What will the hundreds of thousands of young people sing when they gather this coming January in Panama to participate in World Youth Day? Yes, although you might not believe it: reggaeton!
On December 12, the song “Aquí Estoy” was presented in Vatican City. The song was written specifically so that the young men and women who will gather for the encounter with Pope Francis can pray, sing, and dance to their favorite rhythm.
The song is an initiative of the Fundación Ramón Pané, whose president, Ricardo Grzona, got together with Colombian singer-songwriter Iván Díaz, who lives in Miami, and famous priest Rob Galea, living in Australia, to create this musical composition that transcends categories.
“We want to touch the hearts of young people using their own language and contagious rhythm,” explains Ricardo Grzona. “The new evangelization consists precisely in this: presenting the eternal message of God’s love, in formats and in languages that can fill young people with enthusiasm.”
Father Robert (“Rob”) Galea (Malta, 1981), who participated in “The X Factor” in Australia, the country where he now lives, and who had already sung the World Youth Day hymn at the event in Sydney in 2011, contacted Colombian singer-songwriter Iván Díaz, who is well known in the United States and Latin America, asking him to compose a song with a very clear goal: to win over more young people.
The song was co-produced in Miami by Iván Díaz, author of the song “
,” official hymn of the V National Encuentro of Hispanic/Latino Ministry, organized by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and by recording engineer Shafik Palis, who has won various Latin Grammys in his category.The song can be heard on many digital streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Google Play, and YouTube, among others.
The Fundación Ramón Pané (www.fundacionpane.org), in collaboration with the organizers of the World Youth Day (www.panama2019.pa), which will be held on January 22-27, 2019, is building a theme park called Cristonautas, with a prayer room where “Aquí Estoy” will be playing.
The title is inspired in the words of the Virgin Mary, who upon receiving from the archangel the news that she would be the Mother of the Savior, answered with these words: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38)
These same words are the motto that Pope Francis has chosen for this World Youth Day.
You can watch and share the music video of the song “Aquí Estoy” on:
And today we celebrate...