One year ago, on Christmas Eve 2023, I performed Be Proud, the first song of my series Mindful Music, for the first time. I had written it a week earlier as an assignment from a coaching session. My coach asked me to write a song about transforming pride into equalising wisdom in 72 hours and perform it in one week. It was quite a challenge for me to write a song “on demand”, but I am very happy with the result.

I chose the Christmas party of the Ecstatic Dance Community in Playa del Carmen (Mexico) for its premiere. The audience seemed to love the song and the positive feedback I received encouraged me to write more songs of this kind.

The next day I went to the island of Holbox, where I wrote three new songs in three days. Back in Playa del Carmen I continued writing new songs about spiritual topics. I recorded eight songs with my producer Victoria Villanueva in January and February 2024 and started to release them in May 2024.

Of course, I like the final version of Be Proud with its thunderous drums and jangly guitars much better than this first version, which features just me and my acoustic guitar. But a good song should also work in a simple, minimalist arrangement.

The Lyrics

Be proud of who you are!
You’re a star, like me, her and him.
Be your own guiding light!
It’s not a fight, but a win-win-win

Everyone has a special skill
Take the orange pill
Enjoy your free will
You are she and I am he
Don’t look up to me
We may disagree

Be proud of who you are!
You’re a star, like me, her and him.
Be your own guiding light!
It’s not a fight, but a win-win-win

We are not as different as we seem
Life is a dream
A paradox meme
Everyone is quite unique
Has a special physique
Talking tongue in cheek

Be proud of who you are!
You’re a star, like me, her and him.
Be your own guiding light!
It’s not a fight, but a win-win-win

Maybe you don’t feel that important
But that isn’t true
We are closely interconnected
And we all love you!