Sixty Colombian musical artists, including Carlos Vives, Juanes and Andres Cepeda, have released the song "Un paso hacia la paz" (A Step Toward Peace,) as part of the #soycapaz (#Ican) campaign that aims to end the decades-long armed conflict in the country. Vives and producer Ivan Benavides took their inspiration from 1985's "We Are the World," written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian. The project's goal, Benavides told Efe, is to convey to Colombians the notion that peace "is more than the signing of agreements between the government and the illegal armed groups, although now it seems as if peace belongs to others and is faraway."
The Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, are holding peace talks in Havana. "To recover peace and to rebuild in peace the process must come from the civil society, and in this effort we all should participate, artists, the private sector, the Church and the parties in conflict," Benavides said. He brought in performers ranging in age from 16 to 91 and representing a broad range of styles. The song has shades of pop, urban music, folk and vallenato. "With this array of artists we were able to show Colombia's diversity because well-managed differences enrich us all and we find that there are more things that unite us than separate us," Benavides said.
As this is a cause dear to most Colombian artists, the song includes participations by Adriana Lucía, Alfredo Gutierrez, Andrea Echeverry, Andrés Cepeda, Ati Geunnara, Bako (The Mills), Buxxi, , Camilo Echeverry, Carlos Vives, Cholo Valderrama, Daniel Dangong, Dino (Rancho Aparte), Don Tetto, Donny Caballero, Dragón Rojo, Egidio Cuadrado, Elsy Valencia, Fanny Lu, Fonseca, Galy Galiano, Goyo (Chocquibtown), Gusi, Gustavo García, Ilona, Jiggy D, Jimmy Zambrano, Jorge Celedón, Juanes, Kevin Florez, Leonor Gonzalez Mina, Los Traviesos, Maía, Marbel Cortés, Maria Mulata, Mario (Doctor Krápula), Maluma, Mauricio (Palo de Agua), Mayte Montero, Miller Landy Figueroa, Nicolás Mayorca, Pescao Vivo, Petrona Martinez, Pipe Bueno, Pipe Calderón, Piso 21, Santiago Cruz, Silvestre Dangond, Superlitio, Tostao (Chocquibtown), Totó la Momposina, Yamile Cortés, Zully Murillo.
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