After making his return to the music industry with his latest album The New Hurt in August, Mexican-American folk-punk powerhouse Ricky Mendoza is back to give his fans an audio-visual treat during Hispanic Heritage month, introducing his powerful self-produced music video for “Move.”

With brazen vocals, infectious acoustic guitar melodies, and strong percussive rhythms, “Move” is the opening track off of “The New Hurt” and is a thoughtful exploration of complacency in times when we so desperately need to take action. Even when we’re negatively influenced by our environment, Mendoza’s modern anthem calls for his listeners to find the strength within themselves to defeat every challenge that crosses their path and to find the courage to move forward.

“Am I a good musician? A good person? What will people say about me?” Mendoza wonders. “This is the voice inside my head telling me that I’m not good enough or that I’m not worthy of love. This is the fear that I wrestle with every f’n day. It poisons me with self-doubt and every day is a constant struggle to defeat my greatest enemy: myself.”

Mendoza continues: “As kids, we thought we were capable of anything and then the fear starts poisoning us. My philosophy is that every day is a new life. A day to start over, a day to forgive ourselves and live fully. I know it sounds like hokey-cliche bullshit, but that’s how I feel. To take a breath is a damn miracle and I am a part of this thing we call life. To me, this video says, ‘to hell with that inner voice and live the life you want to live, right now. Move.'”

The video depicts a story of good versus evil, where Mendoza takes on the persona of the tune’s protagonist. He spends his life running from external criticisms and internal fear and anxiety, repeatedly deterring him from achieving more. Upon realizing his own abilities, he harnesses his strength to push ahead, conquering his perpetual pessimism. “Move” shares the crucial message that we are the only ones who hold ourselves back, and it’s time we regain control of our own lives.

A veteran creative with a bold voice and a knack for powerful lyricism, Ricky Mendoza is fearless in his examination of the most profound encounters of the human soul, tying his own life experiences into his artistic process and encouraging his fans to feel the full spectrum of emotions brought on by our time on this earth. In addition to building a career in the music industry as a solo artist, Mendoza is also the founder of StoryMakers Production Co. based in Texas.