Daniel Lopez Musician and language teacher

My father is passionate about music. Even though he's not an artist, he taught me to love music and always sing along. At the age of 18, when my life was a little bit lost and I didn't know which way to go, I bought a guitar with my first salary. With that everything went better. I learned how to play and sing and founded my first band, which was a punk band.

However, I played with many different people, I discovered a lot of incredible ways to play and a lot of different styles, from hardcore music to bambuco and vals (Colombian traditional music).

I'm currently trying to develop a musical proposal which allows me to share my culture and roots in a modern way.

Since I work as a Spanish teacher, I have developed a profound interest in the communicative potential of music — lyrics, sounds and other elements. This I tried to include in my compositions and shows.

Well, music is not my main activity. Therefore there are periods, when music is not my preoccupation, so that sometimes a distance between me and the music may build up.

This also was the case before I came to Fraggina.

It may seem that my work as a teacher sometimes interferes with me and my music. But actually it was my profession that brought me to Fraggina!

As a Spanish teacher I participated in LIJPE, the Pereira Children's Literature Seminar. I attended different conferences, and in one of them I met Cornelia for the first time.

Promoting Adolfo Córdova's book El Dragón Blanco y otros personajes olvidados, Cornelia asked for pieces of art based on Adolfo's story. She was looking for new residents for her A.i.R. project and I wanted to be one of them.

I haven't been making music for years! However, I felt motivated and wanted to participate, so I started composing a song based on Adolfo's book.

When the due date came, my song was not ready, so I resigned and did not send my application. Surprisingly, the due date was extended!! It was a new opportunity for me, so I kept working.

However, I was finishing my college research, and when the second due date arrived...

...I wasn't ready. I resigned again.

Like a miracle, the due date was postponed once more!! I decided not to resign again, so I worked hard and finished my song.

One day in October, while I was rehearsing with a band, I received a phone call: I had been selected.

As I had been out of musical practice for quite some time, I was a little nervous when I arrived in Fraggina: Would anything happen at all?

However, the moment I entered the studio at Fraggina, I knew that would be my place.

I spent my midnights and sunrises there. I worked until 3 am because I had found what I was missing when I was away from music: inspiration, a desire to compose and a lot of magnificent ideas.

I slept in the studio, I had my meals in the studio. The room became my cave, the instruments my colleagues. I composed, recorded and edited THREE SONGS!!!

I couldn't believe it. Fraggina gave me something I will never forget, and I dream of returning there with a show to perform.

Since I returned to Colombia I have been dreaming of the day I can go back to Fraggina.

I was there for a week, and that was enough to revive my inspiration and remember my talent. I try to preserve the inspiration Fraggina gave to me and I try to reach what I am looking for as an artist.

But it is not only the revival of my musical talent. I found more.

Like a mother, Cornelia took care of me and the other artists and enjoyed what we were doing. She visited me in the studio and witnessed my crazy workflow.

I also met Adolfo there, who became my older brother for life. I really admire him and like him very much.

This and many more things that I can't express is what I brought home, and I hope to keep it in my heart for the rest of my life.