As it turns out, "Lo vivido nadie nos lo quita," the latest album by the young Cuban band Christopher Simpson y Elevación, won an award in the pop fusion category at Cubadisco 2025, an award for which Christopher is grateful, but clarifies that he doesn't consider it pop, but rather alternative rock.

You can follow this interesting debate through the recently released podcast from his record label, Bis Music, called "Feel the Music." Meanwhile, we and the young violinist, composer, and leader of Elevación talk about this production, which emerged in the midst of a turning point for the group:

"This album takes us through six years of our artistic creation, both songs composed by me and songs that marked us, such as Lo material, by Juan Formell, which is also included. In addition, there are songs co-authored with Roger Saenz, who was the co-producer of this album with me, saxophonist, guitarist, and singer of the band from its founding until this year 2025.

“Overall, it's an album that has carried a lot of joy, although it's a feeling that isn't entirely happy, because it's the end of a very important stage for me, but I also have faith that it will be the beginning of a new stage of creation, a stage of a lot of music.”

Within the 20 tracks included on the album, four are not songs, but rather spoken texts by Christopher. He commented: “These tracks sort of take us out of the dramatics of the albums, which go from beginning to end, without considering the viewer as an active part of the listening process. We wanted to break that fourth wall a bit. So, it was a concert in which, between songs, sometimes certain words and things are said. And I tried to be as natural as possible, with as few interruptions as possible, without going on too long because I hadn't seen myself speak before, but I think it captures the essence of who we are, who we were, who I am. And I think it's a good guideline for what's coming on the album.”

The journey this work proposes explores different themes and motivations: "They're not just songs about love, but songs about friendship, songs that deal with philosophical dissertations, about life, about time itself.

A significant element of the album is the presence of each of the members who were part of the band during these first six years of creation, a very large cast, where we're all friends, like a family. I think that's where the greatest importance lies, that this group is formed from a family. It's a family of friends. That's why the fact that each of the musicians is there adds value. This also gives each of the musicians a very intuitive style, because the ways of interpreting the music change. It was very important for us to have these sounds implicit in the album.”

On November 22nd, at the Fine Arts Museum Theater we will have the opportunity to hear Elevación in its new format. According to Christopher Simpson, “This concert has no other objective than to test ourselves on stage in front of an audience with musicians who perhaps haven't played together for a long time, but with whom we already feel we have good chemistry when it comes to understanding each other musically and also as people, because that's something that has always characterized us. We are people who hold each other in high regard, and I think that's something that should continue to be evident on stage.”

“So, this concert is basically exercise for us and a way to engage more directly with the audience, who have always welcomed us with great affection and forgiven us even for all our “pranks” on stage. In reality, they are the most genuine possible projections of who we are without all the seams, and that's what we want to continue to deliver: stories told through songs, but as naturally as possible.”

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff