Talent on Tap – Delon Om And BenAnthony Lavoz Take it There 1 More Time

Music has the power to bring people together at a time when we’ve had to stay away, for our protection. We find ourselves dancing in our homes, in the shower, in the car or any place else that’s safe from other bodies. It’s a bizarre concept, but this has become our reality. It’s not a religious thing, like Footloose… its about social distancing because of a deadly virus.

That was then and this is now… the population is getting their vaccines and everything is opening up, including places with lots of bodies, a dance floor and great music. Aren’t you tired of falling in the shower, getting caught dancing by yourself in front of the window and that car isn’t built for dancing. Good music is back, new music is back and fusion music is the nectar of the gods – blended, shaken then poured over ice. Bringing the Latin heat to the Toronto city vibe is exactly what happens in 1 More Time. A new track from Latin music artist, BenAnthony teaming up with Toronto musician, music producer and former Canadian Idol contestant, Delon Om to create 1 More Time. The track will be blowing up speakers, setting off alarms, earning points with the ladies and getting everyone up to shake and jive like we used to.

Hopefully people haven’t forgotten to dance in a crowd or with a partner and it’ll be like riding a bike… in first gear. When I heard this new track, I immediately envisioned the bright lights of a night club, the beach with people celebrating their freedoms and a lot of well-deserved smiles… we’ve rounded the corner and we’ve got the finish line in our sights. 1 More Time brings it in a time when we need it the most.

Canadian Latin Pop sensations, Delon Om and BenAnthony Lavoz released 1 More Time. Om and Lavoz wanted a single that fans would play over and over again. The kind of song that stays in your head and 1 More Time is that song. Delon Om, a former Canadian Idol contestant, is a Toronto musician and music producer signed to Ultra Records. Om has produced music for many artists and collaborated with the likes of DJ Alex Gaudino. The talented artist took the stage at the Caribbean Hall Of Fame Awards where he performed his #1 hit single, ‘What We Guh Do Now’, featuring Juno nominated Trinity Chris. Om’s next single, ‘Someone Special To Me’ was featured in the critically acclaimed documentary ‘This is for Toronto.’ Delon Om is here to stay.

BenAnthony Lavoz has had the attention of the Latin music industry for a long time. The Toronto native has performed with artists Prince Royce, Nicky Jam, Bad Bunny and Ozuna. The hit single ‘Love What You Do’ was the beginning of the artist’s meteor-like rise. Lavoz has performed at World Youth Day, the Latin Grammys and Miami’s Calle Ocho, where he took home Latin Artist of The Year Award. The passionate artist is a two-time Canadian Latin Music Award winner for the hit single El Norte, celebrating the Toronto Raptors NBA Championship and his home city.

Combining the passion and power of these two artists, ‘1 More Time’ has secured a place for Delon Om and BenAnthony Lavoz on our summer playlist and a seat at the Latin Music table.

‘1 More Time’ is available on all major platforms…. Let Summer begin!!

Listen to 1 More Time:

https://open.spotify.com/track/4VCwlNa83dIZgmIL4swdCy?si=ab7fffde5b764827

I had the time of my life talking to these two. It was fun, inspiring, playful, energetic, musical. I could go on and on, or I can roll the tape!

HNMAG “I love this new track. It feels so fresh and full of positive oxygen! How did you both come to collaborate on this track together?”

DELON “It was either a mistake or it was preordained. I met Ben last year when he was stuck in Canada because of the Covid-19 lockdown. We’d worked with the same producer for over 5 years but our paths had never crossed. My producer called me a year ago to say that there’s a pandemic out there, let’s take these lemons and make lemonade. I tell him, ‘why not?’ I head down to the studio and I write the music to my part but then it struck me that in times like these – we need to be reminded of the love of humanity and coming together as a people to celebrate life, diversity and love. That’s when I asked, where’s that guy BenAnthony and what is he up to? The producer was excited about it and said it could work! I DM’d Ben on Instagram and he never responded. But then my girlfriend DM’d him and he responded to her.”

BENANTHONY “What can I say, I’m a busy man… but I’m never too busy for the women (group laugh).”

DELON “I thought he was hitting on my girlfriend but then he finally responded and sent me this long heartfelt voice message saying he loved the song and wanted to work together.”

BENANTHONY “The song that has just come to fruition is different from the other song that Delon and I were doing a remix on. The producer is one of the top Latin producers in Canada, Sensei Musica. He’s a Juno winner and Latin Grammy nominee. He worked on the remix, and when he sent me the song – I said to Delon, ‘is this the song that we’re supposed to be doing?’ He had sent the producer the wrong song (laughing).”

DELON “But this guy is fabulous! He’s worked on songs that have been in the Fast n’ Furious, he’s worked with Grammy nominated artists. It was a humbling and surreal experience.”

HNMAG “How did you get hooked up with him?”

BENANTHONY “That comes along with the package. I’m pretty established in the Latin community. I don’t really do music in English, but I got stuck in Canada, so I’m gonna have to adapt. Spanish music can only go so far… they don’t even have a Latin music category in the Junos. Delon had the perfect verse and we both saw the goal – let’s go for this Juno.”

HNMAG “This song strikes such a beautiful balance between the Latin heat and the North American city vibe! Was it difficult to strike that balance?”

DELON “I’m going on record as saying, I underestimated the craft. As a solo artist and musician, I tend to approach things in a one-dimensional way. I wrote it, I composed it and said to myself – insert BenAnthony right here, insert chorus right here, insert bridge… but that’s not how it works, and I learned that from him. I’m a better musician and a better man, for that lesson from BenAnthony.”

BENANTHONY “I think the first couple of stabs we took at it, it seemed like we were on the same page… insert myself here. As I got to know him better, I wanted to give him that real taste… let’s really fuse this, let’s make these transitions beautiful, add in some Spanglish. It also entailed me being together with him; if we’re going to create music together, I need to know who he is so I can transpose that into our music.”

DELON “Hence Mojito Wednesdays. Every Wednesday we meet and sometimes we don’t even work, sometimes we just talk and listen to each other’s music, we’ll watch movies and it helps to get into each other’s headspace.”

HNMAG “Does that help to generate inspiration?”

DELON “There’s not one week that I don’t leave Ben’s place without 3-4 voice notes on my phone. It was eye-opening for me because, as a solo musician I’m a bit of a Lone-Ranger, where I just do my own thing but having a brotherhood like this, is the most rewarding thing I could walk away with.”

BENANTHONY “He’s got a busy lifestyle as a professor and the youngest Dean of Centennial College. When he arrives, he’s taking off the layers of being a professor (laughing).”

HNMAG “Do you enjoy multitasking, Delon?”

DELON “Being a professor and pursuing a music career is challenging but it’s also rewarding. I get to infuse my identity, as an educator, as a researcher, as a global citizen.”

BENANTHONY “I didn’t think he’d be able to pull it off but he was actually so committed and really dedicated himself enough to juggle them both and I really admired that.”

HNMAG “Considering that you work so well together, is there more music that you have created together?”

DELON “Absolutely, we are coming out with an album this year. It’s going to be a worldly album of half Spanish, half English. Each song is composed with intentionality, humility and sheer artistry. It’s very intentional because we want to submit to the Polaris Music Prize in Canada and for a Juno nomination.”

HNMAG “How long has the track been out?”

DELON/BENANTHONY “About a month/not even a month. We shot a video for it last week and it should be out this week. It will be out by the summer.”

HNMAG “Do you anticipate this song hitting the radio?”

DELON “From your lips to God’s ears. We’re putting in the effort and we’re going to make a claim for it.”

BENANTHONY “The original version that we released in March had radio play. There’s no doubt in my mind, given the traction and with people like Sasha Stoltz and Hollywood North Magazine, it’ll make it again. It also got airplay on CBC’s Searchlight. That was for the original version, which we’d like to play for you now.”

With Delon on guitar, making it hum, until … his vocals ease in like a wafting fragrance from a flower garden. BenAnthony opens his mouth and sweet Latin gold pours out. I had a front row sweet to royalty at its best. Completely unplugged and organic… If you’d like to hear this undressed and unwrapped gift of music, please visit our Hollywood North Magazine Youtube channel. It’s going to be living in your head for a while, spoiler alert. A spontaneous performance and a very first for me on a Zoom interview. I wish every interview with a music artist had a live performance because this one is at the top of them all. Thank you so very much guys!

HNMAG “You’re very good on the guitar. How long have you been playing?”

DELON “It’s been about 10 years. The first song I heard on guitar was Wonderwall by Oasis. When I heard that song, I begged and pleaded with my mom to buy me a guitar. I didn’t know how to play, I just wanted to hold my guitar while I watched the music video. I felt like I was a part of the band. It started from there and eventually I was writing my own material and playing my own stuff.”

HNMAG “Do you also play guitar, BenAnthony?”

BENANTHONY “I can hold my notes. I could if I wanted, but I’d rather leave that to someone else.”

DELON “The most incredible instrument that this guy plays is his voice. He made a Christmas song and when I saw him perform it, there were so many layers to his identity. There’s the pop version, there’s the Latin version, there’s this inner rock n roller and it’s so impressive to see his musical range.”

HNMAG “What volume should people turn their speakers to the first time they hear the track, 1 More Time?”

DELON “I want it to be a speaker shredding experience. I want them to blow their JBL’s, their Bose and have to go back to the stereo shop and get a brand-new set.”

BENANTHONY “With my Latin background, we listened to everything full blast. I’m going deaf anyways. It’s a price to pay but it’s fine… I can still feel the vibrations.”

HNMAG “Where was this song produced?”

BENANTHONY “It’s different because of the pandemic and we didn’t have a chance to be at the studio during the process of the beat making. Delon makes the melody on the acoustic, we’ll shoot it off to them, they’ll send us back a sample and we’ll adjust a few things and go back and forth. The entire process was really virtual.”

HNMAG “Was it a long process in creating the song?”

DELON “I don’t mean to sound lofty but the melody always has to be the foundation. I’ll be fiddling on the guitar and I’ll like something I’m playing. I’ll loop it and loop it – I’ll keep playing the same rift for 15-20 minutes until… the right words come to you. The right verb, the right noun, they converge and by the end of the evening, you’ve got a beautifully written song.”

BENANTHONY “It doesn’t take us very long. Within a week we can work it out with the producers and have a finished song.”

HNMAG “What do you want people to feel when they listen to 1 More Time? What’s the underlying message?”

DELON “This particular track talks about a post covid world, where long lost lovers reunite for 1 more time.”

BENANTHONY “It’s about not seeing your parents, did you get your vaccinations, the frustrations of not being able to meet up and now that things are opening up, let’s hope we can start socializing again.”

HNMAG “Did you want to give a shout out to the studio where the song was mixed?”

DELON “Absolutely, it’s Super Suburbia. Without you, we’d be nothing. You know what it is, baby.”

BENANTHONY “And Sensei Musica!”

HNMAG “Have you become close friends after collaborating on this album?”

BENANTHONY “We’ve become family, we know each other in and out.”

DELON “We’ve had our ups and downs though. You know the band Oasis, right? I’m like Noel Gallagher and he’s like Liam.”

BENANTHONY “The writing sessions at the beginning were funny. I’d go into my zone and try to find melodies and Delon comes in all spiffed up and I’m not wearing a shirt and in skimpy shorts (laughing).”

HNMAG “I only have a couple fun questions left. What’s the most impressive meal you’ve ever cooked/prepared?”

DELON “That would have to be a Caribbean Oxtail for him on his birthday. He celebrated his birthday in May and my dad and I cooked it for him. It had beans, it was amazing.”

BENANTHONY “From what they say, out of everything I’ve ever cooked – my best dish is my pheromones, best served hot (laughing)!”

DELON “It’s definitely not barbecued. One time this guy cooked me a burger and it was so burned it looked like a piece of coal. I thought I was a bad kid at Christmas (laughing).”

HNMAG “Finish this sentence please. My most-proudest moment in life was… ?”

BENANTHONY “Getting there.”

DELON “Getting off (laughing)!”

These two are real characters with amazing chemistry. They both have a gift for music and when they converge, it’s pure heaven.