A heartbreaking admonition of lost love for family, children and the planet, Melbourne’s Iaki Vallejo returns with new single ‘Donde está el amor (Where Is The Love?’), an earnest and ardent plea for urgent action to counter climate change.
A dual-language serenade that features guest verses from Zimbabwean-Australian singer Thando, Vallejo wants to bridge divides and bring the world’s people together.
For those new to you, what’s your background and how would you describe your music?
I am originally from Colombia, precisely from a beautiful city called Cali. Cali is famed around the world, as being the capital of salsa.
My music is a blend of different rhythms. I love to fuse Afro-Colombian rhythms with jazz, soul, reggae, salsa, Afrobeat and funk, and now I am beginning new adventure with electronic music.
The fusion of your African and Colombian heritage; how does that manifest in your music?
It manifests by allowing the rhythm to be the protagonist of my music. Everything I make has the rhythm up; that’s a strong African tradition. My music has always been a celebration of the rich heritage I have and the cultures I grew up in.
