With the release of their new music video “Coexiste,” the Miami-based Latin pop-rock band ORIGEN seeks to bring a little peace and harmony into today’s turbulent world.
“The philosophy driving our music is simple—to coexist is freedom,” said Ruben A. Martinez (BBA ’06). “Our music video contains scenes that aim to promote tolerance among races, sexual preferences, opinions and cultures. Some may find it controversial but we passionately believe that you need to respect everyone’s point of view so that they in turn can respect yours.”
The video premiered on August 13, 2009 at an MTV Staying Alive Foundation event held at Santo, a trendy Miami Beach hot spot. The foundation’s mission is to empower and support young people who are protecting themselves and their community against HIV and AIDS—making this an appropriate venue for ORIGEN’s video screening.
“We played to a packed house of more than 400,” Martinez said. “I think the video made a huge impact. Everyone really connected to our music and the message it conveys.”
The song “Coexiste” is the second single from ORIGEN’s debut album. True to their commitment to bring people together through music, the band members come from across Latin America. Martinez, bassist and current graduate student pursuing his Master of International Business (MIB) degree in the College of Business Administration at Florida International University (FIU), hails from Mexico. Drummer and fellow FIU alumnus Antonio Couto (BS ’05, BS ’09) and guitarist Hector Velasquez come from Venezuela, while lead singer Mirs Rueda is from Ecuador.
Business school contacts and skill play well in the music arena.
Martinez finds the connections he has made at FIU are helping him build a strong network for promoting ORIGEN through both traditional and newer social media outlets.
“Through my studies, I’ve honed skills in accounting and finance, which I’m putting to good use in tasks related to managing the band,” he said. “My course work also has helped me learn how to communicate with people from different cultures.”
