Today we’d like to introduce you to Orlando Mendez.
Orlando, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My love for music and music making began at an early age. I remember, as a kid, I would write catchy jingles for random companies and perform them for my family. One of the first was actually about Tecate beer, which I saw my parents drinking one day and decided to make a tune for. It was so catchy that it caught on between family and friends and is still sung around my house today. As I grew older, I continued to be fascinated with lyrics and the art of lyric writing. I began to write full songs with no music. So, I guess you could call it poetry, but, in my mind, it always had a beat behind it. However, although I tried many times to learn how to play the guitar and the piano, I was never able to catch on. I was left with my lyrics and no music to put them to. That all changed when my cousin, Trism, started producing music/beats of his own. After listening to a couple of his beats, an idea popped into my head: “what if we put our talents together?” I suggested to him that we try doing one recording session and see how it goes. He was open to the idea and said: “let’s do it!” So, we put together a makeshift music studio, with the equipment we both had, and began to record. It was magic since that first session. Our styles seemed to blend extremely well: his beats complimenting my voice and my voice/lyrics giving his beats a special flare. Since then, we have spent hundreds of hours recording together, completely redone our home music studio (purchasing good equipment) and recorded more than 20 songs that we are excited to release. Now, the process of getting that music out to the public is finally underway! Speaking of which, we are very excited to be releasing our debut single, “Miami Girls”, on all streaming platforms, May 24th. We hope to get the city of Miami moving to this 305 inspired Latin/dance song!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Although I have always written lyrics with beats in mind, I never had a way to make them into music. Through many failed attempts, I was never able to grasp the piano or the guitar. I wanted a way to make my lyrics into more than just poetry on a page. That all changed when I learned that my cousin, Trism, produced music and that he was actually damn good at it! We started recording together and now are looking forward to releasing many of our creations.
Another obstacle we have faced is financing. It’s difficult creating good, quality music without a big budget. It takes a ton of money to purchase good equipment and to get your music produced properly with good mixing and mastering. In addition to production, it takes plenty of capital to get art made for your music and promotional photos taken to promote your music. However, from the beginning, we have wanted to do it the right way and not take any shortcuts when it comes to putting out quality work. We’ve both worked side jobs to pay for some of these expenses. I’ve also been extremely blessed to have the family that believes in me and is willing to put money down and fund some of this stuff. They have been monumental in helping this dream of mine come true.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I like to think of myself as a very diverse artist because I produce both Latin dance music as well as r&b. I love to make people think and feel just as much as I love to make them dance. I hope that through the music, people realize that as an artist you don’t have to be one dimensional or stick to one sound/genre. I want to break that mold and make Dito a household name.
How would you describe the type of kid you were growing up?
Since as long as I can remember, I have had a passion for entertaining. That’s why I began to do drama at the age of seven. That love for entertaining never left me and would eventually lead me to get a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Florida. There’s nothing like getting on a stage and putting on a show for people, and I pray that I get the opportunity to do that soon through my music. I know I would put on one hell of a concert.
Contact Info:
- Email: orlandojmendez54@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dito305_official/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dito-382403262364005/?modal=admin_todo_tour
Image Credit:
Photobycaz
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