Sidestepper began as a solo studio project in 1996 for main man Richard Bla… Read Full Bio ↴Sidestepper began as a solo studio project in 1996 for main man Richard Blair, who had first gone to Colombia in 1993 to work with renowned folk singer Totó La Momposina -- the two had met at Peter Gabriel’s Real World studios where Richard worked as an engineer. The result was the first album, 1997’s Southern Star featuring the Latin drum and bass tune ‘Maine’.

The project soon developed into a production and writing duo with colombian songwriter Ivan Benavides, and has since become a full live band. The two began to write together, producing the future club classic and sidestepper’s first vocal tune - Logozo in 1997. Two years later, the band signed with Chris Blackwell’s Palm Pictures. Again Ivan co-wrote and produced and ‘More Grip‘ was released in 2000, a homage to a salsa night out in Bogotá.

Sidestepper began to play live for the first time, playing gigs in the UK and across Europe, at Glastonbury and Roskilde amongst many others, and Richard continued to DJ in the UK and US. Their shows became legendary, they guaranteed a great party that starts on stage and resulted in a collective and euphoric experience, genuinely contagious. Meanwhile, writing work had begun on 3am (In Beats We Trust), as Richard travelled between London and NY where Ivan was living. The two recorded the core of the album in Bogota in 2002, some eventually unused sessions in Jamaica, with Cuban singer Ronald Infante in Havana, and MC’s Rubi Dan and Juxsi D in London. The mix was done in autumnal London, and 3AM was released to critical acclaim in 2003.

Richard returned to Bogota to form a live band that would be based in Colombia; and between old hands like Janio Coronado and Teto Ocampo, and a then new talent Erika Muñoz, a special magic emerged with this incarnation of Sidestepper, which vowed audiences in Colombia, Mexico and the US for the few years.

After touring extensively with the band, Ivan and Richard wanted to make a record written specifically for each member. The writing and original tracking were done at a farm outside Bogota, and mixing was done at a studio in the city. ‘Continental’ was released in July 2006.

Today, Sidestepper sound had expanded far beyond its original fusion of classic salsa and club beats to take in everything from deep Colombian folk influences to hip hop via cumbia, dancehall reggae, dub and afrobeat, layering infectious melodies and crisp harmonies on top of rock solid beats.

In the process, Sidestepper has helped transform the Colombian music scene, inspiring a new generation of young beat scientists to marry latin music with cutting edge beats. The originator that kick started the new wave of electro acoustic colombian music.

A lot of great talents have passed through the group, many of whom have gone on to great success with their own bands, like Goyo from ChocQuibTown, Pernett, and Sergio Arias from Malalma.

Sidestepper is now conformed as an 8-piece band, and are currently in the studio making a new record for release in the spring of 2010.

The current line up is

Janio Coronado, Edgardo Garcés and Erika Muñoz, on vocals
Teto Ocampo, on guitars
Pedro Ojeda, on drums
Juan Carlos Cuello "El Chongo", on Percussion
Iván Benavides, words and melody
Richard Blair, on bass and beats

www.sidestepper.net.

llegare
Sidestepper Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sigo a mi corazón, sigo al destino
Sigo a mi corazón, sigo al destino
Llegaré
Oh oh
Llegaré
Hasta tu soledad, hasta tu orilla
Hasta tu soledad, hasta tu orilla
Llegaré

Llegaré
Eres como la sed en mi camino
Eres como la sed en mi camino
Llegaré
Oh oh
Llegaré
Llueve dentro de mi, ya no hay desierto
Llueve dentro de mi, ya no hay desierto
Llegaré
Llegaré
Sigo a mi corazón, sigo al destino
Sigo a mi corazón, sigo al destino
Llegaré
Oh oh
Llegaré
Hasta tu soledad, hasta tu orilla
Hasta tu soledad, hasta tu orilla
Llegaré
Llegaré
Eres como la sed en mi camino
Eres como la sed en mi camino
Llegaré
Oh oh
Llegaré
Llueve dentro de mi, ya no hay desierto
Llueve dentro de mi, ya no hay desierto
Llegaré
Llegaré
Oh oh
Llegaré

Oh oh
Llegaré

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Sidestepper's song "Llegare" convey a sense of determination and following one's heart and destiny. The repeated lines "Sigo a mi corazón, sigo al destino" (I follow my heart, I follow destiny) emphasize the importance of staying true to oneself and trusting the path that lies ahead. The phrase "Llegaré" (I will arrive) serves as a powerful declaration of the singer's commitment to reaching a specific destination, whether it be a physical location or an emotional state.

The mention of "hasta tu soledad, hasta tu orilla" (to your solitude, to your shore) adds a layer of longing and the idea of overcoming distance or barriers to reach someone or to connect on a deeper level. The line "Eres como la sed en mi camino" (You are like the thirst in my journey) further emphasizes the idea of reaching that which is desired or essential, as the thirst represents a strong sense of longing or need.

The lyrics also capture a shift in the singer's emotional landscape. The line "Llueve dentro de mi, ya no hay desierto" (It rains inside of me, there is no desert anymore) suggests a transformation from a barren, desolate state to one of emotional abundance. This could signify the end of a period of emotional drought and the arrival at a place of fulfillment and renewal.

Line by Line Meaning

Sigo a mi corazón, sigo al destino
I follow my heart, I follow my destiny

Llegaré
I will arrive

Hasta tu soledad, hasta tu orilla
Until your loneliness, until your shore

Eres como la sed en mi camino
You are like the thirst on my path

Llueve dentro de mi, ya no hay desierto
It rains inside of me, there is no desert anymore

Oh oh
Oh oh

Writer(s): Richard Blair, Ivan Benavides

Contributed by James R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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