Emilio Jaime: the story of his transformation into EMIL and the EP with which he leads the rankings

When in March of last year COVID-19 forced us to start a period of quarantine from which we still have not completely come out today, Emilio Jaime He knew it was time to make drastic decisions. His name had already become known thanks to his time in the competition ‘realities’ that he had entered with the aim of making his music known, but in that commotion that is the ‘prime time’ of Peruvian TV, few remembered that he was a singer. Thus, already away from the sets, he decided to invest 100% of his energy in his musical project and, despite how apocalyptic the world looked in 2020, pack his bags to go to Medellín to absorb everything that the so-called ‘capital of reggaeton’ had to offer him.

In Medellín, Juan Pablo Piedrahita was waiting for him, a Colombian who, after working with artists like J Balvin, had seen potential in Emilio Jaime, and would become his manager. With him he put together his team and entered the recording studio, where he discovered a work discipline with which he dreamed. “Since I arrived in Medellín, I locked myself in to record, in 6 months of work, we made 30 songs and of those 30, we pre-selected 18″, recalls the 23-year-old artist, about the beginnings of what would be his transformation into EMIL, a name change that for him also represents the hallmark of his evolution.

“When I went to a place to promote my music, they would come up with other things that were not what I was going to promote. The name change comes to leave Emilio Jaime in the past. It’s like a rebirth. EMIL is the evolution of Emilio Jaime, he is the person who wants to inspire other Peruvian and world artists to pursue their dreams.”, explains the singer, whose new name – taken in homage to what his mother used to call him when she scolded him – is also the title of his debut EP.

The album is made up of 7 songs, which he chose after sending the 18 pre-selected songs to strategic people from his environment and music so that they vote for their favorites. Among those chosen was “Open Mind”, a song that EMIL, assures, always knew would be the call to defend this EP, but that became bigger than expected due to a matter of fate.

One night in Medellin

Emilio Jaime had had to postpone the release of the album, which had already been ready since April 2021, due to the hectic situation in Peru when, one night, at a meeting of friends organized by his manager, Reykon appeared, a name well known in the reggaetonera scene.

The Peruvian knew that it was an important opportunity, but he did not imagine that, late in the evening, it would be the Colombian himself who would ask him to show him some of the songs that he had been recording in Medellín. Emilio didn’t miss the opportunity and put all of his EP on it. Great was his surprise when, at the end of the night, his manager told him that Reykon had liked “Open Mind” so much that he wanted to add his voice to the final version.

“If I had been in a hurry or because I was emotional, I would have come out with my EP on May 12, as planned, I would not have come out with Reykon. The song was already recorded and with a video, but that message remains with me: in this race you have to be patient, this race is a marathon”, thinks the singer now, who says he has reached a level of determination that gives him confidence in what is coming for your future.

“You have to put your heart into it, leave every last drop of sweat, this is a difficult race, you have to fight for it, but I’m 200% motivated. Really, I am very motivated and very happy because I feel that my evolution is notorious, the music (that I am making) is very good. My dreams are coming true little by little: to have a work team, that the work we do look super professional, that the result is valued. I don’t want this to be a ‘hobby’, I want to make a career and then I want to support Peruvian talents, I want to be an industry”, he affirms.

The origin of ‘the cause’

For this reason, in addition to his name change, Emilio Jaime took on the pseudonym ‘La causa’, with which he now also signs his songs. “In Colombia everyone calls me ‘La causa’, cause or little cause. I’ve already made Peruvian slang fashionable,” he jokes and explains about his new philosophy of life: “I know that television gives you a huge screen and I value it very much, but my motto now is: ‘music is my cause’, that is my purpose. If I hadn’t quit TV, I wouldn’t be putting 100% into my career. I’m not ashamed of having been on TV, it was part of my process, but now I’m interested in being known for my music”.

Although in recent interviews, EMIL has mentioned the case of Maluma, the music star who was once a participant in “Combate”, as an example, he says that he finds inspiration in the story of several Latinos today who have become figures of international adoration.

“Each artist is where he is because he has gotten the sh… Now I know that there is a lot of sacrifice behind it and that several stages have to be burned. The life of an artist is very difficult, I am living that process, I know how difficult it is. I see Maluma, Daddy Yankee, Ozuna, all those crazy people, and I start thinking about the very difficult process they must have gone through to be where they are. Believe me that I am experiencing many difficult things, but for my career I accept them, ”he confesses.

And what’s next for EMIL? “This EP is my letter of introduction, but we are already working for what is to come. I want people to know that I love this and that Peru is going to have a worldwide representative in me, I want to be that world reference and I am not going to give up until I achieve it. I’m going to get killed for that. If I have to stay until 3 in the morning to record and the next day come in at 8, then we are there. That is the discipline of the artist. But, we are starting, this is my training. I am focused and, if God allows me, when I am positioned as an artist, I want to support other Peruvians and start getting them out. My goal is to be the standard bearer for that movement. I am convinced that Peru will one day be like Colombia or Puerto Rico and we will have a music industry, there will not only be one Peruvian artist recognized worldwide, but quite a few, I am convinced that we are going to achieve it”.

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EMIL’s EP is available on all digital platforms. In addition to the collaboration with Reykon, she also has a duet with the Peruvian Ezio Oliva, which already exceeds a million views on YouTube.

Recently, EMIL reached number 1 on the Hot Song list with his song “Open Mind”, according to the radio monitoring company MONITOR LATINO. The Hot Song list comes out every Tuesday and includes the songs with the highest growth played on Peruvian radio in the last 7 days.

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