Raul Midon's World Within a World

Blind Musican Cites Latin, Soul, Jazz Influences

Raul Midon is a New Mexico-born, New York-based writer/vocalist/guitarist who - after opening for the likes of Shakira and Julio Iglesias - released his most recent album A World Within A World, which he has been promoting on his current world tour. Video courtesy of CBS.

My latest album is A World Within A World. My world right now is New York City. I live in midtown Manhattan, though I was born in New Mexico and went from there to Miami. I moved to New York for the music scene. I had toured with Shakira, Julio Iglesias and I didn't want to be a background singer anymore.

An artist has to connect with his or her own identity and then transmit that identity to the audience, whereas when you're a professional musician, it's about being competent, you're a musician for hire to the highest bidder. An artist takes sort of a hard line and comes to the audience on his own terms.

The mainstream music scene's become about everything other than music; it's about celebrity and “Have you been arrested?' Have you been shot?" It's not important for me to classify my music. There are soul elements, pop elements, Latin elements, jazz elements, so it may be hard for my music to resonate in the mainstream.

Being compared to other musicians is inevitable. I've been compared to India Arie and Stevie Wonder, for example, and I like both artists. I'm a blind musician, but that doesn't make it any easier or make me more talented. I've been blind from birth. A World Within A World refers to Bembererana a dream-inspired childhood game that we played by naming places in our valley after cities of the world.

Using my mouth to make the sound of a trumpet came out of an interest in jazz improvisation and in using my voice, not only to express lyrics, but as an instrument. I've performed with trumpet players and you have to make sure that it's in tune and the articulation is on etc. I think some people are born with a natural gift for music, but never develop their talent because their parents didn't recognize or encourage it, and then there are other people who weren't gifted but go far because they're encouraged to develop the talent they do have. It's impossible to unravel that. I think struggle is a part of everything and everyone's life. I don't know if artists struggle any more than anyone else, but artists can put that into their work.

Peace on Earth and State of Mind

I'm not a political artist in an overt way, but I don't make it any secret that I'm not for the war and never have been. In the song Peace On Earth, I talk about our interconnectedness and war and peace. In my song State Of Mind, the lyrics say, "I'm just a man trying to find a reason why I stand." I was put on the earth to do exactly what I'm doing. Of course there are setbacks, there are great moments, but it's all you can do.