You can often see senior Mateo Escudero driving up to Asad’s Hot Chicken or having fun with his friend group. Escudero loves music, and it makes up his exuberant personality.
You will always find Escudero talking with someone or cracking a joke. His sociable personality shines for all to see. His booming voice and happy inflection make those around him feel comforted and loved.
Despite that, Escudero hasn’t always been this way. During sophomore year he surrounded himself with those he considered, “bad students.”
“I guess it’s always that 10 percent (of students) that are just loud and ruin it for the rest of us. I think that’s kind of why Norristown gets a bad rep. I used to be like that too,” Escudero said.
After COVID-19, many students had trouble re-adjusting to the climate, and Escudero found himself skipping class and leaving school early. However, he gradually started surrounding himself with people who attended class on time and made better choices. However, he never lost his extroverted personality and love of music.
When Mr. Norristown presented an opportunity for him to showcase his musical talent he was instantly on board. He discovered his love for music in 5th grade when his dad played older rock and alternative music for him.
Escudero then fell in love with genres like Hip-Hop and House Music, which he had not known beforehand. Discovering this hidden aspect opened the door to many aspects of Escudero’s personality, such as learning the guitar and piano.
“I have been heavily influenced by artists and producers like Pharrell Williams, Travis Scott, Kanye West, and many others, especially the band Radiohead for their excellent ability to break boundaries and push the music to more than just music,” Escudero said.
His love for music was also influenced by his Colombian background, a very musically oriented country, with many of his relatives being in a salsa ensemble. You can hear the raw and reggaeton vibes in his playing style, which is a major part of Colombian music culture.
Ever since he can remember, Escudero has always dreamt of playing live for an audience and showing off his Colombian roots. He plans on achieving his goal in the foreseeable future and sees Mr. Norristown as a conduit for these aspirations.
