Posted in Music, tagged Alla Luce del Sole, Fernando, Fernando Varela, Social network on September 9, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Ever since my brother Fernando Varela released his DARE TO LIVE album in 2008, people all over our social networks have been asking, “When will Fernando produce a new album?”
We are happy to announce that Fernando and his team have just finished mastering PRELUDE, his new album. Here is what Fernando had to say:
The link to the track is at the end of this post. Once the album is up on iTunes, we will let you all know!
Posted in Music, tagged CBS, David Foster, Fernando Varela, Fernando Varela Lionel Richie, Lady Antebellum, Lionel Richie, New York, Richie Stuck on You on May 31, 2012 | 1 Comment »
Now THIS is cool. My brother Fernando Varela singing with the great Lionel Richie and David Foster. Live. Unrehearsed. Amazing.
The following video (10 minutes in length) is a career gem for Fernando, who has recently been performing with Foster to outstanding reviews and results. The best moment of this video is seeing Richie’s genuine admiration of Fernando’s talents, as well as seeing Fernando totally understand that he is singing with Lionel Flipping Richie! They sing “Stuck on You” from Richie’s new duets album, and then Fernando brings the house down with “Nessum Dorma.”
Posted in #LatinoLit, Latino, Latino Rebels, tagged Austin, Austin Texas, Fernando Varela, Hispanic and Latino Americans, LATISM, Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, Social Media, SXSW Interactive, Twitter on March 3, 2012 | 4 Comments »
In this crazy world that is social media, you just keep doing and blogging and connecting and sharing. Since this blog was started in 2009, the goals were clear: to practice independent journalism, to write about the social media world of US Latinos, to celebrate #LatinoLit, to shout out the world about the great Fernando Varela (he is my brother, why wouldn’t I?), to share my writings, and to inform readers about the crazy topsy-turvy world of Puerto Rican politics. This is the world of this blog and it is a world that speaks to my world. In short, this blog is my personal world and I am humbled by all the people who have come into this world, all the people who have commented here (both the good and the bad), and all the people I have met and have become part of my familia.
Yesterday, I was greeted with some very cool news: a nomination for the inaugural Social Revolución event at SXSWi in Austin. To the angels who submitted the nomination (and I think I know who those angels were), thank you. GRACIAS MIL.
This whole world of Latino social media is bigger than any of us. Want to know why we are becoming a force? Because many of us started TOGETHER in 2008 and CONNECTED AUTHENTICALLY. We all shared the same vision. We all believed in the future, and more importantly: we all helped each other. When there was a blog someone wanted to share, we shared it. When someone had good news to post, we posted it. When people wanted their links tweeted, we tweeted. We are all in this together, and when we realize that each one of us can add our “little grain of sand” to the larger vision, we will become a powerhouse. The point is this: no one, no one is better than anyone else on the Internet. Once you have a page, a profile, a Twitter presence, etc., you are just as powerful as any other page on the Web. What you decide to do with that and how you want to present yourself is what matters.
My philosophy is a simple one: always be giving. Always be yourself. Always be authentic. Help people with no expectations. Do what you do for the right intentions and demand better. Use your blog, webpage, social media profiles to create real relationships and connect with like-minded people. Share your opinions respectfully and defend yourself when you have to with grace. When you make mistakes, just say you goofed. Be humble and admit your errors. Try to improve the next time. But never ever get caught up in the medium or in the numbers. If you don’t like something, say it. If you love something, say it too! I have said that from day 1 in 2008 and it still resonates with me every day.
Peace to all. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for supporting this blog and the Rebels. Let me know how I can help YOU in any way. You know where to find me.
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