Bronx native taps into the music
Salsa star releases a new song amidst a global pandemic
BY JASON COHEN
While the production has
halted on many TV shows and
movies and Broadway shows
have been put on hiatus, one
singer and actor has not let the
pandemic stop him from making
music.
On Oct. 19, Bronx native
Flaco Navaja released his new
single “Cántale a la Vida.” Navaja,
a Fordham resident until
two years ago when he moved
to California with his family,
focused on creating something
that gives inspiration to others
and raises their spirits.
“This single was an opportunity
for me to contribute to
the narrative that this historic
time is,” he said to the
Bronx Times.
Navaja, whose music combines
salsa and spoken word,
started his career at The Point
in Hunts Point. Growing up
in the birthplace of hip-hop,
he recalled that beats and
rhymes and well known artists
were always around him
or playing on radios.
In fact, one of the fi rst open
mic nights he participated in
was at The Point. He also fell
in love with theater and acting
at a young age.
“The Bronx has been one
of the main inspirations,” he
explained. “The sights and
sounds of the Bronx are ingrained
in my blood.”
One of the fi rst times he
knew he had talent was at
age 10 when he sang a Ruben
Blades song at a family gathering.
Navaja described himself
as a shy kid, but gained an outlet
to express himself when he
discovered spoken word poetry.
Eventually, Navaja grew
to feel comfortable singing in
public.
“I’ve always been fascinated
and drawn to stories
about people whose stories
you normally don’t hear,” he
commented. “I just like being
on stage and performing.”
Navaja has been on HBO’s
“Def Poetry Jam,” “Pride &
Glory,” “Fighting,” “Gun Hill
Road,” “Law & Order,” and
“CSI: NY” and is an ensemble
member of the Puerto Rican
traveling Pregones Theater.
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,38 OCT. 30-NOV. 5, 2020 BTR
Refl ecting on COVID-19,
Navaja explained it has not
been easy on him, his family
or other artists. Throughout
the past seven months, he has
enjoyed spending time with
his wife Dilcia and two young
daughters.
However, being shuttered
inside gave him the chance to
explore his thoughts and create
new music.
He recalled that at the beginning
of the pandemic, a
melody without words came to
his head. So he called a songwriter
friend who helped him
with the rest.
The song was about being
alive and looking at the positive
things in life. Everyone
involved in the making of the
single adhered to quarantine
rules as everyone involved
was in different states and
never in the same room.
“This half of the year we’ve
been dealing with some heavy
social issues,” he stressed.
“Unfortunately we don’t have
a president whose goal is to
unify people. As much as this
has been a diffi cult year, it has
been an inspiring one.”
Looking back on his Bronx
roots, he hopes that young
kids in the borough know that
anything is possible, no matter
where they come from.
“I think it’s important for
us to never stop dreaming
and to never stop striving to
tell our stories,” Navaja said.
“Young people need to remember
they are not voiceless.”
Salsa singer Flaco Navaja talks about the release of his new Single Cántale
a la Vida, produced during COVID-19 Photos courtesy of Flaco Navaja
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