By Mike Sain't Louis ·
Primer aniversario: celebrating without applause or likes
Twenty WhatsApp status views. Not a single like. If you've ever shared something that mattered to you and been left staring at the list of views with no reply, Primer aniversario (First Anniversary) will feel very close to home.
It's a song written from irony, and from a place I know well: that of someone who does things on their own. Celebrating an artistic anniversary has something of a private party about it. You know what it took to get here, but outside hardly anyone notices. Achievements pass without a sound and, to top it off, the recognition often goes to whoever sweated least.
What everyone says
The song laughs at all of that. At the indifference, at the echo chamber of social media, at the phrase anyone with an unprofitable calling has heard at some family lunch: that won't pay, find something else. I like that it doesn't turn it into drama, but into a joke. Because laughing at what frustrates you is a way of taking away its power.
But underneath the mockery there's something very serious. While the others give their opinions, the song carries on. While others keep quiet, someone keeps creating. And even if it sometimes seems nobody is listening, the things you make leave a trace.
For me Primer aniversario is a toast to those who hold on. To the people who bet on their own thing even without ovations, or likes, or anyone giving them a pat on the back. It speaks to anyone who has wondered whether what they do matters. And the answer, without getting soppy, is yes. That what's really worth something isn't measured in plays.
Who would I dedicate it to? To any independent artist, of anything: music, painting, writing, ceramics, cooking videos. To whoever posts and waits. To whoever keeps posting even when nothing comes back. And also to those people who always do give a like, who exist and are worth their weight in gold.
Listen to it the day you feel invisible. And afterwards, share something of yours. Even if just to be contrary.