Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nilo Verano. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Nilo, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

The kindest thing anyone can do for me is believe in me. I am very blessed to say I have a loving community of people that trust my vision. However, the person who has supported me the most is my mom. She came here to the states and left behind a giant loving family (she’s one of 12) in search of a better life with me. She faced innumerable obstacles that she could have taken as signs to turn around and go home, but she stayed. She listened, prayed, educated herself, and little by little, she befriended her fears and used them as fuel to become the powerful woman she is. With everything she lived, she never let it succumb her to fear. When I told her I wanted to be a musician, I thought I would be faced with the common question of “how are you going to make a living?” but I was welcomed not only with acceptance but with support, and this continued throughout my life. I’d like to say this is because she is my mom but no, She is a natural mirror that multiplies anyones potential to the greatest version of themselves they can be, and I just so happen to call her my mom’

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Nilo Verano, I’m a singer/songwriter, arranger and producer from Miami, FL. I was born in Bogotá, Colombia where a lot of my musical inspiration originates. I come from a family of farmers and musicians and having emigrated to the states at a young age, I always felt the importance of returning to where I came from while also offering a piece of who I became in the time I spent apart. Art has always been a powerful force for reflection and expression for me but music became my medium during my mid-teens. I remember when I first started exploring the folkloric music from Colombia and Latin America as a whole. I was amazed by the topics of discussion in the lyrics, the energy in the rhythms, the way the melodies seemed to mimic nature. I fell in love and I began taking voice lessons and attending cultural events for Indigenous activism in Miami and around the world. I felt that the native people were the gatekeepers to our ancestral memory and identity and as long as music would be a part of my path, it was my responsibility to use my voice to focus on cultural preservation and activism. After a long journey of personal and artistic development, I auditioned for Berklee College of Music where I was awarded a scholarship as a voice principal. There, I began defining my mission a bit more and exploring other styles of music while also refining my skills and a writer and producer. I now teach voice, gig and am in the process of transitioning from Boston (where I have been living the past 4 years) to Miami.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

We are currently living in a world where musicians must mass produce music in order to keep up with the industry standard and in many cases, it’s leading to artists feeling unhappy with the work they’re releasing and its compromising the quality of their craft. Even worse, it’s causing artists to create simply to stay relevant but not out of true passion. This system isn’t designed for the artist, I would even say it’s not designed for the consumer either. It doesn’t benefit a person to be over saturated with content that they become numb to what they listen or see. So how can we be better? I believe having control over our senses is the most revolutionary thing we can do in a world that monetizes our lack of self control. Learning to listen, leaning to be present with the art we engage in. Creating demand for art that heals, provokes, inspires and teaches. Many artists have the capabilities to serve in this way, they just don’t believe it’s something people want and I know that isn’t true. Many people simply don’t have time to look for something that feels good so they settle for what they’re given. Which can feel good but there is power in demanding truth in the arts, both for the artist and consumer.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Many! Music is one of those crafts that ignites our intentions with action, while welcoming the sensitivity in our hearts to guide us towards a better way of life. I came to the states when I was very young but I never forgot about my family in Colombia or where I came from. The life I was able to have here is truly a blessing in so many ways, and now I want to be a bridge for my community back home to have the same opportunities. Short term, I am in the process of preparing to release my first single titled “Coremai”. It is a very special song written by a dear friend of mine, Andrés Cordoba, who is a traditional medic in the Colombian Amazon and wrote it while he was studying with the Cofán tribe. It is in a mixed dialect of Cofán and Spanish and it invokes the spirits of a wellbeing to come and organize our lives. I had the privilege of recording this song live with an orchestra at Berklee College of Music. This song will be released with a number of initiatives to support the Cofán and Inga tribes living in the Colombian Amazon. Long term, I plan on opening a non-profit to be able to help young musicians in Colombia study music and create new resources for their communities. There are many studies that show that there are lower crime rates and lower chances of children falling victim to delinquency in communities where the arts are present and thriving. I believe anything that increases our capacity to love and feel can help us become more compassionate and empathetic, which is exactly what I feel this world is lacking right now.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soundsofnilo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soundsofnilo

Image Credits
Edie Angela Fuertes Andrea Sarcos Andrés Torres