They say our actions define us,
Our deeds shape our identity.
But what if we do many things,
Is that what makes us artists,
truly?
It's difficult to define my life
by only one pursuit,
It seems boring and unfulfilling,
a trap In the maze we call life
I´m Will Villa
Artist
This is how my journey began,
In the most beautiful city on Earth.
Though it once had a bad reputation,
Some call it the "City of Eternal Spring,"
Others, “Metrallin” or “Machine Gun City."
Medellin, Colombia,
I call it home,
at least sometimes.
As a child, I moved to Germany,
Where I found the polar opposite of Medellin,
A quaint and peaceful little town.
Crime was an unknown concept,
Save for the occasional stolen bike.
But ten years later,
I returned to Colombia,
Just turned eighteen and DJing at school parties.
I needed to discover who I was and where I came from.
To my surprise,
I quickly found success as a DJ,
Becoming one of the most respected in the country.
It's not to brag, the scene was small back then,
But it still fills me with pride.
I worked with many artists,
Festivals, radio shows, and TV interviews became my reality.
Suddenly, I discovered the true meaning of freedom.
Through my work with artists,
I learned that not everyone had the same liberties that I did.
Some of the people I worked with were outspoken about the politics of the country,
And I realized that freedom of speech was not a given, that it could be taken away.
I was lucky to have a German passport.
Some of my friends were not so lucky.
Until I discovered the true meaning of freedom.
Suddenly they wanted to take it away from us.
I understood that liberty or freedom of speech in Colombia was not granted, and that being outspoken about certain things will make you enemies. When the police becomes your enemy who will be your friend.
Of course I was saved by my privilege of having a german passport.
Producer
And so I left again,
Returning to Germany to study sound engineering.
I wanted to support my friends and fellow artists back in Colombia,
But in the years 2005-2008, there wasn't much interest in Colombian music.
I faced xenophobia and many other obstacles,
But eventually, I met Culcha Candela,
A band that was on the brink of their first big hit.
Some of the members were Colombians,
And they supported my idea of using my platform to support other bands.
This inspired me to start my first record label, Nutibara Records,
Named after our ancestors from the Valle de Aburrá region.
This marked the beginning of my crazy tour life,
Traveling around the world and working with many talented artists.
Living on the road can be exciting and fulfilling,
But it also means spending long stretches of time away from loved ones.
And sometimes, tragedy can strike
when you're far from home.
I took the next flight from Stockholm,
When I learned my mom was unconscious.
I made it in time to say goodbye,
I hope she knows.
Life changed.
Where there was joy, now there was sorrow.
Where there were crowds, now there was loneliness.
Where there was life, now there was death.
I was broken,
Plagued by depression,
addiction, and bipolarity.
My dreams vanished, as did my hope.
What now?
Legacy,
What we'll be remembered for,
When our bodies turn to ash
And our essence is carried on the wind.
It's what we leave behind,
Our mark on the world.
It's what gives our lives meaning,
Beyond the brief time we have on Earth.
I packed and left. No particular destiny.
The only thing I knew was
that no matter what happens,
Nothing could be more painful
than losing her.
My angel
I discovered cruise ship life,
Working as a theater technician,
DJ, and performer.
We entertained passengers
day in and day out,
Sailing the seas of the world.
I saved my money,
Investing in my brand.
I released my first remixes,
Singles, and videos.
Will Villa was born.
The money I saved
I invested into my Brand.
I released my first remixes,
a few singles, a few videos.
Will Villa was born
I think I became really good at production.
Music , Video , Events .
It all comes very natural to me.
But there was still one issue I wanted to resolve,
but didn't know how.
Thats how I ended up in New York City.
I learned that to become a Leader
you have to start by washing the dishes.
If the Head of an organization is not able to accomplish the most crucial jobs
there wont be much future.
The Engineer in me
wants to solve the problem
The Artist in me
wants to make it look smooth
Engineer
I founded SQRZ Enterprises, Inc. in 2019 in New York City,
aiming to help Music professionals scale their businesses through technological innovation.
Everyone told me the first year would be the hardest,
But nobody could have predicted that a pandemic
would come along and upend our plans and business models
just nine months later.
But, as mentioned, I strive solving problems,
And if there's one thing this time has brought us,
It's a ton of new problems to solve.
I've been building my portfolio of web and mobile apps,
Designed for
Artists,
Playlist Curators,
Event Technicians,
Booking Agents
& Music Venues.
Currently most apps are in beta,
apply for early access in the chat.
I dedicate these words to two women.
To the one who brought me to this world,
and the one who saved me from myself.