- Bryon Harris
Nicolás Emden- 'Como los pájaros'
Nicolás Emden is an Indie South American Folk singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist hailing from Chile. Emden's debut release, the album 'Como Los Pájaros,' has received radio rotation in Chile. A recent graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Emden also works as a Music Director/Conductor for popular music ensembles and in contemporary music theater. In 2016 he conducted a concert given at Berklee College of Music with the Canadian World Music band Color Violeta. Emden's inspirations include many South American singer-songwriters such as the Chilean Victor Jara and Argentinian musicians as Fito Páez, Charly García and Luis Alberto Spinetta. His single, “Solo Tengo Ojos Para Ti” is a great introduction to his musical style and talent.
The song open ups with beautiful finger-style guitar picking intro played on acoustic guitar then changes into a soft rhythm guitar strumming as the song begins with the chorus. The beginning of the song is sparse and simple allowing for the song to open and build later. The clarity of the production/mix is brilliant, showing off the raw talent of Emden.
As Emden enters, his tenor-range vocals have a nice bright tone, with just the right touch of vibrato ,that will send shivers up your spine. The song is sung in Spanish, giving it a beautiful flow. Emden sings with emotion and his delivery is articulate and smooth. The chorus is very melodic and will stick with you long after you have heard the song, even if you are not a Spanish speaker. Along with the chorus, the verses show that Emden has a knack for writing beautiful melodies and creating a musical experience that will swoon many listeners.
“Solo Tengo Ojos Para Ti” is about the intangible feeling that you have about another person who connects with you on a soulmate level. You feel that you have known the person all your life, yet you have just met them and you don't want the moment to end. The English translation of the chorus is, “Everything passes by and I'm here as if it was nothing. I only hear your voice each morning. When the sun rises and you're sleep,I only have eyes for you.” The English translation does not truly do justice to the rhythm, rhyme or poetic nature of the Spanish text which has wonderful fluidity, "Todo pasa y yo como si nada Solo oigo tu voz por la mañana Cuando sale el sol y estás dormida Solo tengo ojos para ti Solo tengo ojos para tiSolo tengo ojos para ti."
The songs structure is verse-chorus/ verse-chorus and the musical build to the chorus is very nice. The percussion and bass kick in after the first chorus is sung, filling out the song with a nice beat and gentle sway. The vibe is laid back and happy. Listeners will find themselves singing along. There are also tasteful guitar riffs throughout and a nice instrumental section about three minutes into the song where a crying, melodic solo takes center stage. The professional video below will have you falling in love with song and with Emden. What becomes very clear when you watch the video is that Emden has great performance charisma. He has a natural stage presence and comes across as an artist who is very comfortable performing.
After listening to Nicolás Emden’s “Solo Tengo Ojos Para Ti,” there is no doubt that he is an outstanding artist who has the ability to reach large cross-over audiences stateside and internationally. The pristine arrangements and production of the instrumentals, paired with his passionate vocal and stage persona, will resonate universally. Emden also tours and performs with his band, Nicolás Emden & the Resonancia. Members of the band are from different part of the world (Korea, Indonesia, Scotland, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, etc). The band adds improvisation to Nicolás' original music creating an exciting live performance. All of Emden’s music is available on iTunes. For more information on Nicolás Emden , visit his website.