When Jerry Di started working on the video for “Asilo,” which he debuts with Rolling Stone Thursday, he knew he wanted it to be an homage to Venezuela. He took a 33-day trip to the country, meeting with people in different corners of the country, and recording nearly 450 hours of footage.
“We documented the sunsets, the nooks and crannies, the hues that make Venezuela a unique place,” he tells Rolling Stone of the colorful, cinematic scenes that capture Di on his Venezuelan travels. “This video is a love letter to my country, a celebration of all the beautiful things it has to offer, and an invitation to the world to see it through our eyes.”
The visual marks the end of his Asilo Collections project, inspired by stages of migratory grief — denial, anger, negotiation, depression, and acceptance — that he went through after settling in the United States. With the “Asilo” video, he also releases the collection’s fifth and final volume, Aceptación.
“Throughout that process, music was my companion, and at each stage I created songs that reflect those specific moments in my life,” he says. “I decided to share this experience so that you people can experience what it means to be an immigrant with me. It’s a way for us to connect on a deeper level, to recognize that, although the road may be hard, we are never alone on this journey.”
Part of what he wanted to do with the Asilo Collections (and the “Asilo” video) was to not only showcase a narrative of Venezuela he thinks is often omitted from news stories, but also honor his roots and music.
“My country is much more than what you see in the headlines. Venezuela is color, strength, culture and love,” he says. “It’s easy to forget this when you only talk about the crisis, but I want to show the world that, despite everything, we are a country full of life and hope.”
The new release comes a few days after Di learned that he had a Song of the Year nomination at the Latin Grammys for “Caracas en el 2000” alongside Danny Ocean and Elena Rose.