Thank gosh for music during this unprecedented time in our world #amirite!? For me, music is an integral part of my day. From morning relaxing tones to hype music during a workout. The right track can change my mood and my mindset. These days a shift in mindset is critical. Having a positive mindset can reduce your stress level resulting in a stronger immune system.
Over the last decade, Tropicult has featured stories of Miami music makers, and during this quarantine, we’re catching up with some of them to see how their days of shelter in place are playing out. In this post we hear from Firstworld, the musical endeavor of Miami producer and artist Kris Alvarez. Firstworld was birthed in 2016 as a way to write darker music than Alvarez’s former project Sigh Kicks. The first single released by Alvarez under the new moniker, “Firstworld” garnered the attention of heavy hitters BIRP.FM and Spotify’s Fresh Finds playlist, as well as landing on Hype Machine’s top 20. Firstworld’s debut EP “I’m Right Here” also made waves charting on NACC’s Top 200, as well as being praised by FMBQ as a top 30 album. Read the interview as past of our Corona Chronicles series below:
How has corona changed your daily schedule?
I mean, I used to have a very strict and rigid schedule. Wake up, work 9 to 5, come home, work on music for 2hrs, eat dinner, karate class (that’s right, I fight), sleep, repeat. Now? I’m lucky if I go to sleep before 3 and wake up before 10.
Sounds like a normal sleep schedule for a Miami tourist, not a local. What’s one positive thing you see as a part of this?
I haven’t had this much time to write music in a VERY long time. I’m working on an album right now, so thus couldn’t have come at a better moment. I also think a break from the routine and the rat race is important. Makes you realize how much you take it for granted. I miss going to work now, and I actually miss having LESS time to work on music, because I wouldn’t think about it as much.
What Miami based organization(s) have been doing good things during this time?
FemPower (@fempowermia) has been very vocal about the rights and health of those being held in county jails. It’s extremely important in times like these to bring awareness to these kind of issues because regardless of what those people being detained have done, guilty or not, their lives matter too and the county has the responsibility and duty to look after them while these people are under their custody. They should have access to testing and medical services, and if they don’t, they should be released so that they can seek those things out should they need to. Now’s not the time to keep ANYONE locked behind cages or bars, especially not in close proximity of others.
I appreciate you using your voice to bring attention to these important matters. What can we learn from this situation as a community?
Follow the damn rules, you morons. They’re put in place for your protection, but most importantly in this case, for the protection of others who are elderly or immunocompromised.I also think people need to stop buying whatever political pundits or religious leaders say, and they need to start listening to scientists and health professionals that are guided by empirical data and sound reasoning. This isn’t a game, but people still think it’s a free pass to go to the beach, party, and mess around. It’s not the time for that kind of irresponsible nonsense, and the longer you all take to get that, the longer ALL of our lives will be stopped for this.We’ll learn though, either the easy way or the hard way, because it’s like my mom says: “El golpe avisa”.
Gracias for sharing your thoughts with us and be well!
Stay in touch with all things Firstworld on Instagram, Spotify, Bandcamp, and SoundCloud.