siafa

The studio album is already amazing, but the live version is on another level! DID YOU KNOW he is also the keyboardist of Maroon 5?? Well, now you do. There’s something about his music that reminds me a little bit of Stevie Wonder, especially in the harmonies and soul influences, but he still has a sound that is completely his own. I love the passing chords, the vocals and how much more alive everything feels with a band playing together in the room. It’s warm, soulful and ridiculously musical. The kind of album where I notice something new every time I listen to it.

I grew up playing music and jazz saxophone, so I already loved Chet Baker as a musician, but I remember being so pleasantly surprised when I discovered that he could sing too! His voice is so soft and buttery, and there’s something incredibly simple and tender about the way he sings. He never sounds like he’s trying too hard, which I think is what makes it so intimate. This album makes me feel at ease and at home, and it’s one I always come back to when I’m feeling a little heartbroken. There’s something very comforting about being sad with Chet Baker!

Recorded in Havana in the 90s, it brought together incredible Cuban musicians, many of whom had lived through the Cuban Revolution and decades of huge political and social change. I think it says so much about the power of music that an album made in Cuba, a country that had been so politically isolated, reached me as a little girl growing up in Greece! I used to play it in our living room and make up my own choreographies to the songs, without really knowing anything about Cuba at the time. I love the mix of son, bolero and jazz, and how warm, romantic and full of life the whole album feels. Years later, I can appreciate the history behind it so much more, but it still takes me straight back to that living room.

I love how she blends so many different genres throughout the album, especially the mix of reggaeton, jazz, flamenco and experimental sounds. She somehow always manages to reinvent herself with every album, but at the same time always stays true to herself and her roots. It feels like an album where she wasn’t afraid to experiment or do something completely unexpected. It can go from loud and chaotic to soft and intimate within the space of a few songs, but it still feels like one complete body of work. I love artists who aren’t afraid to evolve and try something new, and I think this album is a perfect example of that.

Their first album and their BEST album. There are no skips! The songs of this album are linked to memories of relationships, breakups, intimacy, love and deep moods. “Parachutes” is used as a metaphor for something that helps you stay safe when in danger. This is a feeling that people from all generations can relate to and this is why the album stays relevant! It’s relatable and although it was released in 2000, the music itself is timeless as it’s not really reflecting a specific era. It has been 9 times platinum and has sold more that 2 million copies worldwide!!!