Rafael McGuire – Touching You

By starrymag | February 14, 2022

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) I always strive to be unique in everything I do. That includes my music and my lyrics as well. I am not interested in making music to viralize on TikTok, using sounds that are trendy at the moment or singing about topics that most people consider interesting or relevant. I want to create sounds that resonate with my soul, and I want to sing about my life experiences and the way I see and feel about the universe. I want to sing about everything that bothers me in this world full of hate and evil because, although most people have lost their ways, there will always be a small select group of people that will keep the light and kindness in their hearts. These are the people I refer to as angels. I want to create music for those angels.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) I have always been a very intuitive person. I guess some people would call me an empath. Since I was a kid, I always knew I was different from everybody else. Growing up in a country like Mexico isn’t easy for those of us that decide to keep an open heart to the infinite possibilities that the universe has to offer. We reject small-minded groups of people because we know there is so much more out there. We know that the truest things in the universe can’t be seen or touched, they are felt with the soul. Unfortunately, small-minded people tend to be a majority in third world countries like Mexico. I never had any friends as a kid. I struggled with bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination at school, and I had no one to rely on but myself. This was the cost I had to pay for being an artist, for being different than everybody else, for not allowing my cultural background to define me and for not letting society dictate the type of person I would become. Sometimes you have to remind yourself why you are the way you are – why you decided to become THAT person. But is not always easy. Sometimes you forget to remind yourself and slowly, but surely, you start losing yourself. When that happens, the universe will send you an angel to remind you who you are. For me, that was the moment I heard Avicii for the first time. That was the moment my heart was filled with love and light again, the moment I was able to take off the blackout glasses and begin the journey that would change my life forever.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Touching You.”

 

A) James Dean said, “Live fast, die young, leave a good-looking corpse.” I could have never imagined the way this quote would define my youth and early years of adulthood. I left Mexico right after high school and moved to Hollywood to study at LA Film School. A year and a few months later I met someone who would become my first true love and the most painful experience I would ever encounter (so far at least). We got married shortly after meeting each other, traveled the world together, built a business empire from scratch and became a very powerful couple in every sense of the word. However, it’s no secret that all good things must come to an end. Eventually, I was forced to make a decision between that person and me. I chose myself, my music, my art and everything else that truly represents who I am. A few days before making that decision, I wrote “Touching You” on my way to a business conference in New York City. I wanted to talk about my sexual needs and my freedom, about things that were being taken away from me at that moment of my life. I wanted to scream, shout and break everything around me because I just couldn’t keep living with a rope around my hands. I needed to set my voice free. I needed to be heard. I deserved to be heard. And I did.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I wouldn’t use the term “connect,” instead I would say that people are able to discover a different side of what it means to fully accept and embrace our freedom and sexuality as human beings. “Touching You” is not like any other song you would typically hear on the radio or on streaming platforms, it is the result of a musical composition mixed with one of the most powerful quotes from The OA (my favorite Netflix show) and an original essay of my authorship. If anything, “Touching You” will allow people to discover different concepts of music and life itself.

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) As previously stated, I have always gone out of my way to be unique in everything I do, everything I create and everything that relates to my way of living. Thus, the reason I refused to create a video that would basically tell the story of the lyrics since that would be too predictable. Those who personally know me are fully aware that I can be anything but predictable. Since I have always believed in the existence of parallel dimensions and alternate realities, I decided to make a video that would allow me to create different versions of myself on different planes of existence. The end result of the video was achieved due to the higher level of consciousness I have been able to develop over the many spiritual awakenings in my life as well as by important pieces of information I have found within “The OA.”

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) Every process is different, although there are similarities within one another. Sometimes I would have a glass of wine or two or perhaps the full bottle depending on my mood. Other times, I could be working out at the gym and, all of a sudden, the lyrics would appear on my mind forcing me to stop what I’m doing to write down the verse or chorus on my phone. However, no songwriting process can be accomplished successfully without allowing myself to feel every single emotion I have experienced across my life – happiness, sadness, excitement, anger, disappointment, hope, fear, love, rage, passion…

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) I have always been part of the production process in my music. Even down to when I recorded my first cover “Somebody That I Used to Know” over ten years ago, I knew exactly what I wanted and made sure the producer would create the beats and sounds as I would hear them in my head. I believe that, in order for something to be successful, you have to be part of the entire process from beginning to end.

 

Q) Will there be a full album or EP coming in the near future?

 

A) Absolutely, I am already working on my first EP which will be based on my own life experiences with mental health issues, spiritual awakenings and the power of manifestation. I am expecting to release my first EP by the end of 2022 or beginning of 2023. In the meantime, I will continue to release original singles and covers.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) There are many of them; however, Lana Del Rey is on top of my list. For me, she represents what a true artist is and should be. I believe that she and I share the same philosophy when it comes down to “getting naked.” This is something that anyone can do; however, getting the soul naked (in other words, showing your soul) is not something that any person can or is willing to do. Only a few of us fully understand this concept.

 

Q) You are also an actor and model. What made now the right time to pursue your music career?

 

A) I am a man of many talents, an artist with many different sides and a human being that is always looking to collect as many experiences as possible. I don’t limit myself to anything because I understand that the power of the mind is too powerful and, if used correctly, we can develop any ability and accomplish any dream. The secret for this is as follows – always believe in yourself and in everything you do, let go of the past and live in the present, learn how to control your energy and protect it at all costs, don’t take anything personal and envision the life you want to create for yourself. This knowledge has allowed me to become a singer, songwriter, actor, model, influencer, mental health activist and much more that people are not aware of.

 

Q) We love seeing you on our screens as well. Are there any upcoming acting roles you can tease?

 

A) Absolutely; however, I can’t disclose any of these projects at the moment. All I can share is that I will be performing live during 2022 and I will be representing Mexico at the first edition of the Best Male Model of the Universe in Belgium on June 11-20.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) I am all about being an honest and transparent human being, which also applies to my life as an artist and public figure. Social media has allowed me to share a little bit about myself and my way of living with people all around the world. I am not going to lie and say that my social media has always been what it is today, not at all. At some point in my life it took a huge toll on my mental health, almost to the point that I was about to quit social media for good. However, after years of try and error, I was able to find the balance needed to make the most out of it and today it has become the most powerful tool I have ever had to do business, connect with people, share my music and basically, to let the people know what Rafael McGuire is all about.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) There are so many things that I could say; however, I will narrow it down to what I consider to be the most important reminders to be aware of in today’s world. Always put yourself and your needs first, no matter what. This will be considered an act of narcissism by most people but that is only because they don’t understand the concept of self-love and self-respect. In order to be at peace and harmony with other people, first you need to be at peace and harmony with yourself. Stop looking for love, happiness and support in other people, places and things. Everything you need is already within you. So many things had to happen in the universe for you to be here today, which gives you a reason and a purpose for living. Don’t throw that away. And finally, I just want to say that although I may not personally know you, I still love you and I believe in you. I do because you are just like me – you are a human being trying to find your place in this world of madness and cruelty and that makes you a warrior and an angel. And when the time comes and the world ends, only those angels will transcend into a higher dimension of consciousness.