As the closing credits roll in the new independent drama “Sound of Freedom,” moviegoers will be treated to a top tier theme song thanks to an A-list music produce and songwriter. Fernando Garibay, who helped Lady Gaga craft her quadruple platinum “Born this Way” album and subsequent tour “The Born This Way Ball,” was moved by the film and realized his talents in creating hits for artists such as Gaga, Sting, Shakira and Sia, could be utilized in taking the message to another level.
“I was driven more than anything to create awareness of what’s going on and what music can do as a catalyst for change,” Garibay said, referring to the film’s purpose to fight child trafficking. “Whenever I see an opportunity like that, I jump at it, especially for a noble cause like this.”
The film, which follows the true story of Tim Ballard (Jim Cavizel) on a mission to rescue children sold into slavery, has a very heavy subject matter, which will leave viewers angry that such evil in the world truly exists. Garibay said he felt the song, co-written with Justin Jesso, Daniel Padilla, Ramiro Padilla, and Paul Ahlstromand performed by Jesso, could create a “buffer zone” after the events of the film truly sink in.
“My hope is that this creates a buffer zone from the experiential shock of watching what’s really happening to transitioning into a ‘What can I do?’ mindset,” he said. “We’ve done this with pop stars. So, this is a real test—can we do this for a cause?”
Garibay, who was named after the hit Abba song “Fernando,” says he has felt a connection to music his entire life. His father bought the album and played it for him throughout his childhood. He credits the Swedish supergroup with creating the blueprint for Western pop music. As he grew and expanded his love of music, he added more music to his playlist, embracing the Eagles, the Beatles, Pink Floyd, and then the New Wave bands of the 80’s such as Depeche Mode and even rap.
“It made me understand the world and not feel like I was alone,” he said. “I felt witnessed I felt connected.” Now, as a highly sought after producer and songwriter, he’s grateful that he “gets to do this every day of my life.”
“Music conveys things we can’t put into words,” he said. “It became baked into how we understand the world. When leveraged for good, it’s an ultimate catalyst for change.”
“Sound of Freedom,” starring Jim Caviezel and Mira Sorvino and written and directed by Alejandro Monteverde, opens on July 3 across the country. For more information or to buy tickets, click here. Watch the official music video of “Sound of Freedom” by Justin Jesso below.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In