Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
Born and raised in San Francisco, Sergio Lialin exhibits a natural ease with life’s journey. It was in 5th grade at the Star of the Sea grammar school that he first picked up an acoustic guitar. He took lessons and played for a few years, but like many young students of music, Sergio lost interest in the guitar for many years until somewhere in his early 30s, when he stepped back into playing, and, this time, with some life-lessons under his belt, began writing love songs to the women in his life.
His travels around the world and interest in many cultures eventually led him to the sacred medicine circles of the Brazilian Amazon, a journey which he describes, with a grin, as “mandatory” and one to which he attributes his sense of well being.
It was there, that one day in Brazil, when the leader of the journey group asked if anyone had a song to sing did Sergio realize that he wanted to write a song and sing it in the circle. His first attempt wasn’t very successful. “I basically forgot how to play when I was called on to sing. I barely began the song, then apologized “for failing” and went back to my seat. I was filled with shame for hours.”
“But the following week I tried again, and this time I sang the whole song. Off-key, but I did it!”
Having pushed through it once, through that all-too-familiar fear of performing live, he now had the sense that if he did it once, he could do it again, and through the years, he continued to write and sing in the medicine circles
Inspired by his roots in american folk music, by sacred medicine songs, and by the mystical tones of mantras and sound healing, Sergio magically weaves sounds from around the world into a beautiful palette for voice and instruments. Sergio has devoted his life to uplifting and healing the spirit through music.
Of Russian descent, California-based singer-songwriter Sergio N Lialin released his first album in 2016. Titled Siempre, Mi Amor, it translates to mean Always, My Love.
He began singing and playing songs in ceremonial circles in the rainforests of South America. These songs are referred to as medicine songs: sung to heal the heart, lift the spirit, and bless the earth. They are love songs to the Sacred Feminine.
In the ceremonial circle they might have been played just with a guitar or a shaker. Since he has expanded their sound to include violin, cello, bass and keys, he has created a new genre for them: Nouveau Medicina (#nouveaumedicina), mixing french and spanish to represent the new medicine-song style.
Siempre, Mi Amor was born out of these ceremonies in the Amazon rainforest: in Peru, Colombia and Brazil; journeys that began some 20 years ago, and coalesced last year in the recording studio.
These medicine songs have rhythmic melodies, poetic, up-lifting lyrics, soothing vocals, and (mostly) acoustic instruments arranged to make sweet, prayerful compositions bridging spiritual practices from the four corners with a universal message of truth.
The songs infuse heart-felt lyrics with warm, toe-tapping musical arrangements, “…to be change-agents for the people, to promote higher consciousness, and a positive effect on humanity.”
After playing songs in ceremony, Sergio was often asked if he had cds for sale. Last year he was inspired to finally go into the recording studio. He worked with musicians from many different countries to get the right sound for each track. A total of 14 months in the studio. All of the songs have a sing-along element to them. One song has both spanish and english verses. Another song weaves in a Sanskrit mantra. Yet another has a chorus sung in Portuguese. These songs seem to appeal to children as well as adults.
His dream is to weave these medicine songs into people’s lives that maybe haven’t been touched by spiritual awakening, that they be blessed by the healing power of the vibration of music.
He is currently working on a second cd.
