Let us start in this way " I come from the moon onto Planet Earth ... to light up the darkness through music, film, and innovation". It's from your Facebook account. Well, it seems that there is a hidden magic in your music. Before we get to the subject of your recordings, tell me, how would you describe your own style? What are your biggest musical inspirations?

First of all I would like to thank you very much for your positive interest in Richie Luna and for granting this opportunity of an interview. Your words “hidden magic” describe exactly how I feel when I am creating my music and videos...I want people all around the world to connect with that hidden awesomeness that resonates in the core of their spirits when they see my videos and listen to my audio...creating a magical moment in their heart like never before experienced. I was blessed to grow up as a young kid in the Michael Jackson era. To that degree MJ was the biggest source of my musical and artistic inspiration. Aside from being the greatest performer to ever live...Michael was able to tell a story through each of his musical pieces...most of the time with positive and enlightening messages for a troubled world…for me MJ was the truest artist to ever exist in the industry.

As a kid I would always try to emulate his dance moves in front of the mirror. The foundation for my musical creations are centered on and focused primarily around dance music (electronic pop). It so happens that dance music has become today’s “Rock’n’Roll”...

For me the foundations of dance music contain such a positive energy that it can transform a sad, depressed day into one full of positive celebrations. I want to create a new style of dance music...incorporating totally different melodic approaches and lyrical ideas...inspiring a whole new fusion of emotions through the sound...to tell my own story.

I asked this question because in my opinion your music is multidimensional. It's not so easy to assign it to a specific musical genre. You were born and raised in Trinidad & Tobago. According to an American model Amber Valletta “we are products of our surroundings”. How do you think, whether the fact of our origin, membership in a particular social group, might have an impact on the shaping of our interests, be the source of inspiration? How it is in your case?

Having grown up in Trinidad & Tobago...which happens to be a geographically small island situated in the Caribbean with a population of over 1 million people of distinctly different cultures, religious beliefs, and different ethnicities, have definitely impacted the array of elements that go into my productions. The main genre of music in Trinidad & Tobago is called “Soca / Calypso Music”. Every year the entire country comes to a halt, with thousands of people flying into the country to experience the annual “Carnival Celebrations”. Basically the entire country parties on the streets with massive music trucks, dancing and celebrating to the soca music mainly across the entire city of Port of Spain. Having been able to grow up in the vastness of these cultures, I was able to pull thedifferent aspects from the different areas and combine them into my single pieces of work. The internet has now transformed society into one global village...it is through this new medium that I was able to really get into dance music and start exploring its foundations.

You attended the University of Western Ontario in Canada, where you studied sociology, business administration and psychology. Lots of it. Why did you decide to devote your life to music? I get the impression that it's the only way you can be at peace with yourself, do you agree with that?

You have hit the nail on the head here! When I was a young kid (around 10 years old)...during family wedding events...the DJ would get on the microphone and call my name to get on the dancefloor to perform my dance routine. I would be so afraid...filled with fear...I would try to run and hide...however people in the crowd would make sure to find me and take me onto the floor. As I would step onto the dancefloor...the entire crowd of people would create a circle for me to be in the center. It is at these specific moments where I would release all my fears and inhibitions and dance until I couldn't anymore… The entire crowd of hundreds of people would cheer and chant and dance along with me. As I grew up...i let that light inside of me die out. That’s when I decided to follow societal norms and “go to school and get a job”. During my university years (and right after)...I was not happy...there was something missing in my personal path…I could not find exactly what that was...I was searching to find that Light inside of me once again. That’s when one night...as I was staring up at the dark night sky...a full moon emerged over the mountains...and that’s when it hit me...and I was struck with that Light of my childhood once again… That was the night when I decided to become Richie Luna… That was the night when I started to write my first song.

In 2012 you released your single entitled "Lighting the Way" which won the SongwriterUniverse "Best Song Of The Month" Contest (it was called “The best song of March”). You wrote it along with Kory & Kevon Hart but initially you didn’t want to sing it. Why? What is the message of this song?

“Lighting the Way” was the first ever piece of music that I produced. The song was written alongside Kory and Kevon Hart (extremely talented songwriters from Trinidad). “Lighting the Way” was a very emotional project for me. It was my first ever musical project...it was a time when I was trying to find my own creative direction as an artist...and also trying to find my way in a totally new, unknown, and extremely tricky music industry. It was on that day when I received a call from the team of Machel Montano. Machel Montano is the King of Soca Music in Trinidad & Tobago. They wanted to sign “Lighting the Way” over for a rerecording with Latin Grammy / Billboard Hot 100 Award winning artist Pitbull, and reproduced by DJ Ammo (Black Eyed Peas). This was my first ever musical production and this was all happening. This was when I knew that this was no longer a childhood dream...this was really happening. As awesome as this moment was...it was also an extremely emotional one for me. “Lighting the Way” was supposed to be my initial artist launch song...and now it had all gone away. It was as if I just lost my baby. I was now lost...as I now had to reinvent my creative artistic path...and find a new way for Richie Luna. That’s when...on that special day in the studio…”Celebrate!” (The Call to Light) was born.

"Celebrate (The Call to Light)" is a hit single that captured the hearts of the audience. Five million views of the video teaser published on your official YouTube account makes an impression. What inspired you to record this track? It's not so joyful as it may seem…

As a follow up to the previous question….”Celebrate!” was my “comeback” track. I knew that I needed that special “song” to launch my career once and for all… Now having signed over my first production….I was determined that “this was going to be it...it had to...I could not afford to search any longer”. As “Celebrate!” was written during that extremely emotionally challenging time for me...the song is exactly as you say...it’s not so joyful as one may seem. “Celebrate!” is about the realities of life. Life will not always be poppy happy joyful as you want it to. The reality is that life is full of challenges in which we have to overcome. That’s why you have to feel it..and want to be it...to do things right...and find that time to shine your Light… It’s a song about celebrating the basic things in life that we take for granted on a daily basis… When no matter how sad...bad or depressed of a day you are having...if you can take the time for 3 minutes to celebrate the simple things...that’s when you find the Light inside of you and you will defeat your darkness.

The video for this song will be released on June 13 (Friday) prior to the 2014 World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Could you tell us a bit more about it? What was your idea for its recording?

The world is being taken over by the forces of darkness. There is a global depression...family life has been completely shattered… There are villains of the darkness, whose main intentions are to plunge the entire globe into sadness and negativity to achieve their wicked plan of world domination and control… Shadow Hoodies prowl the city streets and terrorize its citizens...with forced curfews...prohibiting any display of happiness...and banning the sound of music… Richie Luna is coming from the moon to Planet Earth to spark and ignite a celebration revolution through his music and positive energy once and for all...

I’m curious what are your expectations for the launch of this video? Do you think that this song has the potential to become 2014 World Cup unofficial anthem?

My entire career depends on the success of this video launch! (not too much pressure right?) As I am a totally independent, unsigned artist, my future depends on each successful moment in my career...and this for me is the ultimate moment. All official songs for the World Cup 2014 have already been selected and released. As much as we hoped and dreamed for…”Celebrate!” is not on that list. We truly believed that “Celebrate!” could be the official anthem as it packed a massive chanting chorus line which has a Universal sound that can break down the global language barrier through the positive celebratory emotions felt while listening to it. The reality is that is not the case. Therefore it is now up to the People of the World to determine if “Celebrate!” will be The People’s Anthem of the World Cup 2014 and beyond!

Now, what motivates your actions makes you still enjoy creating music? You fulfill yourself in what you love. That's everybody's dream. 

Being able to tell a story through my music in which people can positively connect and resonate with...to hopefully lighten up their day...put a smile on their face...make them once again believe in themselves and their Light…that keeps me going! My music must have a purpose. Each musical production will be a unique story...each synopsis being connected to the next...similar to a movie series. I want to be able to tell my story to the world...the story of Richie Luna. I do hope that the world accepts and supports my offer.

What are your plans for the coming months? When can we expect your album?

My future plans all depend on the success of the official launch of the music video for “Celebrate”! Given that outcome...I will quickly release the follow up music single / music video...and then work on completing my Official EP.

Famous French poet Victor Hugo said that “music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent”. And what music means to you? Can you imagine your life without it?

Life without music is not life at all. Music helped me get through some of my most personal challenges in life. Music is the Universal Language of Love and Light. It transcends geographical boundaries without having to use words to do so... Imagine that a simple strike of a chord can send the world into a state of sadness or joy… Isn’t that extremely powerful?

Thank you for your time. I wish you health and many further successes. Take care.

Thank you very much also...I greatly appreciate your interest and interview...and wish you all the positive and happy moments in life filled with awesome celebrations! Love + Light.

Journalist: Kamil Mroziński