“I linked up with Felix at my home studio this past summer,” he said. “He played me a few instrumental ideas he had been working on and this one track, in particular, jumped out. It had that dance vibe and the ‘head nod’ factor. We started to talk about lyrical ideas and subject matter based on the vibes and sounds in the instrumental.”
He continued, “We both came up with this idea about the duality of this end of the world/apocalyptic-like vibe and simultaneously people are out in the streets partying like its literally their last day on earth. Once the lyrics were done we recorded my vocals and vocoders. Felix did some minor tweaks and then the track was complete.”
On his plans for the future, Santana said, “I have many plans for the future. To continue working on my music. Producing writing and composing my own music, for other artists, and scoring for film and television. Also, to continue my social justice and philanthropic work. My goal is to continue to uplift, touch lives, and impact the world.”
When asked about his first impressions meeting DJ Felix, he said, “My first impressions about working on ‘Panic Mode’ with Felix were dope. I had a blast and always enjoy collaborating with dope artists like Felix because we get to creatively challenge and push ourselves as artists to be better than we were the day before.”
On his musical inspirations, he said, “There are so many things that inspire me and my music. It can be something visual like a sunrise. Or a melody I’ll hear in my dreams. It can even be inspired by social issues that are happening right now and even ones not reported by mainstream media. Whatever the case may be, I know that whenever creative inspiration strikes I gotta be ready for it. If it’s raining ideas I gotta make sure I’ve got my bucket to capture as many ideas as I can and also make sure that there isn’t a hole in the bucket. ”
Digital transformation of the music business
On the impact of technology on the music business, Santana said, “I believe technology in many ways has not only changed but also evolved along with and because of the music industry. The challenge for many artists and people in the industry has been how to keep up with the pace of the evolution.”
Regarding his use of technology in his daily routine, Santana said, “There are so many ways now to creatively include and use technology in music. As a keyboardist, my instrument is already technological. Also, the devices, programs, and software I use to write record and edit my music, and now the way we listen and share our music.”
Santana listed Herbie Hancock as their dream collaboration choice. “That would be a dream come true,” they said.
For their fans and listeners, Santana concluded about “Panic Mode,” “Fans and party people, go check out, download, and listen to ‘Panic Mode’ that is available now on all streaming platforms. I hope everyone enjoys listening to ‘Panic Mode’ as much as Felix and I had fun creating it. Thank you to everyone who already vibed out to it. Also, thank you again and shout out to Felix on the collaboration. Much love and peace.”
To learn more about Salvador Santana and his music, check out his official website.
