The Corrido of LA, hosted by LACMA and USC, is a centennial celebration of the Mexican Revolution. A songwriting contest was part of the festivities. Seventh through Twelfth grade Los Angeles students were asked to compose a corrido, or ballad song, about their city. On December 18th, WriteGirl mentee Lyla M. was invited to perform the song she submitted, “Dreaming of a City” on stage with Ozomatli.
Watch Lyla perform her song:
Below is my interview with Lyla inspired by WriteGirl’s Journalism and Creative Non-Fiction workshop:
What is the name of your award?
The Corrido of L.A.
Organized by LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Arts)
What is the name of your winning piece?
Dreaming of a City
Where did you hear about the opportunity to submit?
I first heard about the competition through my mom, but then I saw it in one of the WriteGirl handouts, and that’s when I decided to start writing the song.
What about the contest made you want to submit?
Well the fact that I got to play with Ozomatli was a really big deal, because I had grown up listening to them. But also I wanted to see what people would think of my music and get some feedback.
How long did it take to write your song?
Honestly, it took somewhere around 15 to 20 minutes.
What is your writing process like?
First I start with finding a place where I can really relax and have some peace and quiet. The chords, which are the base of the song, come next. Then I just play the chords and let the lyrics come to me. I probably have at least 2 or 3 variations of a song, it really all depends. Sometimes I’ll have a first draft and be satisfied, but other times, I’ll keep on going ’til I find what sounds right. But for this song in particular, I went through it about 5 times and got some feedback from friends.
What inspires you?
Everything. The truth is that if you look hard enough, inspiration can be found anywhere and everywhere.
What’s your favorite kind of music to listen to?
I like to listen to every type of music. Anything from reggae to classical and from country to techno. I think that the more you expand your horizons, the more you can understand and learn.
What’s your favorite kind of style to write music in?
I like to write rock/folk music. But I also write some pop and once in a while some blues/jazz and even rap.
What did you win?
I won the opportunity to perform a song I wrote with Ozomatli.
What was it like to perform with Ozomatli?
It was amazing, exciting, and most of all, eyeopening.
Did anything about working with them surprise you?
What surprised me the most was that they picked up my song so fast. Sure, they are professional musicians, but they not only knew what to play, they understood the vibe of the song! It was just amazing to be able to perform with someone of their caliber. This is an experience I will never forget.
If you could perform with any artist, living or dead, who would you like to collaborate with?
I would like to collaborate with 3 people: Jimmy Hendrix, Bob Marley, and Freddie Mercury.
