COSIMO THE DIAMOND OF BACHATA: A BALSAM FOR THE SOUL.
More than a year after the release of the single “Volveras,” the young singer-dancer and songwriter of bachata and Latin American music Cosimo Esposito — aka “The Diamond of Bachata” — returns with a new single. I am talking about his new production “Esta bachata,” an engaging, dynamic track, rich in elements aimed at warding off the idyll of a pandemic that has immeasurably disrupted the most diverse sectors: from the economy to tourism, up to the world of art and entertainment, landscapes in which the young Salerno artist has always stood out, enjoying considerable success worldwide. Known in Russia, Turkey, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, and many other European countries, his music is available on all digital stores and has already climbed several Latin music charts. Unfortunately, in a climate of stalemate and perpetual restrictions, it can happen to go through a moment of crisis.
“I had almost thought about quitting” — the artist says in one of his recent interviews — “the pandemic had almost made all my dreams and ambitions vanish, and above all I missed the desire to share my emotions and songs with the audience.”
However, Cosimo does not give up and decides to get back on track with his new single, singing — once again — about love. Yes, because love represents the only tool for retribution and liberation within a venal world, often steeped in superficiality and frivolity. A world that needs to overturn schemes, transcend barriers and walls, but above all to inaugurate a path of rebirth, easing the restlessness caused by the impact of the pandemic and the subsequent collapse. And in this, Cosimo, through his new song (anything but frivolous), succeeds brilliantly: in fact, “Esta bachata” has reached more than 135,000 views in a few weeks and, thanks to a myriad of shares, it is already danced worldwide.
With an overwhelming, never predictable sound, but above all full of twists and turns, “Esta bachata” is definitely the best way to say “Here I am again among you, I’m back!” With a fully danceable leitmotif, it tells of a reciprocated love, at times indecipherable, where the uncertainty of the future — a characteristic of the pandemic period — is faithfully reproduced, combined with an almost physiological need to express one’s passions through music, dance, singing, and art. In fact, within the track, the young artist narrates how sometimes existential doubts or the fear of a new disappointment can be swept away through dialogue, trust, or as in this case, thanks to dance.
Yes, because dance — especially Caribbean dance — is union, energy, fusion, passion, eroticism, a constant search for the other through movement. It is precisely thanks to this “imprint” that every question will find its answers. And the lyrics confirm it: “Cuando bailo contigo esta bachata, no me falte nada, me hace feliz. Cuando bailo contigo esta bachata, espero que il tiempo ya se pare.”
An exotic, burning, never homogeneous bachata that reflects in its emphasis the need for a sincere and free love, as much as the immeasurable desire to express it through movement. A mix of styles narrated in an original, renewed, never predictable way, totally exempt from the rigid script adopted by many Latin singers. It is no coincidence that the artist’s choice was to insert between one verse and another more sparkling moments, during which one can have fun with some pasitos, also replicable in solo by one or more dancers. Cosimo’s approach is not just a reason circumscribed to dance, but the reproduction of love itself; more specifically, the representative idea of a healthy relationship: leaving each other for a moment and then taking back — keeping one’s individuality intact — convinced that whatever happens, by our side we will always find the person we love to lend us a hand and sing love.
I will never stop emphasizing how much this artist has decisively contributed to my rebirth, following a long and troubled period of abuse and violence. I remember that I had the chance to speak with him for the first time just over a year ago, and the first impression he gave me was that of a young artist undoubtedly talented, but also able to convey familiarity and genuineness just through words. Yes, because nowadays it is rare to be able to approach artists in a way that is not strictly formal, friendly, or completely detached from the “artist/fan” dichotomy, where most of the time the artist is on their golden podium while the fan inevitably ends up playing a passive, listless, and decidedly subordinate role compared to their idol.
Well, with Cosimo I did not experience such a gap. It was like being at home. Being originally from Naples, I don't know if it was because of his Neapolitan accent or his immeasurable sweetness, but what he conveyed to me goes beyond any bland and traditional interaction I had with other artists in the last ten years. I must admit I have met several, yet the reason always ended up being the same: “Ij song artista, tu nun si nisciuno.”
Cosimo stands out, emerges, and with unusual humility, manages to manifest his talent without devaluing or depreciating his beloved fans: people who, thanks to his art, manage to find the stimulus to cope with a life that hasn’t always been good to them. For a long time, not even with me.
It happens that when you are a victim of violence — especially such insidious violence as Revenge Porn — you not only find yourself fighting against your perpetrators but also with a vile process of re-victimization generally perpetrated against those who suffer. Due to macho and archaic cultural legacies, you are labeled as “an easy girl” or “a crazy woman seeking notoriety” and many other not exactly flattering or appropriate epithets for a woman who has been violated and who is desperately trying with all her strength to rebuild her identity by publicly reporting the bitter incident.
I had lost my job, the affection of my closest friends — who were even ashamed to greet me — acquaintances, and all those people for whom, until a moment before, I was a point of reference. Sometimes I would go out on the street and be sexually harassed or maybe meet people who would not hesitate to mock me by simulating sexual acts as I passed by. Just enough time to remind me that I was the cause of my own mistakes; that I was the sole and only responsible for the violence suffered. Paradoxically, I must admit that the mask was for me a protection, a shelter, for some time.
Until he arrived, Cosimo — el diamante de la Bachata. I remember in particular one occasion when a group of fellow townspeople started laughing at me, pouring on me all the malice they were capable of. At that moment, instead of crying or running away, I decided to protect myself with a pair of headphones and start the player, playing one of my favorite tracks by Cosimo, “Sentidos”:
“Y no me importa la gente, envidiosa y eloquente. No importa la gente que habla y que mente.”
I felt a powerful shiver run through me that, in complete unconsciousness, silenced every voice, grin, or laugh behind my back. Thanks to Cosimo’s notes, everything took on a different shape, a different color. And it is precisely on those notes that I decided to rewrite my life; notes which, along with the support and love of my family, allowed me to rise from the ashes and give life to a new literary project.
On one side, there was the public opinion attacking me, on the other, there was Cosimo who with his notes gave me the stimulus to fight such meanness.
On one side, there was my community urging me to suicide, on the other side of the player, there was him, ready to remind me through his songs that it was time to live again.
On one side, I was harassed to the limits of the unspeakable, on the other, there was always him who with his art returned the keys of my freedom to me.
The violence I suffered over the years destroyed a large part of my life: unknowingly, I had become what others said I was. Thanks to the music and support of this great artist — definitely not a fan of pedestals, but a poet of love and life — I became what I had always wanted to be. They say that to fulfill a dream you need saints in heaven, but sometimes it’s enough to look into a diamond to find the strength to realize it yourself. And this, Cosimo knows... ❤💎
The song’s video is available on the young artist’s YouTube channel here https://youtu.be/H_OUQ8Dt8CE
Ilaria Di Roberto
