The Liferay Team in Spain got together to spread a little joy.
On the outside, our teams may just look like talented developers, marketers, and analysts but dig deep and you’ll find amazing musicians, video editors, and even a flamenco dancer! Our team in Spain got to utilize their talents in a different way by gathering people together to inspire a little hope during the pandemic.
Viva La Vida(ray)
It started like any other standup call, Carlos, one of our Frontend Engineers based in Madrid, was discussing his progress with a fellow developer when the Liferayer on the other end noticed the guitar hanging on Carlos’s wall. He had played the guitar for years and was even in a band, but had since then traded in the life of a budding rockstar for a dedicated Frontend Engineer at Liferay.
The Liferayer asked Carlos to play something for him and the joy he experienced in that moment sparked an idea: Why not dust off these skills for a project that would bring the Spain office together?
Talent is Everywhere at Liferay
Seeking out talent among our Spanish employees was not difficult; our team members double up as musicians, singers, video editors, producers, dancers. Carlos proposed singing Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” together because he felt the message was appropriate especially during this time of quarantine.
Recording the video was definitely much harder to coordinate with everyone staying at home. However, these moments gave the participants an opportunity to overcome challenges together to grow as a team and be closer, even while being in lockdown.
The song itself took two weeks to record and Carlos took another two weeks to edit.
The video, first shared internally then uploaded onto YouTube, not only increased collaboration within the Spain office but helped break down the barriers of remote work and gave a sense of encouragement to other offices as well.
Reaching New Audiences
The video was met with high praises online and even attracted the attention of one of the most well-recognized visually impaired developers in Spain. With his assistance, Carlos was also able to create a version of the video that is accessible for those who have visual disabilities.
The team enjoyed making this cover so much, they’re already looking forward to the next cover! Stay connected with us on our social channels to make sure you don’t miss the encore!
Life(ray) Goes On
Life seems to have halted; the days blend together, and the promise of returning to normality still seems hazy. But life moves on, and so do we. But we will continue to move forward, seeking new and creative opportunities to encourage one another and to serve our community.