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local Saturday 4 February 2023
Aymar Torres, a happy musician “because I do what I love”

ORANJESTAD – He is an tourists have more to en-
Aruban musician living in joy.”
the Netherlands, and when
he gets on stage, he shows Aymar also points out that
the Latin blood inside him, some people question the
delighting the audience work of a musician. “There
with catchy songs from dif- are still people with the be-
ferent countries like Brazil, lief that music is a hobby,
Colombia, Venezuela and but if you give people a
the Caribbean. chance to see it more like a
job, more people in Aruba
In an interview with our re- will improve in music, there
porter, Aymar says that he will be better musicians
chose Latin rhythms be- that can perform abroad
cause in the Netherlands and living in Aruba. This is
there are not many artists true for all artists, like paint-
performing the music from ers, artisans, fashion design-
the old days, like Bolero or ers, among others.”
Trio Los Panchos. For this
reason he decided to do Aymar also says that he
this, since he sings in differ- is a fan of many artists, lo-
ent languages like Spanish, cal and international, and
Portuguese, French and here he announced that
Italian. “This way people he wants to collaborate
get more of the feeling that with beloved Aruban sing-
they are in the past and in joy, but in the Netherlands I er, Edjean Semeleer. He is
their country as well,” he can play more music that is planning and is busy with
says. played here,” he says. something to sing with him.
“But since I had my son, I
In one word, he describes Aruba has a lot of talent took a pause from writing
himself as “happy, be- in the cultural, creative and composing songs. This
cause I do what I love. I let and artistic industry, but year I will start again with
people live their lives and I sometimes do not receive my own songs.”
don’t live with envy.” enough support from our
own community. Aymar Finalizing, he leaves as a
He has been living in the commented: “People message for people to sup-
Netherlands for 16 years need to take musicians port the youth in music and
already, and he dedicates and artists in general seri- art of any category. “Push
his time to his six-month old ously. Some of them are those who do want to go
baby, his partner who will not doing this job as a hob- into music, help them and
soon become his wife, his by but they live from it. Also stop seeing music as just a
music lessons three times a the government can help hobby,” he says.
week, and his shows. see the musicians and art- For more information, you
Manuel is their first child. He ists more like a real worker, can find Aymar on social
says that together with his continued improving my- compared to the Dutch, a public servant, because media as “Aymar Music.”q
partner they are learning a self.” because they know the they are also important
lot from him. Torres himself is music already. “If I play for our tourism. It would Images are courtesy of Aymar
“attending father school”, Regarding the difference songs other than what be good if we mix the art- himself.
and every day he makes between performing in the they are used to, they en- ists with tourism so that the
sure to dedicate a lot of Netherlands or Aruba, Tor-
time to his child and play- res explains that there is
ing music for him, since the no differnce, since “I am
first years are very impor- always myself as an art-
tant for a child’s develop- ist. It doesn’t matter what
ment. country you go, you stay
yourself and with the show
Torres mentions that since you created, if you change
he was very young he de- something it’s going to feel
cided to sing. He was a fan weird. What I do change
of Shakira and liked watch- is my repertoire [when I’m
ing television, there was a in Aruba], because I know
show on a Venezuelan TV that many in Aruba do
channel called “Club de know the songs. Like when
los Tigritos”, which was very I play Juan Luis Guerra,
famous among children there are other artists who
and teenagers in the 90s for also play Juan Luis Guerra,
the series of Salserin. “I grew so I try playing a different
up with all those artists and I song than what you al-
wanted to become a sing- ready hear in Aruba.”
er like them. Then I learned
singing when I was 16, and But the audience in Aruba
took it more seriously and is different, more difficult