Source: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1m9oOrOs7m/?igsh=bXdzd2RmeXF4bjlv

Photo courtesy of Latinos at West Instagram Account

On January 5th, 2024, senior Jason Grosso and the Latinos at West Club held a custom bilingual concert called Mi Gente Me Llama Sazón for the Childhood Leukemia Foundation. Around $300 was donated during the show. Sixteen songs, such as Vivir Mi Vida by Marc Anthony, The Village by Wrabel (a fan favorite song from Latinos at West), Eres Mía by Romeo Santos, and many more, were presented during the concert. Jason sang all his songs from the heart and grabbed the attention of many family members and friends. Jason is not only part of Latinos at West but is also involved in Peer Leaders, the West Music Department, and No Place for Hate. This is Jason’s last year at West, so Jason will be leaving this school in June in a successful and exciting way. So, sit back, and enjoy a Q&A with your star!

Q: Okay, so to begin with this Q&A, let’s talk about all the behind-the-scenes stuff. How and who did you practice with, and what was it like?

A: Eh, practicing was kind of bad since I sometimes messed up and I was getting nervous because, well, this was not how I performed before. So when I went on stage during the concert, I was kind of just winging it, which worked, and by accessing my heart during the show, once I got up there, I just couldn’t get off, you know?

Q: So, how did it feel to be on stage? Did you feel nervous, excited, alive, etc?

A: I will say that I was nervous, but I feel like that nervousness showed that I wanted to do this and that I was up here for a reason. But, I feel like, especially when emoting the Adele songs, they were more personal to me and possibly to other people, but in my opinion, I think I did a good job with that.

Q: Okay, this concert is very important to the Childhood Leukemia Foundation. I remember you saying something about what made you do the concert, but I forgot. Could you explain what motivated you to do a concert for this cause again?

A: Okay, so originally, it was one day, I just thought about the idea of doing a concert off the top of my head. At first, I just made it a joke, but once Adele’s 30 came out (which was Adele’s fourth studio album), I just started to use my voice a lot more, and with the show, I sort of wanted to tell a story. After working with people like Mr. Gorelick, Sra. [Rivas-Mintz], and the music department, I think I did pretty well with telling a story in the show.

Q: Alright, so the concert went really well, in my opinion. There were some technical issues during the show, but I think you and your team recovered quickly. What were your favorite and least favorite parts of the concert?

A: I loved this whole thing, but there was a moment that I did screw up a bit. I think in the beginning, I sort of messed up since I was a little nervous, but after songs 8 and 9 [Don’t You Remember and Rumour Has It, both by Adele], I paced myself a little better, and I went for it. But I also felt everything in my chest and stomach, and after that, everything felt like as if I was pushing limits.

Q: It’s great to hear your thoughts on the concert, are there any people you would thank?

A: Yeah, I mean, Senora, Mr. Gorelick, the music teachers because if Gorelick hadn’t helped me get into this, I would not have done it ever. If Senora hadn’t impacted me so much and encouraged me to do the concert, I also wouldn’t have done this. Without the help of the music teachers and music department, like Salma [Mitwalli] being my backup singer and everyone else in the show, then this concert would just not have been possible.

Q: The title of the concert is quite interesting, is there any reason why you named the concert “Mi Gente Me Llama Sazón”?

A: So, if you tried pronouncing my name, it sounds like Jason (JAY-SON), right? But, if you pronounced it with an accent, it would sound like Jasón (HA-SON). My friend, Ysimar [a boss for Latinos at West], instead of calling me Jason or Jasón, would call me Sazón because it sounded similar to Jasón. So, yeah, eventually, I thought of the name for the concert and I named it “Mi Gente Me Llama Sazón” which translates to My People Call Me Sazón in English and the “Sazón” part came from my friends.

Q: This is your last year in West, and it really looks like you’re ending your journey in high school with a bang! Do you have any messages/words of encouragement for other students here at West?

A: I would just say go for it. There really is no formula, whatever you want to do, just do it. I wouldn’t give my advice since it might not work for you, but you should also know who you are and the people around you.

Thank you, Jason, for all you have done, your actions at West will not be forgotten and simply be remembered in the hearts of teachers like Sra. Rivas-Mintz and Mr. Gorelick. They appreciate everything you’ve done for our school. To conclude, Mi Gente Me Llama Sazón was a success, and in the end, this interview is to encourage students in our school.