There’s an international world of children’s music out there and Colombian-born artist Nathalia Palis is striving to explore all those colors and flavors with her fifth collection of original songs, Mil Colores (A Thousand Colors). Kids will appreciate the crips arrangements and danceable beats, while parents will appreciate the lyrics (to translate the mix of English and Spanish).
Stressing the “kids are the same world over” theme, Nathalia joyfully and expressively helps younger listeners connect those dots towards commonality on “Let’s Go to the Beach.” No doubt adults will find themselves humming “Unplug and Play,” which delivers a litany of real-world activities for children to immerse themselves, especially the vaxxed and social ones. “Suenos Y Deseos” is a gentle lullaby, with an instrumental reprise to further settle the tykes.
There are more complex concepts than playtime on Mil Colores. Nathalia commemorates legendary painter Frida Kahlo on “Frida Pinta” (make sure to search for the former on Google, not the actress with the similar name of the latter). “Arcoîris En Mi Corazon” discusses the power of owning ones emotions. “Nina Poeta” explores the triumph of personal expression through poetry, with shoutouts to literary figures including Gabriela Mistral, Rupi Kaur, and Julia de Burgos. But the heart of Mil Colores is “Tu Y Yo,” which breaks down (and breaks through) a variety of things that divide people, then reminds kids that it’s what’s inside that matters:
You and me, we’re different, you and me
But inside we’re alike
Because our hearts beat just the same
You and me, we’re different, you and me
But inside we’re alike
Because our hearts beat just the same
Nature versus nurture is at the heart of Mil Colores – you can teach your children to love music, even if they don’t know exactly what the words mean. It’s the thought, the heart, and the sincerity that make it a special experience. And Nathalia brings all of those to the forefront with Mil Colores.
Mil Colores is available from Nathalia’s website, Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
Here is the video featuring a medley of the songs on Mil Colores:
