Amateur producer and songwriter ErickOscar has quietly built an impressive catalog of nearly 1,200 songs, blending love, faith, and hope across genres from Country to Bachata. In this interview, he opens up about his songwriting process, his bilingual approach to music, and the personal story behind his latest work.
1. For those who don’t know you yet, could you briefly introduce yourself as ErickOscar in a couple of lines?
I was born in Panama and moved to the United States 35 years ago; I became an American Citizen and have been blessed to visit or live in most of the countries in Latin America. All of that has exposed me to music from many different places.
2. How did your father influence you to pursue this path in music? What’s the earliest childhood memory that comes to mind when you think about this?
My father was a professional singer who exposed me to Ballads and love songs. I remember waking up every weekend to Armando Manzanero’s love songs.
3. Before becoming an amateur producer, were you focused solely on songwriting? When and why did you decide to start bringing your lyrics to life through production?
Yes, I have been playing acoustic guitar with my church worship band for 30 years and writing songs. Three months ago, I learned how to use music production software to add music to my lyrics and learned how to bring emotion to the words. It is an amazing feeling!
4. Do you have a sense of how many songs you’ve written by now, and what themes tend to show up most in your writing?
I have written hundreds of songs – my best guess is close to 1,200 songs or ideas for a song. I am a romantic at heart, and I am rooted in deep Christian faith, so my themes are typically a combination of love, hope, and faith – I like songs with substance that touch the heart.
5. What’s your current music-making process like? Are you still using your acoustic guitar? Can you walk us through it step by step?
My process starts with choosing a theme; with that, I choose a song. I edit the lyrics so that they flow. I then produce the music. Yes, I still play and use my acoustic guitars in my music.
6. You’ve released quite a few albums this year, can you tell us about the musical styles you’ve explored in your latest tracks?
Yes, I have released 5 albums so far. Since I am bilingual, I can create music in both English and Spanish.
In English, I love Country music, Ballads, and Christian/inspirational music. In Spanish, I love Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Reggaeton, and Vallenato. I also like doing some songs in Spanglish because they touch my heart.
7. You recently released ‘Till We Turn Grey.’ Can you tell us the inspiration behind this material and what album you’re planning to release next?
The inspiration was my beautiful wife. She has an amazing heart. One day I was inspired to write lyrics expressing my desire to grow old with her. Next, I am releasing an album titled ‘Hold The Light,’ also inspired by my wife.
She suffers from an autoimmune disorder that is painful and frustrating, as doctors typically have not been able to help her, so it has been a painful journey. The song titled “Hold The Light” is an honest description of the painful journey that patients suffering from an illness go through, ultimately choosing to hang on to hope to push through.
8. A lot of people in society demonize the use of artificial intelligence in music-making. How do you respond to that criticism?
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. AI is changing so many industries, and it is up to us (humans) to leverage AI to make things better.
9. Is there a song of yours that means more to you than the others? What’s the story behind it?
My first released song, titled “Live, Learn, And Love Without Regrets,” is special because I took my lifelong, daily prayer asking God to teach me how to love, and I wrote lyrics that touch my heart. I listened to that song every morning – it helps me to keep my bearings straight.
10. Finally, what part of yourself do you think you’re still discovering through the songs you write?
I am learning that music touches the heart and the soul in a way that nothing else can. The key is to find the right words and lyrics and then find the right music to bring the words to life in emotion.
CONNECT WITH ERICKOSCAR
Hi, I’m Erick Ycaza — a music blogger with a BA in Advertising & Graphic Design. I created this blog to keep you updated with daily music news. Surprisingly, I’ve been writing about music since 2007. If you’re an artist and would like to be featured, feel free to reach out: info@electrowow.net
