BY SIMONE J. SMITH
“Bon Voyage is the perfect summer anthem. We really wanted to create that mood and that atmosphere that comes with travel. That sense of wanderlust can really be heard and felt through the beats of the song. All of that with stunning tropical beats and you got yourself a song that we hope so many people can feel joy dancing to.”
DJ/Producer and Founder of Underbite Records Alonso Mendez
Underbite Records is thrilled to announce that it will be releasing its brand-new and highly anticipated single Bon Voyage from artists Teria Morada and DJ Alonso Mendez in collaboration with JUNO Award winning and Canadian hip-hop legend Choclair.
Is Bon Voyage going to be the song of the summer? Well, the song has a melodic chorus, energetic rap, and an infectious vibe with catchy beats. The artists drew inspiration from the thrill of going on a holiday (don’t we all need one), meeting new people, the possibilities of what the world provides, and good times.
This is the third collaboration for DJ/Producer Alonso Mendez and Teria Morada and the first for all three together. Teria Morada is an accomplished entertainer, professional singer and lyricist, and dancer/choreographer. She started her artistic endeavours and training at the age of three and has had some major accomplishments throughout her journey. She is a three-time Canadian Latin Music Award recipient, and multiple time Latin Dance Champion.
Alonso Mendez has been a respected DJ in the Toronto scene since1999. Having been half of the defunct Stereo Martini music production duo, he had a chance to work on popular remixes of R&B and dance hits with renowned artists such as: Jully Black, Matt Dusk, La India, America Olivo, Sak Noel, Jes Brieden, Davidson Ospina, Oscar P, Maurice Joshua, Sasha Alazy, Lidell Townsell, Sound Bluntz, Lil’ Pete, Cory Bradshaw, Tony Bishop, Emjay, Marcos Pearson, and Jessie Reyez, among others. His newest venture is the 2023 launch of Underbite Records.
Of course, we can’t forget the infamous Choclair an integral part of the Canadian hip-hop scene and dubbed one of Canada’s Hip Hop Pioneers. With his four JUNOS, five MuchMusic Video Awards and multiple gold records, he has set the benchmark for hip-hop in Canada. Throughout Choclair’s long standing career, he has performed on many notable stages across North America including: JUNOfest, TDOT FEST, the Toronto International Film Festival, House of Blues, CNE’s Beer Festival, and TOM Fashion Weekto.
Choclair is now taking on the role as Producer, sharing his knowledge of the music business with rising artists. Most recently Choclair has penned the theme song for a DIY reality show and just released three singles Hurt Everybody featuring Classified, Backdraft produced by Classified, and One Day Away.
I had the amazing opportunity to sit down with these three powerhouses, and they openly shared their excitement about the single, “Bon Voyage.”“This song has been brewing in my soul for half my life,” Tiera shares with me. “A lot of people told me not to do it, and I am glad I didn’t listen to them. It evolved as time went along to a Mediterranean, Latin fusion. I finally was able to get the song out, and it was cool to hear.
Some really important people heard it and had a positive reaction to the song. It is even more multicultural now. I love connecting the mosaic of culture. I am a dancer and grew up dancing to Choclair’s music.
Choclair’s creative style and lyrical content reached a new pinnacle, and this song allowed him to creatively word play, and proves that with perseverance and hard work you can move mountains.
“Simone,” Choclair shared enthusiastically, “I heard the song, and all that went through my head is something I heard C-Lo Green say, ‘You don’t want to keep yourself in a box.’ I don’t want to just be a rapper. I am a fan of music outside of hip-hop. I grew up in Malvern around many cultures, and I see this song as a great way to move past hip-hop. It is about community, inclusion, and going on vacation. It is the kick off song for the summertime. It is just great music. When I first heard it, I wanted to have a mojito. It was just a great vibe.
“How about you Dj Alonso? You seemed to have a vision for this song; how did it all come together for you?”
“Teria and I have been friends for a long time, and she had a song that became “Bon Voyage.” This song is two years in the making. When Teria came up with the song, it was a way to speak about multiculturalism. I was able to extend my creative muscle and discovered that you can express the same message in multiple ways. I was in the middle of another song, and I saw what Teria did as a way to express unity.
It is a fun song and captures all that is Toronto.
We approached Mr. Choclair with the song and talked about it.
I love how Choclair added on to this. He was able to add to it without it sounding cheesy. It elevated the song to a completely different level. This can be challenging, but Choclair did it with style.”
Summertime is coming and the single will be out May 12th, 2023, on all music streaming platforms.
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