her out!
BOMS (Blood of My Soul)
This song, BOMS, “blood of my soul” is dedicated to all of the black women and men who have been murdered by police, a result of systemic racism which permeates every facet of our society. Until #BlackLivesMatter, all lives will not.
Profits from streaming on any platform will be added to my monthly contribution to the Equal Justice Initiative (eji.org), and, if it is ever licensed (big money) profits will also be donated. I am reposting a list of organizations that you can donate to (credit: @botanicaldyke), together with a list of legal resources.
shorturl.at/krxCD
Tab 2: Legal Services and Bail Support
Tab 3: Advice for Protesting and Social Media
Tab 4: Bail Funds, Memorial Funds, Organizations & Mutual Aid
Tab 5: International Solidarity and Resources
Tab 6: Misc Mutual Aid and Community Projects
Here are a few of the names of the women and men lost. I know many many more have gone unnoticed, but they are not forgotten. Say their names.
Breonna Taylor
Sandra Bland
George Floyd
Ahmaud Arbery
Rayshard Brooks
Michael Brown
Eric Garner
Oscar Grant III
Trayvon Martin
Amadou Diallo
Rekia Boyd
Tamir Rice
Alex Nieto
Aiyana Jones
Jonathan Akeem Pairre Ferrell
John Crawford
Ramarley Graham
Kendrec McDade
Ousmane Zongo
Kathryn Johnston
Eugene Ejikeobiora
Tarika Wilson
Sean Bell
Philando Castile
Terence Crutcher
Freddy Gray
I hope we keep up the fight and force true change in the USA. Demilitarise and defund the police allocating these resources directly to the community. Track individual police and hold police accountable when they use excessive force for any reason, not just when it results in severe injury or death. And so much more.
We can do so much. We can vote and make sure those who represent us follow through with their promises, we can protest in the streets, we can donate money, we can boycott businesses use prison labor or otherwise support a white supremacist agenda and we can directly support the black community, by, buying from black businesses, supporting and promoting black artists across disciplines.
I hope that we do not allow the numbing effect of living in a society of instant gratification consumerism to continue to drug us into inaction through surface-deep distractions, the illusion of division. I hope we can rediscover the unique creativity that lies in each of us, our power of expression, of true love.