Strings N Skins

NYC: Strings N Skins, ‘Star Power’
The Brooklyn-based Strings N Skins, who describe themselves as “Colombia meets Haiti in Brooklyn,” have a fun new song, “Star Power,” and it’s inspired by the thought of every person born on this planet having their own destiny, said emcee and percussionist Okai Musik.

“One of the lyrics in the song is, ‘Out of a hundred million sperms, I swam the fastest, live it to the limit till they put me in that casket.’ I’m trying to inspire people to control your own destiny,” he told us. “In order for you to rise, you don’t have to step on the next man because there is an abundance of whatever you are trying to get or achieve.”

The song hits hard, rounded out with keys by Argentine Leo Genovese, percussion by fellow Argentine Lautaro Burgos, and pretty strings and bilingual lyrics by Luisa Bastidas. - Gina Vergel

JANUARY 7, 2019 Back (L to R): Lautaro Burgos and Jeff Mclaughlin of Strings N Skins gather during the second annual Sabores Latinos showcase. Front (L to R): Luisa Bastidas and Okai join BMI’s Mary Russe, along with Jackie Coleman of the Brooklyn-based band Strings N Skins in New York for a special showcase. (Photo by Cristian Castro) - BMI

La banda expresa la fusión de mundos, lo clásico y lo popular, lo tradicional y lo urbano, tomando los ingredientes más interesantes de cada uno de ellos para crear una textura de sonido distinta que viaja y se aventura por toda la diáspora Africana en las Américas.

Strings N Skins fue fundada por el cantante y percusionista Okai y la violinista, bailarina y cantante Luisa Bastidas. Luisa, oriunda de Cali, Colombia inyecta al grupo con sus influencias de currulao, cumbia y salsa y Okai, nacido y criado en Brooklyn de familia Haitiana aporta el condimento caribeño de kompa, soca y hip hop.

A través de su música, danza y letras, Strings N Skins expresa su mensaje de unidad entre los pueblos y culturas. - colombia.com

NYC: Strings n Skins ‘Cumbia del Olvido’
Founded in Brooklyn in 2015 by vocalist and percussionist Okai and Latin Grammy award winner violinist Luisa Bastidas, Strings N Skins describe themselves as “Colombia meets Haiti in Brooklyn.” The band have a new cumbia song about a woman who has her mind set on moving on. Filmed in NYC, it features some cumbia dancing and fierce determination to forget that ex she met in Bushwick.

Okai’s rap lyrics are the perfect compliment to a song about forgetting.

“I told you all my secrets and you Wikileaked it. You almost took my vulnerability for weakness.” - Gina Vergel

Strings N Skins is a Brooklyn based band that takes you on journey around our mother earth. Honoring our origens and our ancestors in their journey to the new world. Join Strings N Skins on their musical journey where the stars are their GPS and their ship in their music.

“Language and location may be vested in the institutions that divide nations and tribes, but the rhythm that connects us all has never left a soul. Strings N Skins exemplifies a pan African rhythm that unites us and celebrates our similarities. individually accomplished in their own right, the members of Strings N Skins purposely share their personal accolades and create a sonic harmony determined to repair the world.” -Ro Johnson, BRIC TV.

Strings N Skins multilingual music ( English, Spanish, Creole) and traditional dances will take you on a journey through the world with their universal aura of sound.

Okai – Djembe / Lead Vocals
Luisa Bastidas – Violin/Vocals/Dance
John Cave – Guitar / Vocals
Jackie Coleman – Bass
Lautaro Burgos – Drumset - Blue Note