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Summertime by Sifuentes is an album that has multiple layers. Jim Sifuentes created this album after and in the midst of some very trying life situations. From a cancer diagnosis to losing a job he had for 19 years, the album is nothing short of a testament to the power of perseverance. He also wanted to share his gift of music with his children and his friends.

“My cancer diagnosis at 50 was a bit of an awakening for me of the tenderness of life, being in and out of a situation and being able to overcome it. Additionally, six months after losing my job, I had a heart attack. With all this going on, I realized I wanted to get back into the music. I wanted to get back with my brother who grew up making music with me and put some songs out at this point in both our lives so I could do something with the talent I have since I didn’t do it when I was younger.” he said.

The album includes songs Jim, who’s now over 60 years old, wrote when he was a teenager as well as ones he wrote just last year. This a testament to his songwriting skills and musical ability. These songs, no matter how many decades apart. still paint a narrative within the sequencing of the album. As a songwriter and storyteller, Jim’s album crafts an auditory journey of where he was mentally and sometimes even physically, at various points in his life.

“I made the song ‘The Memory’ when I was in my 20s and visiting my old neighborhood. I wanted to add a brass sound that was reminiscent of Glenn Miller for that one as an homage to my parents who enjoyed listening to him. My colleague and collaborator Matt Riggen did that part of the song for me. There’s another song on there called ‘Mary’ that I wrote for a girl I was dating when I was 19. I actually was able to perform it for on stage at that time in my life and that’s an unforgettable memory.” he said

Some songs on the album have both sentimental and practical value.

“The track ‘Rumors’ is one me and my brother recorded when we were the age we are on the cover of the album. That was between the 80s and 90s. I decided to add that one to the tracklist because I had 11 songs and my goal was 12 and that one just naturally fit the tone of the album.” he said.

Other songs paint a picture of the reality of life when it’s clouded in uncertainty, a feeling many twenty somethings can relate to. This one has a significantly darker melody than the other songs on the album which have an upbeat pop rock feel to them.

“I wrote ‘Searching for the Day’ when I was 19. I didn’t know what I wanted to do outside of being a musician and people were asking me if I was going to college and what I was going to do with my life. And, at that point, I didn’t really know. I never forgot those lyrics.” he said.

Jim Sifuentes collaborated with his brother Bill and multitalented musician Matt Riggen to create the sound of the album. His brother is a musician and songwriter in his own regard and Matt is a colleague and collaborator that Jim met while in the Chicago Park District. Throughout the album, the three of them play multiple instruments and each one brought their own ideas and expertise to the songs.

The sound of the album is Beatles inspired with Jim growing up studying their music but now he can listen to them for pure enjoyment. Many of the songs on the album have a lighthearted uplifting atmosphere to them as Jim sings of enjoying the summer, love and the aforementioned topics across the album.

“I grew up on The Beatles. I wanted to do something that compliments them and is true to that sound but do it in my own style and my own way. Paul McCartney is my biggest influence and I was thinking ‘Would Paul McCartney and John Lennon be proud of this if they heard it?’ he said.

Jim’s love for the bass is directly connected to his love and admiration for Paul McCartney.

“My goal was to make melodious basslines that compliment the songs just like he did.” he said.

The importance of the bass goes all the way back to Jim's younger years which is a full circle moment considering this album encompasses multiple moments from his younger years and life overall.

“I’ve had that bass for about 40 years. When I was a freshman in high school, I got put on academic probation and my Mom told me I needed to get on the honor roll and if I did, she would get me something. I asked her for the same bass that Paul McCartney used. I didn’t know how to play it at that time but it was something I really wanted. She told me that if I made the honor roll for the next three and a half years, she would get it for me. So that’s what I did and for financial reasons, I didn’t get it until about four years after I graduated but I still got it and I still play it to this day.” he said.

When speaking to Jim, his love for life and the music shined through with every story he told and every word he said. He shared that his mission statement for life is
“Create and play a melodious song of love with your life.” With the album out now, all the people who were not aware of Jim’s wide ranging musical ability are fully aware now and he is happy to share it with them.

Music has been the source of happiness and comfort throughout Jim’s life. Even with everything he’s been through, it was always there for him.

“...I got fired in July and in January I had a heart attack. But the music came back. I picked up my guitar and I said ‘Darn it, I love music.’ It actually brought me back to life. I never lost my optimism. It gave me life in a whole new way. All throughout my life when things were going haywire, especially when I was younger, I’d go to my guitar and express how I was feeling…I came back to music and music revived me. It’s like it partnered back with me. It was always there.” he said.

By putting this album out, Jim has continued to move through life with a positive forward thinking attitude.

“Given where I’m at and what I’m doing at this point, I’m happy with the result and where it’s going. It’s also a testament to people my age that no matter what challenge you have, keep living fully and go after what you have to go after because I’m going to do it until I can’t. That’s what I’ve been doing and I still feel good. I have a choice every morning to decide if I’m going to decide to feel good to decide to feel well and I always choose to feel well.” he said.

Summertime by Sifuentes is available on streaming services now.

You can see more of Sifuentes and his love for music by keeping up with him on these platforms.

Apple Music
Spotify
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

You might recognize Summer Walker for her smooth and seductive vocals, but the R&B star is not someone who speaks a lot. In truth, the Atlanta artist is pretty reserved. And while many people struggle to draw the 29-year-old out of her quiet nature, Paris Hilton, who sat down with Summer before she dropped her third album, Finally Over It, connected with her over an unexpected shared love of farm animals, especially turtles, goats, and Silkie chickens. But life is far from simple for Summer. As she explains to her fellow mom and musician, trying to manage her home life while keeping up with the demands of her music career is a constant challenge.

SUMMER WALKER: You know what? I might have fucked up. She said talk for 40 minutes but I’m such a bad talker.

PARIS HILTON: [Laughs] 

WALKER: How are you?

HILTON: Good. I just got back to town. It’s so good to be home with the baby and the puppies. Where are you?

WALKER: I’m in Atlanta. You have a brand new baby?

HILTON: My daughter, London, just turned two on 11/11, and then my son, Phoenix, is going to be three in January. And you have three?

WALKER: Yeah. Two boys. They are about to be three. And then I have a 4-year-old daughter.

HILTON: So cute having them around the same age.

WALKER: Yeah. How’s motherhood been for you?

HILTON: I love it. I just feel like my life is finally complete. It’s definitely a lot to balance with everything, but I always put my babies first. I try to bring them with me everywhere.

WALKER: I feel you. I think my life would suck without them. I used to try to bring them everywhere, but trying to bring them on tour was really hard.

HILTON: I bet. Especially with twin boys.

WALKER: So what’s your favorite color?

HILTON: [Laughs] Pink. You?

WALKER: I should have known that. Um, pink. My bathroom and my whole room looks like a young girl’s princess party.

HILTON: Same. [Laughs] I love it. What sign are you?

WALKER: Aries.

HILTON: Nice. I’m an Aquarius.

WALKER: Oh, I love Aquarius. They’re really tactical and smart and calm and intuitive. So what do you do for fun?

HILTON: I work all the time, but if I’m not working, my favorite thing is just to be at home with babies and my pets and cook and do art and chill and write music and just play in the backyard. I love being outdoors. What about you?

WALKER: Literally the same thing. I just don’t have as much time, but I would really, really like to do more staying home, cooking, just being with the kids, painting, decorating the house, shopping, and building stuff outside. I just built a chicken coop.

HILTON: Like, for eggs?

WALKER: Yes. I’m excited to just have chickens for eggs and just chickens that are just cute—like, you know the Silkie chickens?

HILTON: Yes! That’s what my husband and I want. Are they sweet?

WALKER: I mean, I chilled with one for five seconds. We called him Teriyaki and he was nice.

HILTON: [Laughs] The way their little feathers look is so funny. I wanted to get a couple of them because I heard it’s so much healthier to grow your own eggs.

WALKER: Absolutely. I want the whole thing, the goats and all the animals.

HILTON: I used to have a goat, I got it in Vegas. I named it Billy.

WALKER: How was that?

HILTON: It was a little miniature one. It was so cute and sweet but then it got older and grew horns and udders. Then it was trying to butt everyone in the head, like, chasing people.

WALKER: Not so cute anymore.

HILTON: [Laughs] Yeah. We sent it to my ranch. It got a little crazy living in Beverly Hills. I should have got a girl.

WALKER: Yeah, I’m going to look into that. I just got my little greenhouse so I can start gardening. All of this requires me to stay home, so I don’t know what the hell I think I’m about to do.

HILTON: [Laughs] Hopefully you’ll have someone to help you with that because with the amount we both have to travel, it’s hard to keep all of that up.

WALKER: Absolutely. Do you have any fish?

HILTON: I used to have an aquarium but then I moved houses. Do you?

WALKER: No, I think I want a turtle though.

HILTON: They’re cute. I used to have the little ones. I love animals.

WALKER: I heard.

HILTON: I just got a new dog named Iconic Princess Hilton. She’s like a little mini teacup chihuahua. 

WALKER: Iconic Princess Hilton. Period. 

HILTON: [Laughs] Yes.

WALKER: She’s a diva.

HILTON: She’s a little baby icon. By the way, you looked so beautiful at the VMAs in New York.

WALKER: Thank you. So did you. I was like, “Wow, did I just talk to Paris Hilton?”

HILTON: I loved when you came up and said hello. I loved your hat. I loved your outfit. It looked so gorgeous.

WALKER: Thank you. Yeah, it was a fun little time. I love dressing up.

HILTON: Me too. 

WALKER: Speaking of cooking, I was in the store a while ago and I seen your cookware.

HILTON: Were you at Walmart?

WALKER: Maybe. It had the crystals on it. I was like, “Oh my god, I got to get this.”

HILTON: I’ll send you a whole package of stuff. All the new products are so cute.

WALKER: Really? I don’t mind buying it.

HILTON: I would love just to send it to you as a present to say congratulations on the new album.

WALKER: Thank you. It’s Christmas.

HILTON: I know. I cannot believe it’s the end of the year already. It’s so crazy how time has flown so fast.

WALKER: I mean, I think NASA actually said that time did speed up, you can really feel it though.

HILTON: Life is so precious. We have to enjoy every moment.

WALKER: Definitely. So how is your mom?

HILTON: My mom is amazing. She just called me last night. She’s in Vegas for BravoCon with all the other housewives and my sister, and they were just having a time. I love her so much.

WALKER: I love when people are really close with their parents even when they’re grown as hell.

HILTON: Yeah, family is everything. What was your day to day before getting into music and releasing albums? 

WALKER: Honestly, painting and just playing the guitar. Just doing art, basically.

HILTON: When did you start singing?

WALKER: I was maybe 13. I was in the church choir—I have a question for you.

HILTON: Yes.

WALKER: What was the first business you opened?

HILTON: When I lived in the Malibu colony, my sister and I would have a lemonade stand, so I was an entrepreneur at a young age. [Laughs] And then I did my first perfume in 2004 when The Simple Life came out. I just released my 30th fragrance.

WALKER: Congratulations. 30 is crazy.

HILTON: Thank you. It’s called Iconic, I’ll send you that as well—

WALKER: Love. Okay, so we have the dog name, Iconic, and we have a perfume named Iconic. Is anyone else named Iconic?

HILTON: If I have another daughter, I’ll name her Iconic.

WALKER: Period. 

HILTON: [Laughs] Oh, yeah, my new music documentary is called Infinite Icon. So that’s iconic too.

WALKER: Dope. So what’s your favorite type of genre?

HILTON: I love dance, EDM, and pop. 

WALKER: So you want to put me on? Give me your favorite EDM artist.

HILTON: I love Martin Garrix, David Guetta, like when he does remixes, they’re so sick. He’s so talented. Kygo is amazing, and Avicii was incredible. I always loved his music.

WALKER: Is that what inspired you to DJ?

HILTON: I just have loved going to raves and music festivals since I was a teenager and then 15 years ago, I got offered to do this huge music festival in Brazil and close out for JLo, even though I’d never DJed before. My team was like, “It’s a huge offer. Will you do it?” So I was like, “Okay, fine.” So I did it and I loved it so much. And then from there I just started getting offered DJ residencies in Ibiza and Las Vegas and all around the world. 

WALKER: Yeah, why not make money off doing what you love?

HILTON: Yeah, exactly. I was the first one who invented getting paid to party in Vegas, doing club appearances. But then I noticed around that time when I started DJing, that it was more about the DJs, so I hired the best people in the business to come to my house and train me, because it’s very technical. It took a minute to learn everything. Being a girl in that business, you really have to prove yourself. So I just wanted everything to be perfect.

WALKER: I love that. I think when I finally learn how to DJ, I will officially stop singing.

HILTON: Do you ever get nervous when you go on stage?

WALKER: A little. It’s not as bad as it used to be.

HILTON: Same. I used to get so nervous, but I spoke to other artists like Sia and Miley [Cyrus] about it, and they’re like, “It’s normal. You’re only nervous because you care so much.”

WALKER: I feel like that’s something Miley definitely agrees with because she gets on stage and be doing anything. It’s hilarious. 

HILTON: She slays. I love her. Soafter this trilogy, what’s next?

WALKER: Probably funk. I like old school stuff, disco.

HILTON: I love disco. Who are some of the artists that you were inspired by when you were a little girl?

WALKER: Erykah Badu. What about you?

HILTON: I always loved Madonna, Janet Jackson, Britney  [Spears], Alanis Morissette—who else? Paula Abdul. 

WALKER: The pop legends.

HILTON: Yeah. Do you come to L.A. a lot?

WALKER: Yeah, unfortunately.

HILTON: Why?

WALKER: I don’t know. I’m a down South girl, so L.A. is just so different. I always have trouble adapting.

HILTON: Why?

WALKER: Why? You really want me to get into it? [Laughs] I can’t ever seem to find really good food without going to a five star restaurant and spending $500 to $1000 just to eat a meal. And then the traffic is so bad, it’s so crazy. It’s kind of a little bit bougie, but maybe I’m going to the wrong places. And the air has a lot of smog, and I just be like–

HILTON: “Take me home.” [Laughs]

WALKER: Yeah. And I think it’s like that southern hospitality, like people open doors, and they say, “Yes ma’am,” or “No, ma’am.” I think in New York and LA everything’s just moving so fast that people just be like, “Get the fuck out the way.” 

HILTON: [Laughs] Yeah. I love Southern food. 

WALKER: What is your favorite type?

HILTON: Biscuits and gravy–everything just feels so cozy and yummy. I love anything that’s fried. I’m not really a healthy eater. 

WALKER: Life is short. Enjoy yourself.

HILTON: I love Taco Bell.

WALKER: Period. Yeah, I think Atlanta needs to chill with the lemon pepper though. You can’t have lemon pepper with everything.

HILTON: [Laughs] What do you like to do when you relax?

WALKER: When I like to relax, I like to get a massage. I don’t even know how many times I get a massage in a month. That’s my shit. Hopefully one day I can open up a spa because that is my passion and then I can just sit there all day.

HILTON: Do you like facials?

WALKER: Yes, I love any type of red light therapy, any type of healing things you can do.

HILTON: Yeah, I’m obsessed with all that. I’m building a crazy spa at my house right now that has all of the most insane medical devices and facial things that you would see in a real spa or a doctor’s office because I’m obsessed with longevity and wellness and looking hot forever.

WALKER: Speaking of looking hot forever, there’s this machine and it’s super cold, and they put it on your face and do that lymphatic drainage, but it snatches your face and you look like Michael Jackson after. You know what I’m talking about?

HILTON: I have a couple different ones. I have an actual cryotherapy machine called CryoBuilt that you walk in. Four people can fit in it.

WALKER: Oh, wow.

HILTON: But then I also have the face ones. This other new thing they just came out with as well, it’s called the Sherpa CryoBuilt and it’s like a cryo facial that blasts this freezing air on you. And then there’s another one that’s like a metal thing, and it’s like a circle, and it just gets so cold, and it makes your face look snatched. I love it.

WALKER: Yes. I need to learn about some more machines. My facial lady is crazy. It looks like a mad scientist room in there. It’s like 50 machines.

HILTON: Yeah, that’s how I am too. I get three facials a week for three hours each time, and I feel like I’m working because she hooks up all these little sticky things on my body with the electric EMS, so it’s kind of toning the body while doing the facial.

WALKER: You have the thing that does the crunches for you?

HILTON: Yes. The NeurotriS machine. It’s so sick. 

WALKER: See, I do them, but I don’t know what they’re called. 

HILTON: [Laughs] So what was the inspiration for your album cover?

WALKER: Anna Nicole Smith.

HILTON: Yes. I remember when I saw that when you posted on Instagram, I was like, “This is iconic.”

WALKER: Thank you. We love the girls. We love Pamela [Anderson], we love Anna.

HILTON: So amazing that you recreated that.

WALKER: Thank you. Well, don’t be a stranger because I’m trying to come to one of them DJ sets.

HILTON: Oh yes, definitely. And I’ll let you know my next house party is in real Slivington Manor. It’s so much fun.

WALKER: Oh, I love house parties. That’s actually my favorite thing. Particularly ones with no air.

HILTON: No air?

WALKER: Yeah. Like a Jamaican party.

HILTON: What is that?

WALKER: We’ll get into it. [Laughs] But I’m so over the clubs. Everybody wants to stand around and stare at each other.

HILTON: Yeah, it’s not fun. But my house parties are lit.

WALKER: Okay, I’ll be there.

HILTON: Hell yes. I’ll find out when the next one is and I’ll send it to you. Wait, what’s your favorite song on the new album?

WALKER: “Don’t Make Me Do It.”

HILTON: What’s it about?

WALKER: It’s just like, don’t make me break up with you, because I don’t want to, but I’ll do it if I have to.

HILTON: Loves it. Congratulations on everything, honey. And I look forward to seeing you soon. I hope you have an amazing Thanksgiving and Christmas. I’ll send you over the prezzies.

WALKER: Thank you. Blessings to you and the family.

HILTON: You too, honey.

CONTINUE READING

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