20 Questions
For over two decades, Tamela Mann has been one of the most recognizable and impactful artists in contemporary gospel music. While the genre’s mainstream presence has waned in recent years, Mann’s moving, door-busting voice has helped tracks like “Take Me to the King,” “I Can Only Imagine” and “God Provides” become formidable crossover hits. Perhaps best known for “King,” which spent 25 weeks atop Gospel Airplay, Mann’s other accolades include an American Music Award, a BET Award and a Grammy for best gospel performance/song (2017, “God Provides”).
Earlier this year, “Working for Me,” the lead single from her new Live Breathe Fight album (Oct. 11), helped Mann break a tie with longtime collaborator and friend Kirk Franklin for most chart-toppers on Gospel Airplay. With 11 leaders dating back to 2012’s “King” and Billboard’s decade-end No. 1 Top Gospel Album of the 2010s (2012’s Best Days) to her name, Tamela Mann is a musical force – as well as a theatrical one.
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Next year will also mark 25 years since she originated the beloved character of Cora Simmons in a different kind of MCU: Tyler Perry’s Madea Cinematic Universe. From stage plays and sitcoms to box office-topping films like 2023’s The Color Purple, Tamela Mann’s medium-agnostic talent has allowed her to expertly navigate both the sanctified and secular worlds with her signature grace and passion.
Back with her sixth solo studio album ahead of a highly anticipated tour, Tamela Mann caught up with Billboard for an emotional conversation about the making of her new album, her working relationships with Franklin and Perry, and her 30-year faith journey in the entertainment industry.
1. Why did you decide to experiment with country music on “Working for Me?”
“Working for Me” was actually my second country song! Me and David [Mann Sr.] had a song called “Mason Jar” on our [2018] Us Against the World album. I was nervous about doing that one, even though I already have the Southern drawl! When my producer [Phillip] Bryant brought the song to me — with this young lady named Tia Sharee, another writer on the project — immediately, I was like, “Yes.” What really caught me [was] the chorus, “I can’t see it/ But I still believe.”
I’m more of a lyric-driven person, so when I heard that I was like, “Yes… but maybe I’m not gonna sing with as much twang as the demo.” We dived right into writing and finishing out that first version of the song. I was afraid to release it at first because people really try to put me in a box of just doing ballads. I stepped out on faith and trusted my heart that this was what the Lord was leading us to.
I think “Working for Me” is very encouraging to both Christians and non-believers. Even when we can’t see Him, we still believe that he’s working on our behalf. I was so shocked at the response to the song and how much radio loved it. I think it surprised people – especially when they hear that banjo! It’s country, but we still go to the foot-stomping gospel at the end and really take it to church. That’s what I love most about it; it gives me something for the people to sing along with me.
2. “Working for Me” became your record-breaking 11th No. 1 single on Gospel Airplay, helping you break a tie with longtime friend and collaborator Kirk Franklin. What does it mean to you that you two are still performing at such a high level after all these years?
It is amazing to me. Words can’t even express… and I told myself I’m not going to cry! [Laughs.] We met as teenagers and we’re still great friends to this day working in the same vein that we started in and still giving God glory for what he’s done. I’m just happy that [my generation of gospel artists is] still out here spreading the good news. It makes me feel good that we are right there, neck and neck.
With friends, it’s not like you’re competing. We never talk about it, we’re really proud of each other. I thank God for the friendship and the covering that we have for each other. I’m grateful that we’re still doing it together and I say let’s keep going up and up!
3. What advice do you have for younger artists who are aiming for that kind of career longevity?
I prayed for longevity in the industry — especially after looking at our forerunners who’ve paved the way for us: Shirley Caesar, James Cleveland, Walter Hawkins, The Clark Sisters. I asked the Lord to give me longevity like that and to keep my voice intact. Seeing Shirley still jumping around at 80-something and seeing Dr. Bobby Jones still doing the work is a blessing.
I want to encourage our young people to remember what our message is and to live life. You’re not going to be perfect. You’re going to make mistakes. Things are not going to turn out the way that you want them to turn out all the time, but you just keep loving the Lord. One thing my mom told me that I’ll share with them is to love the Lord with all your heart, and the Lord will take you far.
4. Talk to me about how “Big Facts” came together.
Jevon Hill out of Jacksonville, Fla., brought me the track. Throughout the last year, the Lord had been giving me little nuggets to plug into the songs. In the last year and a half of our lives, there’s been a lot of chaos from the business to family life. But every time I get ready to do a project, that’s how the enemy attacks and tries to distract me – and I refuse to be defeated. I was talking to some of the writers, and I was like, “Y’all, we have to really look at ourselves and figure out what it is that we’re doing.”
A lot of times, we look at everybody else to make changes when we’re the ones who need to change. “Big Facts” came from self-examination instead of pointing the finger at anybody else. Another young man named Stanley came in and he said, “Don’t just say ‘Face the facts,’ say ‘Big facts!’” I was actually gonna make it longer, but it makes me hit repeat the way it is. It makes me drive fast – so y’all be careful out there!
5. How did you land on this album title?
We’re living like heaven is our destiny, we breathe in every breath with purpose, and we’re fighting till we get the victory. The title of the album is encouragement: When I told people about it, they were like, “Wow, we need that.” I want us to really face the facts of ourselves. Let’s grow together. Let’s do better with our world, just loving more and judging less. It’s a spiritual thing that I’m doing — from the inside out, I’m building myself and trying to make myself better in everything that I’m doing and trying to accomplish.
6. When did work begin on this album?
Well, it was time — because it had been three years since my last project! I had planned a time to start recording, but then filming jumped in there, so I called my producers in and tried to get the whole project done as quickly as possible. We had one room with people laying tracks and singing BGVs [background vocals], in another room, they were doing actual tracks for the music, and in another room, we were writing. I stepped in more than I ever had on any other project.
I’ve been a part of every piece of this album, so it was different for me. We started in March and we pulled together 17 songs in three weeks. We created a book. We created a journey. I feel like this is my best body of work so far, and I pray to God that we continue to go higher because I feel like people should see growth from when I started in 2004 until now.
7. What do you think it was about this particular project that spurred you to get so involved?
What I was dealing with in life — as y’all young people say, “Life was life-ing!” [Laughs.] Life was really pushing me… I wasn’t mad, but a lot of disappointment hit me. I did a lot of crying and talking about it in the music, but at the end of it, I really felt victorious. I didn’t allow [those feelings] to distract me or cause me to quit. I didn’t say, “I can’t do this right now,” I used the disappointment as strength. I refused to let it consume me.
8. Which three songs would you say are most representative of the album?
“Working for Me,” “Hand on Me” and “Deserve to Win.” I think they’re all great messages regardless of what you’re dealing with. No man can take whatever God has for you. And after all you’ve been through, you deserve to win. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be on top. A lot of times, we talk ourselves out of a lot of happiness or victories because we’re concerned with what others might think. I don’t think there’s nothing wrong with being sure of yourself and allowing people to see the glory of God living in you and flowing out of you.
9. Was it always your plan to make a completely solo album?
That was more of a fluke of timing. I really wanted to bring in some other people but time just didn’t permit. I plan on going back in and bringing those people in, which I think will be massive. I want them to be a surprise!
10. Earlier this year you tied Kirk and Travis Greene as BMI’s gospel songwriter of the year. What does your typical songwriting process look like?
It changed for me in terms of actually writing down little nuggets and ideas in my phone. First, I always begin with a prayer, “Lord, what do we need to give the people?” We’re not out here song-chasing. This time, the Lord didn’t give me any rhythms, it was moreso lyrics, so I talked about what those lyrics meant to me and that’s where the writers took off from.
11. What song was the most difficult for you to write or record?
“Carry On” was a little challenging in terms of actually recording it. It took me a couple of tries to catch the rhythm. My producers are all in their 30s, and doing new things with cadence. [Laughs.] I was like, “My tongue is heavy, it don’t move that fast!” I had to work at it, but I took it as a challenge. They stretched me to do something new. I kept telling them don’t try to take me too far into R&B because that crowd already has R&B – they want to hear what we have to say and what our message is in gospel.
12. What’s your favorite song you’ve ever written in your entire career?
Right now, “Hand on Me,” because it brought back childhood memories. I started singing at 8 and now I’m 58, to see how the hand of God has been on me my whole life – even before the career got here – and how the Lord was connecting me with the right people… it’s almost overwhelming. When I sing “Hand on Me,” it not only makes me want to cry, but it also makes me grateful and thankful that even when I failed or didn’t make the right decision, the Lord kept his hand on my life.
13. What gospel song has been most impactful on your life?
My first song that I ever sang – and I’ve been using it as a part of my testimony on “Hand on Me” — was “I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired.” It was my first solo at eight years old, and I didn’t understand what I was singing about then, but now I know that the Lord didn’t bring me this far to leave me. I’m so glad that he is still with me and covering me as we continue this journey. I’ve just been praying, “Lord, give me more time. Give us more time to get it right.” Not just for me, but for everyone in general. I’ve seen a lot of my friends get out of here, and not necessarily old people. I will give “No Ways Tired” my stamp because it was my beginning and it’s still with me to this day.
14. Next year marks the 30-year anniversary of the landmark Kirk Franklin and The Family Christmas album. How do you even begin to assess the impact of that album so many years later, especially “Now Behold the Lamb?”
You never know which songs are going to take off and what they’re going to do. Even “Take Me to the King,” Kirk and I didn’t know. But for me to sing “Now Behold the Lamb” all these years later and people still love it? I’m just so grateful to God for the people loving on us and walking this journey with us. It’s a “wow factor” moment for me. I’m thankful that people think about the Lamb of God like that.
15. What are your thoughts on the current contemporary gospel scene and how can we preserve the integrity of gospel music as CCM continues to grow?
The scripture says that His Word won’t return void. Some may fall away, but the scripture also says that there will be a great falling away in the last days, which we see in our churches. It’s like pulling teeth trying to get everybody to come together. “I’m watching online!” But, honestly, are you really watching online?
All I can say is that I’m going to keep holding up the blood-stained banner. Souls are still going to be saved, and people are still going to be reached. The blood of Jesus reaches the highest mountains and the lowest valleys. Some of us [in gospel music] are going to keep fighting. We’re going to keep loving the Lord. We’re going to keep singing for him and singing about how His blood still works.
16. Talk to me about your relationship with Tyler Perry and the projects you two have on the way.
Oh my God, I’m so thankful for Tyler Perry seeing something in me that I didn’t see myself. And I’m so thankful to my husband for coaching and directing me. It wouldn’t be Cora if it wasn’t for them pushing me because I was fighting them! I was like a little cat! Our journey has been almost 30 years, so it has really been a blessing that I didn’t see happening. It’s incredible how the Lord is helping us keep the characters alive with Assisted Living. We got a new movie that’s coming out next year called Madea’s Destination Wedding. It’s going to be hilarious. It’s funny to me though, because when people see us outside, they’re like, “Hey, Mr. Brown! Hey, Tamela Mann!” I can have my name, but he’s Mr. Brown! [Laughs.]
17. We’re also coming up on one year of The Color Purple movie musical. How do you look back on that experience?
That experience was amazing because it was the first time that I had done dancing and singing at the same time. David has coached me so much that even when I’m shooting a music video, I’m signing with the track to really get those feelings. But the Lord put the right people around me because they were able to push and encourage me to dance like, “You got it, Mama!”
Ms. Oprah Winfrey came out of hiding — we were coming out of COVID when we were filming — like, “You know, I came to see you. I came out for you. I don’t know if I should be out here.” I said, “You gonna be fine. The Lord gonna watch over you and cover you.” It was a great experience, especially working with Fantasia and Taraji [P. Henson] and all of the other talented actors.
18. What advice do you have for young gospel artists who are looking to navigate both sanctified and secular spaces at the same time as you have done for so much of your career?
We just go in and try to set the tone. As David would say, we’re the thermostat. We set the temperature and go in with peace and light. It has been a blessing to be able to go into all these different walks of life, but I know who I’m representing. I remember my representation is not about me, it’s about God.
19. What is your favorite holiday song of all time?
[Sings “O Come All Ye Faithful”]. It’s Jesus’ birthday, so that is my favorite!
20. What can fans look forward to from you in 2025?
We’re touring the album! I’m also looking at doing some relationship tour stuff. But we’re looking at starting the Live Breathe Fight Tour at the end of March through June, so get your tickets! I’m excited for y’all to see what we got coming next year. 2025 gonna be live!
A new era calls for a new name: Nearly ten years after she first hit the scene with the hypnotic “Wine Pon It,” Jamaican-born, Bronx-bred singer-rapper Tina has shed her Hoodcelebrityy moniker, opting to go by her given name instead. “Hoodcelebrityy” may have been demoted to a parenthetical – the SEO gods are always watching – but the persona that earned her her very first Billboard chart hit, 2017’s “Walking Trophy,” remains in full force throughout her fiery new project.
Released via KSR Group on May 17, Tina vs. Hoodcelebrityy – her second full-length project and first in seven years – diligently hones Tina’s unique mixture of reggae, rap, dancehall and R&B, resulting in a breezy 10-track set that explores her dual sonic profiles while offering a sultry prelude to Caribbean Heritage Month. Her softer, more melodic side shines on standout tracks such as “Roses” and “Dolly,” while her gruffer, New York drill-informed side reigns supreme on cuts like “Hype Me Up” and “Pressure.” Seven years after Trap vs. Reggae reached No. 9 on Top Reggae Albums, Tina takes the binary approach of that record and flips it into a lens through which she can honor the different parts of her cultural and sonic identity.
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“My biggest hope for this project is for people — not just my fans — to see the quality of my music and how versatile I am as an artist and to not ever put me in a box,” she muses.
With a performance at Reggae Fest and a tour on the horizon, Tina is ready to reintroduce herself to the world with a collection of records that are sexy, fearless odes to the wonders of genre fusion. In a thoughtful conversation with Billboard, Tina details her new project, the evolution of New York’s sound, working with Shaggy, her name change, and what she still carries with her from growing up in Jamaica.
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1. What’s been your favorite thing that’s happened to you this year outside of the new project?
Just finding peace [and] really finding myself. I feel like [the COVID years taught] me a lot about myself. Stuff that I didn’t know. I really understand that you can have everything you want and still be depressed, lonely, etc. For me, it’s the simplest things that I find make me happy.
2. You recently put out Tina vs. Hoodcelebrityy. Talk to me about the concept behind the project and how the whole thing came together.
Tina: My fans dem know how versatile I am. I had this whole thing going on like, I want you to tell me which record y’all think is Tina and which record is Hoodcelebrityy. I feel like they kinda figuring that out as we speak. Tina vs. Hoodcelebrityy is just me against myself, always me trying to be better than who I used to be.
We got Tina, where you get the melody, the soft records, and then we got Hoodcelebrityy, where you get the hardcore, reggae deejay part. I can embody both Hoodcelebrityy and Tina. It’s all about making my fans dem see two different sides.
3. This is your first full-length project in about seven years. How do you think you’ve grown as a person and as an artist since Trap vs. Reggae?
When I hear some of my records on Trap vs. Reggae, even though my fans still love those records, I can tell the growth. My voice, my pitch, the melodies, how I hold certain notes — it’s definitely a lot of growth. Before, I used to rush, especially when I first came out [with] “Walking Trophy.” I was rushing records like, I got to make another one like this. Now I’m just really taking time with the music and not being so hard on myself, because I feel like when you hurting yourself, you don’t really get the best work. Right now, I’m just having fun with the music.
For my fans and people who didn’t know, I took a little break before because I had got [really] sick and I was going through a lot. Like I said, you could have all the money, everything you want, but if you don’t have peace, you don’t have that clarity or your health… you don’t have nothing.
4. Getting to a point where you can take it easy on yourself has got to be difficult in this specific industry. Who did you open up to? How did you deal with those feelings going into this project?
Big shoutout to my cousin Melissa, she’s my mentor. She’s a therapist. I opened up to her, and I feel like she keeps me grounded a lot. [She] helped me understand that at the end of the day, I’m not doing this for nobody else. I do this for myself, I do it for my family. If you pay attention to the industry and to what people got to say, then you’re done. Once they find another you or something close to you, they put you right on the shelf. Nobody cares about you no more. That’s really what keeps me grounded. I block all that out and I’m focused.
5. You’re officially going by Tina now. Was there a particular moment that sparked that choice or did life just bring you there naturally?
Behind Hoodcelebrityy, Tina was always the author. COVID put me to sit down and really wrestle with finding myself and wanting my legacy to go down with Tina. Hoodcelebrityy is always gonna be that little girl that came out of The Bronx, showing other people from the hood that you can make it out. But I see more than just Hoodcelebrityy.
I see worldwide, I’ve been to Israel, [gone] back to Jamaica, the U.K., Toronto… I’ve been all over the world. I still have a lot more countries and places to go and I feel like when I get that Grammy, I want them to be like, And the Grammy goes to Tina!
For me, it’s bigger. People say they don’t judge, but they do. I don’t want to give no human being on this Earth a chance to put me in a box. When they hear that name, people automatically think, Oh, she’s just she’s just a hood celebrity. That’s where it stops. No, I’m way bigger than just that. And they’ve done it to me a lot.
6. Were you nervous or afraid to go through with that name change?
At first, I was allowing other people to project their fear on me because that’s what people do when they’re scared of change. After I really got comfortable myself and [sat] down and prayed and put God first, because that’s what I do, I wasn’t afraid. I understand that a change is going to be rocky in the beginning because I have people that are like, You changed your name, how are people gonna find you now? How they gonna find you on Spotify? I sit down and I’ll be realistic to myself, that’s why I put [Hoodcelebrityy] in parentheses, so I’m always going to pop up.
And my fans were with it. They tell me all the time that I’m bigger than just a hood celebrity, we’re so in sync and in the same headspace. People that really love you and care for you want to see you grow. Growth is always going to be scary, but you can’t stay in the same place.
7. What song do you think best represents the Tina side of the project and why?
“Roses” definitely was Tina. “Roses” is going to be a big record, because I’m really for women. I’m really for uplifting females and making them feel good about themselves. For women, there’s so much stuff out there that’s placed on us. It’s so much pressure that it got to be somebody to remind them that they’re beautiful and deserve their roses. Some people give you your flowers when you’re dead. Give women their flowers now!
I’m just that voice for a young girl or a grown woman — it don’t matter the age. I have a lot of people that I deal with that have no self-esteem. They don’t feel pretty and that’s because somebody made them feel that way.
8. “Skin Out Di Red” still slaps. Talk to me about working with Shaggy on that one.
Working with Shaggy was dope! This guy’s a machine, he don’t stop! I feel like I still have a lot more growing [to do], because I’m still a new, young artist. He’s a legend, and I learned so much from him. I was in Miami with him for four days and we recorded every single day.
Even when my voice was going out, he was like, Alright, we gonna take a break. He had his chef make me tea to get my throat back together, gave me an hour break, and then we went right back at it. I’m like, I thought when I said my throat was hurting, he was gonna say let’s go home! [Laughs.] I’ve been preaching this for so long, but hearing a legend say it was better – consistency is key. Whatever Shaggy tells me, I’m going to listen because he’s very successful. And for people who don’t know, Shaggy is really fun, he’s not stuck up. I had a great time. It didn’t just feel like work.
9. You also just put out “Been Pretty” and you were talking your s—t on there.
With “Been Pretty,” I want people to know that when they hear my music, I’m really sitting down to write it. And I’m not saying I don’t get help with some of my music when I’m in the studio with my team, but “Been Pretty” was a record that I sat down and just wrote myself on some I’m in my bag, this is really how I feel today energy.
10. One of my favorite things about the project is how intentional you were in terms of showcasing different parts of your identity. Being New Yorkers, that’s something that we really take pride in. How do you think being a New Yorker, being a Bronx girl specifically, has influenced your sound and your approach to music?
The confidence. You can’t be from the Bronx and you don’t feel like you that girl. The way I talk too. I have the Jamaican patois in me — but then I can shut it off a little bit and go full New York like, You buggin right now! You can hear it in my music, it’s really organic and natural for me.
I left Jamaica when I was 12, so growing up in the Bronx, then going Uptown, then to the White Plains to go visit my family, I get a mixture of both [cultures] and you can hear it in the music. It adds a bit of swag. It’s like cooking with a likkle black peppa and adobo, it just adds the seasoning and the swag to my music.
11. What from Jamaica do you think still lives in you as a person and as an artist?
Manners. Dignity. Self-love. It don’t matter how big I get in this industry, I got to have manners. That’s something that living in Jamaica for a whole 12 years [and] being raised by my great-grandmother taught me. You don’t say “good evening” when somebody come in or you don’t open the door if you’re ahead of somebody else, you’ll get your a– whooped. Being a celebrity or not, if I’m in front of you and we all going somewhere, I’m holding the door for everybody. I can’t stop, because it’s something that’s in me. And it’s not going nowhere because, as they say, train the tree when it’s young, so when they get old, they won’t depart from the training.
12. Cash Cobain is also from The Bronx and he’s having a moment with his “sexy drill” sound right now. Could we get a collab between you two?
Hell yeah! I think he’s dope. On my record, funnily enough, there’s a song [called “Funny Funny Funny”] that was inspired by that sexy drill sound. I would love to do a record with him.
13. Who else from New York would you like to collaborate with in the future?
I always say Drake. I know he’s not from here, but definitely Drake. Sheff G too, I think he’s dope. I think his music is fire. I’m more into talent, longevity, and things that make sense. I don’t like to do records with people because they’re popping. If I don’t feel the music, it’s not worth it. I went to school for music. I love music. I’m not doing this s—t for money or for attention, so I like to work with artists that I think are actually dope and have substance.
15. You said you went to school for music. What are one or two lessons from those days that you still hold on to now?
Just the passion, honestly. I went to high school for violin and dance, but I really went [in] thinking, I’m just going to be in there singing. I didn’t know I was going to be playing violin, it was something that I had to do, so I did it. Music school definitely taught me about passion, though. I have a passion for dancing too. I studied everything — I was doing hip-hop, ballet… that’s why I feel like I do all my dances on my tippy toes.
16. What do you remember the sound of New York being when you were growing up? What do you think it is right now?
For me, the sound of New York growing up was 50 Cent. [He’s] my favorite rapper. I feel like growing up, it was more hardcore hip-hop, especially in the beats. Now you get different varieties. We got the sexy drill, then we got the hip-hop, then you got a little bit of the R&B type of vibe. I feel like it’s different, but our young generation has their own sound.
That’s really what we’re doing, even for dancehall music. A lot of people are like, Oh, but we want to hear the old-school stuff and it’s like — thank God for all the old-school artists, because they paved the way, but the younger generation is coming with a whole new sound. And when something is new, people get scared. They trash it. They talk s—t about it. Everything has to change. Even some of the OGs and the legends – big up to Shaggy – are embracing that new sound because you got to try different things.
17. We had two big global clashes at the top of this year with Teejay vs. Valiant and Stefflon Don vs. Jada Kingdom. Which do you think produced better music?
I think both was dope, but I’m a female. I’m all for the females. Women, when we’re on to something, we’re on to something. I feel like they both stood their ground, and it was fun. It didn’t get violent, thank God. I feel like the [Stefflon Don and Jada Kingdom] one was better, they had more people talking.
I feel like the dudes were trying to play it chill. [Both ladies] did their thing and they both got a good fan base from it too. They was playing them on Hot 97 on [105.1 FM], I feel like that definitely did good for both their careers as well for people who didn’t know who Steff or Jada were. People like gossip, so it’s like, Oh, they beefing let’s see what’s going on.
18. Which one of these songs are you most excited to bring to life on the Reggae Fest stage.
I’m performing “Roses,” but one of my favorite records to bring on that stage is gonna be “Run Di Road.” It’s really that hardcore reggae. When that song come on, it’s like when you hear [sings Chaka Demus & Pliers’ “Murder She Wrote.”] No matter where you at, you feel like you in Jamaica. I feel like “Run Di Road” is definitely going to do that to that crowd.
19. Did you make it out to the Labor Day parade last year?
Of course! Last year was my first time going back in mad long. I thought it was a lot of people’s return to the parade life, that’s why I’m hyped for this year. What I love about Labor Day is that the energy never changed. Everybody wants to have fun. Nobody going there to fight, everybody’s going to have a good time.
20. Are you going to make it out to Buju Banton’s Long Walk to Freedom concert next month?
I don’t think I will be, but if I’m going to be in New York, I might. That’s definitely gonna be crazy. I’m biased when it comes to anything that’s connected to Jamaica because I know what we go through [there.] I know the struggle, I know the backend of it. Being that little girl from Jamaica and having a dream and coming to America to really bring that to life… I got to support anything that’s connected to that because I know what it feels like.
Even if you don’t like me, even if I know that you don’t feel how I feel about you, I still have that in me — because that’s what keeps me going too. I came to America when I was 12, I didn’t have nothing. I couldn’t work any type of job that I wanted to. So making it out, I could just imagine someone that came from Jamaica two or three years ago and what life was like for them. So, anything surrounding that, I got to support it.
Ramón Ayala is one of the most iconic figures of Norteño music. He rose to fame in the ’60s as part of the duo Los Relámpagos del Norte, alongside Cornelio Reyna, and for more than half a century he has maintained a successful career with his band Ramón Ayala y sus Bravos del Norte.
So when he announced in February his El Principio De Un Final Tour, many were surprised by that title (Spanish for “The Beginning of an End”). At Coachella, Peso Pluma included him in a tribute to greats of Mexican culture on the screen at the back of the stage, while he performed his hit “Lady Gaga”.
But is Ramón Ayala retiring or not?
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“Of course not,” says the “King of the Accordion” to Billboard Español. “I am now in perfect condition. If I don’t play and tour, I don’t feel happy and fulfilled. I have been a musician all my life.”
Ayala’s history with music began when he was just five years old and he accompanied his father playing the accordion to bring money home in his native Monterrey, Nuevo León, cradle of one of the three strands on which regional Mexican music is based: norteño, mariachi and banda sinaloense.
Throughout his long-lasting career, he has recorded over 100 albums, two of which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart: Arriba El Norte (1991) and Antología De Un Rey (2004). He’s also placed 12 songs on Hot Latin Songs, including “Del Otro Lado del Portón”, at No. 12, and “Quémame los Ojos”, at No. 19. And he’s received two Grammy Awards and two Latin Grammys, among other accolades.
On March 9, he began his 50-concert tour in Los Angeles, which includes stops in Atlanta, El Paso, Chicago, Las Vegas, and other U.S. cities. He will soon announce dates in Mexico, in cities like Hermosillo, Tijuana, Ensenada, Culiacán, Mexico City and Monterrey, “where they will pay me a tribute in the Macroplaza,” he says of the latter.
Also in March, he released the corrido “El Retén,” the first single from an upcoming 15-track album.
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In an interview with Billboard Español, Ayala answers 20 questions about his life and career, his last moments with Cornelio Reyna and how much he still has left to do.
1. How do you manage to still get up with such great enthusiasm 61 years after starting your career?
Knowing that there’s a large audience that follows us both in Mexico and in the United States, that fills our concerts and is awaiting our new music, motivates me.
2. When you started in music, did you dream of getting to where you are now?
I have been a musician since I was five years old. At that age, I already played the accordion and worked with my dad in a band in Monterrey — I dreamed of continuing doing what I did and nothing else.
3. Do you remember the first professional recording you made?
Yes, it was in 1963, a song called “Ya No Llores,” and it was such a hit that it opened the doors to Ramón Ayala and Cornelio Reyna, my dear compadre. We were Los Relámpagos del Norte. That’s how we would be until 1971.
4. Los Relámpagos del Norte have remained an inspiration. What does it mean to you to have laid the groundwork for so many generations?
Cornelio and I met when we were 14, so we were like brothers. That made us bond and better transmit our music to the audience.
5. Do you have a special memory or anecdote with Cornelio Reyna?
When we started out, Cornelio was the one who made the contracts. Once, he promised [we would play] three events in one night. We arrived to the first, we did not make it to the second, and we arrived to the third one when people were already leaving. People recognized us and threw stones at our trucks. At that moment we decided that someone should represent us, and a friend offered to do it, Servando Cano.
6. Servando Cano, who would become one of the most important representatives of regional Mexican music…
That’s right. He worked as a cashier at the National Bank of Mexico in Reynosa, Tamaulipas. He offered to be our manager and we accepted. We went to Mexico to sign the contract so that everything was well done and legally.
7. With so many hits, is there a song that’s particularly meaningful to you?
There is one that I have a special affection for, “Mi Golondrina,” because it was one of the first that I recorded. But “Rinconcito en el Cielo” is very important in my career.
8. Why did Cornelio Reyna and Ramón Ayala separate? Was there any problem between you?
There was no problem, we always got along well. What happened is that he wanted to try his luck in Mexico singing mariachi and acting in movies.
9. Did you get a chance to reunite with Reyna before his passing in 1997?
In 1995, he returned to the U.S. and asked me to do a tour as Los Relámpagos del Norte. What I proposed was to go on stage first with Los Bravos del Norte, and halfway through the show, both of us [would come out] as Los Relámpagos. We were able to do two tours like that, but he was already very sick. He returned to Mexico and died there.
10. You went through some difficult moments in your career, didn’t you?
Yes, there have been some difficult moments, but fortunately there have been more good times and successes.
11. The name of the tour “El Principio De Un Final” caused a stir. Is this a farewell for Ramón Ayala?
We just named the 2024 tour that way; we don’t know when the end will be. I feel very good, so unless God has planned something else, we will continue.
12. Have you thought about retiring to be a full-time grandpa?
No, not at all. I do spend a lot of time with my children and grandchildren, though. For example, before starting this tour, I was teaching the kids how to bottle feed the newborn goats on my ranch. But being a grandpa is only for moments.
13. During the COVID pandemic, your brother José Luis, the drummer of the band, died. That double loss must have been hard for you.
It was something very hard for me. It was the beginning of the pandemic, there were no vaccines and my little brother left. After that, I spoke with his son, José Luis Ayala Jr., who is a very good musician and is already very well integrated with us.
14. Do the other members of the band contribute ideas?
No, no. I tell them how I want things to be done and heard. We have worked very well this way; the proof is the response from the fans after so many years.
15. How is Ramón Ayala’s life in the U.S.?
I have been living in the Texas Valley for over 60 years. From Brownsville to Laredo, most of the population is Mexican, so we live and eat our carne asada as in our homeland, in addition to speaking a lot of Spanish.
16. How will you be celebrating Cinco de Mayo?
Working, fortunately. We will perform at the County Fair in Pomona, California. It is a very important event with more than 100 years of tradition.
17. Do you have any collaborative album planned?
Yes, we are going to record several of our hits with other artists. I already participated in an album celebrating Leo Dan’s career and I once did a duet with Lupillo Rivera accompanied by a sinaloense band. I also want to give you a heads up that another album is coming with Los Rieleros del Norte that is already recorded.
18. As an icon of Norteño music, what’s your opinion of the new generation of artists who are following this path?
I really like seeing how some of them have a lot of respect for Norteño music and the accordion — they play it excellently, like Edén Muñoz or Alfredo Olivas.
19. Any dream duet that didn’t get to happen?
I always dreamed of doing a duet with Pedro Infante, and I achieved it by participating in a tribute album. He was no longer with us physically, but his voice was.
20. Is there anything in your life and your career that you regret?
I regret nothing. Thanks to God I have reached the point where I am surrounded by fans, friends and family.
It’s hard to believe that Sheila E. had not released a salsa album until only a couple weeks ago. As the daughter of American percussionist Pete Escovedo, the “Queen of Percussion” grew up surrounded by Latin music royalty — including the “King of the Timbales” Tito Puente, who was her godfather, and the “Queen of Salsa” Celia Cruz — before becoming a star in her own right.
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“Everyone thinks I’ve done a salsa record already, but I have not,” she says on a Zoom call from her home in Los Angeles about Bailar (released April 5 under Stiletto Music), for which she recruited Latin legends such as Gloria Estefan, Rubén Blades and Gilberto Santa Rosa. Her famous dad plays in one song, also featuring José Alberto “El Canario”, and its stunning big band orchestration and arrangements are a testament to her love for the genre.
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“I mean, I grew up listening to that music and it’s just so inspiring,” explains the Oakland-born singer and percussionist of Mexican and French Creole ancestry, who has performed, recorded, and toured with renowned artists from a multitude of musical styles — from her close friend and collaborator Prince, to Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and more. “And then when I really got into listening to Fania All Stars and all the other groups that were part of that,” she continues, “I was just in love.”
Sheila E. started playing drums at the age of 5 — although she admits she doesn’t fully remember that — and made her professional debut at 15, playing the congas for her father’s Latin-rock-funk band Azteca. Active in the industry ever since, this year she also appeared in the Netflix documentary The Greatest Night In Pop, about the historic night in January of 1985 when many of the biggest stars in music gathered to record “We Are the World.” “That was one of the biggest nights in my career,” she recalls.
During the interview, the artist spoke endearingly about her role models, the new generation of female percussionists, the simple joys in life, and what she misses most about Prince.
1. Congratulations on Bailar, your first salsa album. What took you so long!?
I don’t know! [Laughs.] Everyone thinks I’ve done a salsa record already, but I have not. But you know, it was on my bucket list a while ago. When I started thinking about doing it, it was 2015 and it took me this long to really get it together … I’m really excited. I grew up listening to salsa music, it’s so important to me, and I thought, “Man, this is the time to do it! Why haven’t I done this yet?”
2. Many of the songs have a very classical salsa sound. Where did you find the inspiration?
Listening to my dad rehearsing when I was younger at the house every day, he would practice to vinyl and he would play Latin jazz music, but he also listened to Tito [Puente], to Mongo [Santamaría], Celia [Cruz], Eddie Palmieri, Tito Rodríguez, Fania All Stars. You know, so many people. Ray Barreto. I mean, I grew up listening to that music and it’s just so inspiring. And then when I really got into listening to Fania All Stars and all the other groups that were part of that, the whole scene back then, I was just in love.
3. You dad actually plays in your album on the song “Descarga,” also featuring José Alberto “El Canario.” How was this experience for you?
It was so much fun! When I told him, “Daddy” — oh, I call him Papi some times — “Papi, I want you to play in one of the songs on the record and we’re gonna write it especially for you,” he’s like, “You better ask me to play on this record!”
So he came to my studio, and we recorded him here, and then something happened to the track, which is crazy, so my brother had to record him while I was out of town. They recorded him in the Bay Area, at another friend’s studio, so we finally got it. But it was just awesome to have him playing on the record […] He was really excited. And my mom also played guiro on the same song.
4. What’s your first salsa memory? Do you remember any particular song or artist that captivated you?
My dad was 18 when he met Tito, and Tito would come San Francisco, to the Bay Area, to play, and they would go see him play. Later on, after I was born, [when I was] a little bit older, meeting Tito and see them play, I mean, it was just amazing. [Later] my dad and I went to New York to see Tito play at the Palladium and the Corso, all these clubs that, you know, there are like four different bands playing. We didn’t have something like that in the Bay Area! And when you’d go to New York you’d hear these 10, 15-piece bands, playing multiple clubs in one night till 5 in the morning — you just go, “What is this?!” … I was about 15.
5. What’s the biggest lesson you learned from your dad?
My dad has taught me to be on time and learn your craft, learn your music, practice. If there’s a situation where you’re going to perform live or in the studio, if you have the music ahead of time to learn it, understand it — so when you walk into the room you’re gonna feel good about yourself, which gives you confidence, and it helps you to enjoy what your craft is, what your gift is. Preparation means everything … And to treat others respectfully. I just watched him respect his musicians, and how he was a leader and treated his musicians as family. That’s what I’ve done my whole life.
6. You were actually very close to Prince and you played with him for years. What do you miss the most about him?
HIM! [Laughs.] Which encompasses a lot. The times that we had. And being in the studio, just hanging out, playing music, making up music, you know, writing, jamming, parties, playing for parties. Just having fun. And competing against each other! Teaching each other, sharing new music. Just everything about him.
7. You were also Tito Puente’s goddaughter. How do you remember him?
He was hilarious! He was so much fun, he was always a jokester. If you didn’t know him, you thought he was stern, but he would do that on purpose, just messing with people. […] Some of the funnest times where when he and Celia [Cruz] where together and they make each other laugh. He picked on her all the time, and they were just funny together, like brother and sister, fighting all the time.
8. Any particular anecdote with him?
I just remember when we were going to New York and my dad and I would go to sit with him, […] we never saw any other young girls playing at the time. It was different for me as a woman, to sit with these guys [in the band], and he would always tell them, “Just leave her alone, she’s gonna play what she’s gonna play.” You know, even if I didn’t understand the music completely, he understood what my heart felt about the music, because I didn’t read [music]. And then he would tell me, “Don’t listen to those guys, they don’t know what they’re talking about. You just go play and you just be you.”
9. As a young Latina musician, who did you look up to growing up?
Basically my dad, and my mom. My parents were just — and still are — amazing. Actually, right when I just got on [this Zoom call], they just knocked on the door and came to my house, so I get to see them often, I talk to them constantly, they’re always with me. They were my role models and my inspiration, and still are. You know, for them to still be alive and doing well and healthy, still in love with each other and married — they’re going on 68 years in October — it’s a big deal! They mean everything to me.
10. What’s your first memory playing drums?
Well, the first time I played with my dad I was 5 years old. I remember the process of getting dressed at my grandmother’s house, dressing up really pretty, and then I remember waking the stairs [to the club] and hearing my dad’s band — he was playing with his brothers. This is in Oakland and I can hear the music. We got to the door, he saw my mom and he said, “I wanna introduce my wife and my daughter Sheila. She’s gonna come up and play.” So we walked to the stage, and I remember all the audience partying and clapping. I remember literally just my dad picking me up on the stage and standing me on a stool to play the congas. I just remember everything up to that point. He said that I played well, but I don’t remember.
11. Do you play every day nowadays?
No. When I was living at home [with my parents], in my teenage years, I was playing a lot. But no. I mean, I have drums in my home and my studio, and when someone comes over and I have to record, a lot of times I don’t touch my instrument until I get on stage.
12. What do you like doing besides music? What do you enjoy?
Oh, I enjoy life! I love being outside and nature. Walking, bike riding. I used to skate all the time, playing basketball outside, swimming. I love sports, I love going to the basketball games, professional, NBA, WNBA, football. Anything having to do with sports! I love playing ping-pong, pool. My whole family, we’re all into sports, and we love competing against each other. And I love going to other countries and learning about the food and the community.
13. What was the last country that you visited?
Spain. I was in Gaucin, Spain.
14. Favorite food?
It’s simple. I love making fresh juices in the morning, green drinks to start my morning with something really good. Later on in the day my food changes and I want potato chips and popcorn. It’s a balance. But I love Japanese food and I love all kinds of food! I really do.
15. Do you like cooking?
I do — I love grilling outside. Sometimes, even if it’s cold and it’s raining, I’ll still go outside and grill. I make amazing steaks, fish. I [also] make great gumbo.
16. Any young female musician you admire and are rooting for?
Oh my Gosh, there’s so many it would be unfair for me just to mention a few. What I do, when I have a couple of minutes, I’ll go on social media and I’ll look to see — you know, because of the algorithms it will tend to steer you away to find other people. So I’m always trying to encourage young women playing not just drums, but any instrument. I just reached out to another young girl last night and she D.M. me this morning and she was just like, blown away. “Oh my God, you have no idea,” she said. “I started playing percussion and drums because of you. I started at 9 years old and you are my idol.” And I just love hearing that. “Thank you for your gift,” it’s what I said to her. But there’s so many.
17. What does it feel like to be called the Queen of Percussion?
There are so many amazing queens playing percussion right now that I have seen that can outplay me for sure, and I can’t wait for them to be discovered, because they’re so amazing. So it’s a blessing and I’m humbled by it, but there are so many others that can play as well and should be called Queen of Percussion.
18. If you weren’t a drummer, what would you would be?
I would be an athlete! I was training to be in the Olympics when I was younger in school. I did track and field, I was a sprint runner, I was very fast. And I also played soccer for 5 years.
19. I saw you recently in the documentary The Greatest Night in Pop. What did you think about it?
I thought it was really good. I mean, I didn’t know who was going to be in it, they just said, “We want to do an interview,” and I was like, “Sure!” After I left later at 4:00 in the morning [the night of the recording of “We Are The World” in 1985,] I didn’t know what transpired after, so it was nice to see. And it brought back wonderful memories of what I had accomplished that night [when I also played at the American Music Awards right before]. That was one of the biggest nights in my career.
20. If there was a movie about your life, who should play you?
There are women that have come out to me to say, “I’m gonna play you if you ever do a movie.” [Laughs.] [Actress] Nicole Parker, she was one a long time ago […] and I was like, “Absolutely!” And Nicole Scherzinger, from the Pussy Cat Dolls, we talked to her a long time ago. She’s amazing, and she’s like, “I would love to do it.” And I said, “Well, I will have to teach you some timbales!” And then early on, when we were thinking of doing something, my nieces played percussion and they of course look related to me, so that was a good find for playing me when they were younger.
Before there was Grupo Frontera boasting borderland swagger or Edgar Barrera’s contributions to the música mexicana scene and his Border Kid Records label, there was Intocable. This cowboy-hat donning sextet has become synonymous with the pioneering spirit of Tejano music, carving a path that others would follow.
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As they celebrate their 30-year milestone, Intocable has released their latest accordion-driven, 16-track album, Modus Operandi, on Friday (Feb. 9). This marks not only their three-decade anniversary but also underscores their sustained influence on and innovations within música mexicana.
With eight albums reaching No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums chart — including Sueños (2002), La Historia (2003), and Highway (2016) — and numerous other Billboard accolades, the group’s journey from the small town of Zapata, Texas, to international fame is a testament to their ability to break boundaries and create a sound that echoes through generations. Songs like “Aire” and “Sueña” have become timeless anthems for countless fans.
Seamlessly blending Tejano traditions with pop smarts and a dash of rock, Intocable’s commitment to authenticity and the deep connection they seek with their audience remains unwavering. “I make music, not for fame or for money, but for the connection — that to me is very important,” reveals singer, accordionist and band co-founder Ricardo “Ricky” Muñoz.
Produced by legendary Don Was (Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, Elton John, Ringo Starr), Modus Operandi bridges the past and future of Tejano music. Here, Muñoz talks about the creative process behind the band’s latest album and collaborating with Don Was, and looks back at their 30-year legacy.
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1. With Intocable celebrating its 30 year anniversary, what’s one memory from the early days that still makes you smile?
Even if it sounds like a cliché, it’s being on stage. Seeing people out there going to see us and getting excited, that’s something I’ll never forget. To this date, I think that’s one of the parts of our journey that I still enjoy.
2. Can you share a memorable moment during the songwriting process of Modus Operandi?
I’ve been learning so much about myself. I make music, not for fame or for money, but for the connection. That to me is very important. We recorded this album a little over two years ago. Our new method is sitting down with a songwriter in a session, playing ping pong, pitching songs and ideas. Which ones do we connect with? We make a list, then we sit with another songwriter, and have another session. Going through the process is always exciting.
3. How was it like working with the legendary Don Was?
After we do our maps of what the songs are going to sound like, we show up to the studio with our producer Don. That’s when the music really comes to life. Don Was does not speak Spanish, but he understands by feel where the song is taking you. Is this a love song? Is this a heartbreak song? Is this a happy song? As he’s reading the lyrics he goes, “Man, you have a unique way of making sad songs with a happy melody. That’s hard to pull off.” Seeing the songs come alive, making something that did not exist in this world, that makes us feel alive. Those moments are precious.
4. What goes through your head when you’re about to release a new album?
Everybody gets nervous. I always say, “Dude, this is probably our last album.” It doesn’t mean that I’m retiring, but we go through a lot — because we care about music. We are fans of music. It takes a big toll on me. I feel like I aged 10 [more] years. [Laughs.]
I’ll tell you one thing, there’s not a viral song in there. It’s real music with substance. Again, it’s about connecting. What’s important is that at the end of the day, I take my hardhat off after the hard work, I see myself in the mirror and sleep at night tranquilo, ‘cause I know I did my best.
5. Can you share a memory from those early days that hinted at your future in music?
I’m an only son and my parents worked, so I spent most of the time with my grandparents. Every day after school or on weekends my grandfather picked me up to go to the ranches, check out the cattle, and I would listen to his music. The first song I fell in love with the accordion was “Mi Piquito de Oro” by Ramón Ayala. I was sold. You hear all these American artists reference when they saw the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show — well that was my Beatles/Ed Sullivan Show moment.
My grandfather sold a cow and that’s how he bought me my first accordion. I’m not the best accordion player, but I think I am creative. That’s more important than learning scales, because I don’t even know notes. I just played by heart and by ear, and I’m proud of that.
6. How did you and René Orlando Martínez end up co-founding the band?
We are from a little town called Zapata, Texas and our families knew each other. When I was a freshman, René had graduated from the same school. When we started, it was tough in this genre of music, because it wasn’t very popular. Eventually, tecnobanda, cumbias, and Liberación came out. La Mafia from Texas was probably the biggest thing. To play accordion or bajo sexto in a band wasn’t cool for our generation [in the early ‘90s]. They called it the old people’s instruments. Now you see a lot of kids on social media playing accordion.
We stuck to it and believed in ourselves. But we were also listening to Journey, and playing those instruments too. Even though [Tejano] is a polka rhythm, you gotta have that [rock] melody, like a Def Leppard hook, for example. Now, looking back to 30 years ago, living on the border, we got the best of both worlds.
7. How did you approach that fusion of traditional Norteño with contemporary sounds?
We grew up with that. It’s funny that you say that contemporary, atemporal — and I don’t mean to brag, but when you hear an Intocable song like “Sueña,” it doesn’t sound like it’s from 2001. It still sounds rockin’. We’ve never been defined by an era because we liked those artists. [Michael Jackson’s] Thriller, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Tom Petty albums, Camilo Sesto’s ballads. They still resonate today. It’s timeless. It’s not, “Oh, that’s just old people’s music.” It’s a great song with a great production, period. It’s so rooted in us without thinking about it.
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8. What are your thoughts about the emerging Tejano scene, with bands like Grupo Frontera, or Edgar Barrera with Border Kid Records recently coming into the spotlight?
Frontera, it’s undeniable, the boys are doing great, they are from El Valle de Texas, close to where we are from. I am very happy for them. I hope they are enjoying this journey of music. I wish them all the best, and great for them representing the 956 as we are. I think Edgar changed the movement. There’s a difference — there are bands or people that make it in the industry, but then there are game changers that come along once in a while. That guy is definitely one of them. It couldn’t have happened to a better person, a talented person, a hard worker. And again, a game changer.
9. Over three decades, Intocable has earned Grammys and over a billion YouTube views. Which achievement has been the most meaningful to you?
We already put in the hard work for 30 years. We’ve done our 10,000 hours, well past it. We don’t have to get validated by the A&R, executives, the record company, or whomever. We’re an established brand. Our real fans know what to expect. Maybe new fans will join in, and that’s what makes music beautiful. We can be honest in our work, in our music, be authentic, and that’s priceless.
10. What is your favorite and least favorite thing about being from a border town?
The food [is my favorite]. Being from a border town you get the best of both worlds.
Least favorite? Wow. It’s not that I don’t want to answer, but I just can’t think of one. Some people might think, “no eres ni de aquí, ni de allá” (“you’re neither from here nor there”), but there’s something cool about that too, you’re unique. When we talk about soccer, we can root for two teams. We got more chances! You got to embrace where you’re from.
11. How has Zapata, Texas, shaped the band’s character and values?
Being from a small town, your roots and your values are very family-oriented. The old saying goes, a handshake is all you need, and everybody knows you by name. When you’re falling on hard times, you can always count on your hometown, raise money and get together when a family is down. All that cliché is true. Intocable is that way too, because we are a family, and we are an organization, we try to take care of everybody exactly like if it was a small town.
12. What did your parents do for a living when you were a kid, and what did they think of what you do for a living now?
My mom was the vice president of a bank in Zapata and my dad used to work in the oilfield. What did they think of me? At first, it was scary. Once I got the music bug, it was game over. My interest in school was out the window. I would skip school just to be playing my accordion. I wanted to learn more and more. They knew I wasn’t gonna go to college. So there was no other option. It had to work. If not, I’m in trouble.
That’s what makes me also be very responsible, hardworking, and have a good work ethic. But at first, my parents were like, “That’s not a career, son. That’s a hobby.” Nobody in my family is a musician. They didn’t even know a musician. They would say, “You gotta pick a career.” Well, here I am.
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13. What was the first thing you bought yourself when you began making money as an artist?
Probably a vehicle. I’ve always been a Ford guy. It was a Ford truck.
14. What was the best business decision you’ve ever made?
None. It’s all been sheer luck.
15. With the music industry increasingly digital, what value do you find in releasing Modus Operandi on vinyl?
We’ve been doing vinyl since 2009. It’s my childhood. When we started, we didn’t get to be printed on vinyl. So now that we are our own company and an independent band, we can do that. I’ve always wanted to be in vinyl.
16. The word “legend” is associated with Intocable — do you feel legendary?
Putting on your pants in the morning, drinking coffee, and brushing your teeth is supposed to be legendary? I guess I am, but I feel regular. I feel blessed. I feel agradecido más que nada (more grateful than anything). It’s been a great ride. The people I’ve connected with have been beautiful. Creating music to the best of our abilities, and creating more memories. Then you hear stories about fans saying they got married to a song [of ours], or when fans tell us their kids started saying their first words with our songs, stuff like that. Again, it’s about connecting.
17. Who was your greatest mentor in your career, and what was the best advice they gave you?
My dad. I’ve learned so much from him. My dad is not a musician. But at the time, it was tough love. He had his way of motivating me, and it created a musician with an athlete mentality. I had to be on my A game every time. My dad was tough on me, but I’m grateful for the way he raised me. He was a great man, but very cut and dry. No bull, just straight as an arrow. He wasn’t a hugger, he wasn’t the “I love you” or “good job, son” type. He was like, “It was good, but you can always work on this and be better.”
Say I was in Little League, and I was playing baseball and got struck out. My dad would be the type to get up and leave. “Why is my daddy leaving?” You never want to see that disappointment in [a father’s] face, you got to work harder. That pushes and drives me to this day.
18. With “Ojalá Estuvieras Aquí” being a focus track on the new album, can you delve into the inspiration behind the song?
“Ojalá Estuvieras Aquí” is one of those songs that sounds like an Intocable song right off the bat. I’m not comparing myself to The Beatles, but there are songs — like “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” for example — that are so experimental, the structure, the verses… but once they got to the chorus, it would tell you, “Hey, we’re still The Beatles.” That’s “Ojalá Estuvieras Aquí.” It has a weird chord structure, but the chorus is very familiar. It has a haunting melody, it’s very nostalgic, and once you hit that chorus, the song is pouring its heart and soul.
We grew up with that. That’s what our producer has done — he has produced for The Rolling Stones, John Mayer, Bob Dylan. That’s crazy! It’s subtle, but his hand is there in our music.
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19. Can you share a memorable fan interaction that has stayed with you over the years?
There are sad moments where we meet terminally ill fans that said their last wish was going to see us live — then there are happy moments with fans proposing on our shows, or families getting together to see us.
20. What would you say is the key to longevity?
Doing the right thing for the right reason. Don’t do it for fame, money or trends. Trends won’t last. It’s all paper houses. Hard work pays off. And it’s a better journey, a longer journey. The journey is what makes it beautiful.
Performing at Carnegie Hall is only a dream for most artists in the world. Soon Andrés Cepeda will be able to say that he has done it not once but twice — and in less than two years — when he returns to the iconic New York City venue on May 1.
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“I would have really liked it if my parents, who are no longer with me, had seen me get there,” the Colombian singer-songwriter tells Billboard Español. “They also dreamed of stages like that.”
The show is part of his upcoming Tengo Ganas Tour, a 19-date engagement in the U.S. that starts in Nashville on April 9 and includes cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and Washington, D.C., before concluding on May 4 in Charlotte, NC. Countryman singer Alejandro Santamaría is coming along with him. (For more information and tickets, visit andrescepeda.com.co)
Tengo Ganas follows his tour La Ruta Púrpura, which began in October 2022 precisely with that dreamy sold-out concert at the Carnegie Hall.
Cepeda, who won his fourth Latin Grammy in November (best traditional pop album, for Décimo Cuarto) and returned this week as a judge on La Voz Kids “Colombia,” began his career with Poligamia, a Latin rock-pop band which he founded with some friends during his teenage years, releasing several albums in the ’90s.
Since debuting as a solo artist with the set Sé Morir in 1999, he has recorded a dozen albums and released hits including “Tengo Ganas,” “Día Tras Día” and “Beso Usados.” And he’s been the only artist to fill the Movistar Arena in Bogotá, the largest stage in Colombia, for five consecutive days. On the Billboard charts, he has had two Latin Pop Airplay entries: “El Mensaje” in 2013 (No. 38), and “Magia” with Sebastián Yatra in 2018 (No. 37).
In an interview from Miami on Thursday morning (Jan. 11,) Cepeda spoke with Billboard Español about his upcoming tour, his creative process and his first album under Warner Music Mexico, which he will begin recording next month.
1. Most artists prefer to give interviews in the afternoon. It’s 9:30 am. Can we assume that you are a morning person, or was this circumstantial?
I’m used to starting early when we’re on promo, because we also do a lot of things in the afternoon. So to make the most out of our working day, we start early.
2. How do you usually wake up? Biological clock or alarm?
I set the alarm, but my biological clock usually wakes me up a few minutes early. You know, you kind of program yourself and wake up but, just in case, it’s better to set the alarm. And that alarm is music. For a couple of years now I have had a song that I love by The Beatles that has a beautiful personal meaning for me, “Here Comes the Sun.” Of course it doesn’t reflect much of today’s [rainy] weather [laughs]. But I like that song.
3. On April 9, you start your Tengo Ganas Tour in the U.S. How do you prepare for that?
Well, there is a stage of a lot of rehearsal, of a very strict curation of the songs, the arrangements, what is going to be presented, the staging, the narrative that accompanies the songs — because it is not just getting up and singing them, but being able to tell people a little about them and how one comes to make all this music and all these songs. So there is a part, let’s say, of writing and narrating that narrative — and then along the way, for me it is vital to have a good few hours of sleep and a good diet. It gives you the possibility of facing a series of consecutive dates that are still demanding.
4. What can you tell us about the show itself compared to the previous one?
The previous show was focused on the acoustic aspect of my career, with boleros and other Latin rhythms even flirting a little with jazz, in a format that was composed of acoustic piano, double bass, winds and guitar. This time I present the other side of the coin, so to speak, which has to do with my influence, which is pop and rock. Although they have in common the romantic nature of my stories and my music, they are two different sounds that have accompanied me throughout my career.
5. What will be Alejandro Santamaría’s role on the tour? Will you be sharing the stage or will he serve as an opening act?
Both. He is going to be the opening act at the shows, and he is also going to be invited in the section that I sing because we have recorded music together, so we will be singing a couple of the songs that we have done and he will be accompanying me throughout the journey of this tour.
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6. For many, the Carnegie Hall is just an unattainable dream. You already performed there in October 2022 with a sold-out show and you are returning on May 1. How did you get to play on this venue and what does it represent for you?
We were very fortunate to present our proposal to the Carnegie Hall curatorial committee two years ago. We explained what we wanted to do, we presented our resume, and they thought it was interesting and that it was worth having us there. And it went so well last year — it was sold-out and they liked it a lot — so they told us that if we wanted to come back the doors were open. For us it is a great honor. It is an iconic venue, a dream, a goal. I would have really liked it if my parents, who are no longer with me, had seen me get there, because they also dreamed of stages like that.
7. Last November, you won your fourth Latin Grammy. Do these types of recognitions continue to surprise or excite you?
It’s not something you get used to. I thought at some point that it could be like that, but no. It is becoming more and more exciting because it is the sum of several prizes, so you receive them with great joy, great emotion, great expectation. I have to confess that the days before an award ceremony, and on the day of the award ceremony, my hands sweat, the anxiety is incredible. In some way you suffer a lot waiting to see what happens … and when you receive it you celebrate with great joy. Especially when it’s an award for an album, which honors the entire team.
8. Let’s talk a little about your songwriting process. Each song has its own story, but in general, what is the common denominator?
Perhaps the common denominator is that I always look for a space of disconnection, a lot of peace, a lot of silence, where I can isolate myself from the everyday life and the rest of the world. But it is always different in the sense that sometimes I write with others, sometimes the lyrics emerge first or sometimes the musical idea emerges first. Normally in my case, when I work alone, the musical idea comes first, and then I find the path to what I want to say.
9. What was the song that came out the fastest, the one that sort of wrote itself?
[Laughs.] Some of them write themselves and it is surprising, because you feel like they are moving your hand, yes. There is one song in particular that I love very much that I wrote in one pass, and when that happens it is something exceptional. It’s a song called “Ciertas Cosas.” Another one that came in a single pass, like an instant song, was “Sé Morir.” But there are others that you have to work on for a full day or several days, or you even start writing and let some days or weeks pass before returning to it to complete it.
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10. The most difficult or the one that took the longest to complete?
A song from my last album [Décimo Cuarto] that I sang and wrote with a Colombian artist that I love very much, Greeicy Rendón, [“Le Viene Bien”]. The entire process of writing, producing and making the video took two years. When we went into the studio to record it we were still making corrections and things.
When you write with someone else and you have the possibility of debating and somehow negotiating each of the verses, one would think that it’s a tedious process, but on the contrary, it is very pleasant to sit down and bid for what each one wants the song to say. Those discussions are fantastic.
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11. And does it happen to you in cases like those that you hear the published song later and still go, “Ugh, I should have used this other word”?
That happens and you have to learn to let go, because if you focus so much on making it perfect… And not just with the lyrics! With the music, it happens a lot that you are in the studio and you don’t get over that process and you want to fix it and re-record the piano and voice again because you want this part to be better. You start to go crazy. Sometimes you have to understand that the song is ready and let it go.
12. What achievement, song or album would you say marked a turning point in your career?
There’s a song [from 2014] that did that in my career, and put me in a different place mentally, in the creative process. It’s a song called “Día tras día.”
13. I am going to tell you a series of words and I want you to answer the first thing that comes to your mind. Poligamia.
The cradle! The hatchery, so to speak. The beginning of a career.
14. Bogota’s Movistar Arena.
Five absolutely unforgettable nights in my career and in my life. A week on a honeymoon with my own city.
15. Colombia.
The love of my life, with whom I have great romances but also strong arguments at times.
16. As an artist and as a judge for La Voz Kids, any message or advice for young people who aspire to have a career in music?
First, that it is very much worth it. And second, that it is worth it as long as you commit to it, take it very seriously, study and understand that it is a career. The more prepared you are, the more competitive and deeper you can become. Talent and vocation are just a small part of what is needed to achieve something in this profession; I think dedication, persistency, perseverance and preparation are an even bigger part than the other.
17. You’re going back to the studio to work on a new album in February. How many songs have you already written?
This album should have 10 songs and there are 14 written, so we’ll go into a selection process in which I plan to allow myself to have 12. But the initial project is 10.
18. How do you expect this album to be different from the previous ones?
On the artistic side, I think that each album has to reflect a different moment in life and also a maturity, because there has to be an evolution. And on the show business side, I think that working with a new team, which in this case is Warner Music, is going to bring very nice things and is going to project me even more. I have a lot of faith in the team that is helping me make this album and promote it.
19. Speaking of maturity, last summer you turned 50. What have you learned about yourself in this half century?
[Laughs.] That although I have acquired some maturity, one of the most beautiful things about that maturity is understanding that I am still a child facing my job and facing many aspects of the world, which, thank God, continue to amaze me. And I think maintaining that wonder, ironically, is a sign of maturity.
20. What is Andrés Cepeda still looking forward to?
To live. And to make music.
On Dec. 9, 2003, Hoobastank followed up their breakthrough self-titled debut with what would end up becoming the biggest album of their careers. The Reason peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart, and when its title track was chosen as its second single, the yearning alt-rock sing-along became a smash hit, reaching No. 2 on the Hot 100 and scoring Hoobastank a pair of Grammy noms.
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Next week, the veteran band will celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Reason by performing the album in its entirely during an intimate show at The Echo in Los Angeles on Monday (Dec. 11). The album is also receiving a special edition vinyl reason, with new album artwork and a previously unreleased cover of Rod Stewart’s “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” included.
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Prior to the band celebrating the milestone, Hoobastank guitarist Dan Estrin answered 20 questions about his upbringing, The Reason turning 20, and the band’s plans for next year.
What’s the first piece of music that you bought for yourself, and what was the medium?
Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction. On vinyl. With the original album artwork. Yes I still have it!
What was the first concert you saw?
Lollapalooza, 1992. Irvine Meadows. Irvine CA.
What did your parents do for a living when you were a kid?
My dad had his own business supplying/selling clothing to stores, and my mom worked at a film company.
Who made you realize you could be an artist full-time?
I don’t remember it being someone specific. I just blindly went for it. And I think I came to the realization on my own. My parents were always extremely supportive though.
What’s at the top of your professional bucket list?
We have played so many amazing venues in our career. But we’ve never played Madison Square Garden. One of these days! We’ve also never won a Grammy. Nominated for three. But lost.
How did your hometown/city shape who you are?
These are the things that were always around us. The stuff that we grew up doing, things we were exposed to, which had to have shaped who we are. Skateboarding, riding BMX, snowboarding, motocross, going to the beach, swimming, hiking, baseball, basketball, listening to and playing music. Going to local shows. Hanging with family.
What’s the last song you listened to?
Fleetwood Mac, “The Chain.”
If you could see any artist in concert, dead or alive, who would it be?
The Beatles, Elvis, Michael Jackson, Nirvana, Pink Floyd.
9. What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen happen in the crowd of one of your sets?
Recently, we were outside onstage looking out at a sea of people. And way out in the distance was the most amazing lightning storm I have ever seen. That… Or a dude, crowd-swimming in his wheelchair. That was pretty awesome!
How has your creative process changed over the years?
It honestly hasn’t changed too much. I still pick up my guitar or bass and randomly put my fingers somewhere. Sometimes I play something that inspires me, and other times I don’t. If I play something I like or I find interesting I quickly record it on my phone leaving myself a note. Then I’ll go work on it at some point later in my studio. What has drastically changed is the technology. I just have so much more access to so many tools that allow me to be creative.
11. The Reason is about to celebrate its 20th anniversary. How do you look back on that moment for that band today?
That was by far the most exciting, fulfilling time of my life. I look back and have the fondest and best memories. Creating music with my friends for a living has been an absolute dream come true.
Hoobastank’s self-titled album achieved plenty of success two years before The Reason. What did the band set out to accomplish with its follow-up?
I think we were just riding high at the moment. Everybody in the band felt great after the success of our debut self-titled album. I personally felt extremely confident at that time. Very focused, driven and obsessed with creating and writing songs. We never got together as a band to discuss what we wanted to accomplish with its follow-up. We didn’t really have to. It was somewhat unspoken and obvious where our heads were at.
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“Out of Control,” not “The Reason,” was the album’s lead single. Why was that the right decision for you guys?
As long as we have been a band, we have always written and played different styles of songs, whether the song was heavy rock or a slower ballad. But the majority of our songs leaned towards being rock or heavy rock. So we always wanted to lead with a song that we felt represented us best. “Out of Control” was that song for us. We knew we were going to get to “The Reason” at some point, but we were very adamant about leading with a rock song.
“The Reason” reached No. 2 on the Hot 100. How surprised were you that the song became one of your defining hits?
I think we were surprised at how massive it became, and still is. But we also knew the record company loved the song and was going to do everything they could to get it out there.
“The Reason” is a perennial karaoke and cover-song favorite. Do you have a favorite version of the song that’s not your own?
Every single day, we get tagged in videos of people covering it. It’s pretty amazing. All different styles, from funk versions to Steve Aoki doing a remix at Tomorrowland. We’ve seen a country version, a group of dads that sing and harmonize together, punk rock versions, heavy metal versions, people playing it on drums, guitar, bass and piano. Different vocal performances and Latin versions. And so on. It’s insane! My favorite karaoke videos are when it gets to the bridge where the lyrics belt out “and the reason is youuuu.“ Watching and hearing the entire bar sing It together is always awesome!
What’s one thing your most devoted fans don’t know about Hoobastank?
I honestly have no idea what our fans don’t know. If they are hardcore devoted fans, then they probably know everything. We are pretty transparent. So if they don’t know something, chances are it’s intentional and this is the last place I would say it!
What’s your karaoke go-to?
I don’t karaoke. I actually never have. I go up onstage and play music with my best friends! No disrespect to all you karaoker’s. I’ve seen some pretty badass performances. I just need my guitar as my security blanket.
What movie, or song, always makes you cry?
“Dust In The Wind” by Kansas. There is so much emotion in the melodies, music and lyrics. the middle section violin solo gets me every time. The George Michael cover of “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” with Elton John is another one.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
Chill the f*ck out! Sometimes I wonder what’s the one piece of advice my younger self could give/remind my current older self.
What can Hoobastank fans look forward to in 2024 and beyond?
Hopefully some new music. We have been sending ideas back and forth to each other. Getting together to try working new song ideas out. We will also be out on the road off and on all year, celebrating The Reason 20-year anniversary.
Gloria Trevi, an enduring figure in Latin music, has lived a life shrouded in controversy and intrigue, a narrative that has been recounted in numerous books, podcasts and movies. “My story is like medusas, it’s always been poorly told,” she tells Billboard Español.
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However, for the first time, the Mexican hitmaker is seizing control of her narrative, through the groundbreaking bioseries Ellas Soy Yo. Premiered in August on ViX, the series chronicles her rise from winning a Lucerito lookalike contest as an adolescent to become Mexico’s biggest pop star, her involvement in the Trevi-Andrade sex scandal, her stint in prison — and, finally, her triumphant return after being found not guilty. Unlike other productions, many of the survivors of the case participate in the series.
“They inspired me to tell my story in a series that managed to connect with audiences and made even more visible several of the problems that millions of women live in our country and that by watching it, they were able to recognize themselves and act,” said Trevi, recognizing the crucial role played by women who fight daily against various forms of violence. Last month, spurred by the success of Ellas Soy Yo, Trevi helped advocate for the passage of a law against human trafficking.
In tandem with these efforts, Trevi delves deeper into her musical career here, now as an independent artist after spending 15 years with Universal. Throughout her prolific career, the singer/songwriter has placed four albums on the Billboard 200, including Gloria (2011) at No. 71 and De Película (2013) at No. 109. She has entered Hot Latin Songs a total of 12 times, including three top 10s with “Con Los Ojos Cerrados” and “Me Siento Tan Sola” from the ’90s, and “Cinco Minutos” from 2008.
She has also been noted as a fashion icon, and here she shares her thoughts on the evolution of her style (check out the exclusive photos below!), and also discusses the release of My Soundtrack, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. Looking ahead, she envisions bringing her three decades of hits to the stage in 2024, promising a celebration of her enduring legacy.
1. What did you have for breakfast today?
I’ll tell you the truth. I’m halfway through breakfast. I have the routine, the discipline, of having half a cup of bone broth for breakfast. According to my nutritionist, everyone should eat that for breakfast on an empty stomach, because it is a collagen bomb. Then I let it sit for a while so that it goes down well in my stomach. Then I have a piece of fruit for breakfast and some protein. After I finish talking to you, I’ll continue with my breakfast, which is going to be eggs with chorizo and nopalitos.
“This is a look designed by me in collaboration with The Blonds. It has been replicated even in China and sold wholesale 😅”, says Trevi.
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2. ¡Provecho! Now you’re independently releasing music. Give me some context?
I had the great fortune that Jesús López [now CEO of Universal Music Latin America & Iberian Peninsula] discovered me as Gloria Trevi. When Jesús López arrived at BMG Ariola, he discovered my album, which had been boxed, and he liked my songs, which were my compositions. He thought my voice was funny [laughs], peculiar, different — and then he sent for me, and that’s when my career as Gloria Trevi began. You can see all of that in my series Ella Soy Yo.
[Years later] I changed record label to Universal, and then the director Jesús López joined Universal. He sees that I’m there in the catalog, and he believes in me again, and we make more albums together. Before he arrived, I had already released “Todos Me Miran” [in 2006], but with Universal I released Una Rosa Blu [in 2007]. I have an immense love and wonderful memories with the record companies I have worked with, especially with Universal.
“Goddess of the Night, one of the public’s and the gay community’s favorite looks to imitate me at parties,” she says.
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3. And after 15 years with Universal, how was that transition?
Times are changing and I like to keep adapting, evolving, and I like to learn from the elders and the youth. I see that people are starting to work independently — for example, Taylor Swift and other artists and colleagues who are their own bosses. If I have so much music, I’m a composer, creative, and I have a team that we work shoulder to shoulder, I think it’s time for me to be my own boss, to release my music, to be the owner of my masters, to be able to leave my family, my children [something]. I had the good fortune that my contract is ending. It was a difficult decision, because I am a chicken at heart. The independent music theme turns me into “Medusa.”
4. You recently released Mi Soundtrack, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. What was it like to reimagine your classic songs?
It’s amazing. Right now I’m working on Mi Soundtrack, Vol. 3. It’s going to be three volumes. When I say “my soundtrack” it’s because I like people to say, “I’m going to ‘My Soundtrack’ concert,” in other words, to make it their own. [The 2024 tour has the same name]. I am super excited about the reception it has had. You go to the concerts now, [it’s] like in the ’90s. They’re full of kids who are going crazy, who are connecting with that music. You see the uncle, the mom, the nephew, the teenager and the kid screaming, united, jumping to the same song. They get excited and start going wild to “Pelo Suelto”.
“The current version of the ’90s look of the little dolls from the Versus tour. A message of equality,” says Trevi.
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5. Do you have a favorite song to sing live?
I’m also like the audience. It depends a lot on my mood. There are songs that if I’m sad or I’ve just had a fight with my husband, I like to sing, “Vas a recordarme cuando quieras olvidarme…” (“Vas a Recordarme”). And when I’m happy with him, I like to sing… [she sings “Vestida de Azúcar”]. And when I’m being crazy [sings another one], or when I’m attacked and I feel a lot of hate, I like to sing “Medusa” or “Todos Me Miran”. Right now I can tell you that I haven’t gotten tired of listening to the new song, “Inocente.”
6. Tell us more about your new song.
I think people are having a lot of fun with “Inocente,” with the line that says “sé que me mientes, pero me gusta creerte” (“I know you’re lying to me, but I like to believe you”). They are playing it a lot on TikTok. It’s fun.
7. Your story has been told in a variety of ways, from books to movies to podcasts. Now, you were directly involved in telling your life story through the series Ellas Soy Yo. What was important to communicate?
It’s that my story is like the Medusa’s, it has always been poorly told. One way or another, they’ve tried to cast me as the monster, without getting to the bottom of it, and many times with so many contradictions. It’s so weird when I see comments from people who don’t signal [knowledge of the issue] and [display] constant ignorance. They say things they heard that are not true. But notice that with the series, I had no intention of cleaning up my image, nor of showing who had lied, nor of legal situations that I have now in the United States.
Mas Turbada que nunca, or “More troubled than ever…see you then! 😂”, says Gloria Trevi.
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My intention with Ella Soy Yo was born many years ago. I have seen women go out to protest in Mexico for the missing women, for the abused women, and to see so much femicide. There have been so many horrible cases that, honestly, I took a breath and said, “I need to do it” — because, thank God, I’m okay now. I have to tell my story, even if some people stop loving me, because I tell how I was weak, how I was vulnerable, how I was a woman — even if some people stop seeing me as that artist with that glamour. But thinking mainly about the most important thing, which was the message of abuse against women.
8. So what did the series achieve for you?
It achieved things that exceeded my expectations. The deputies [of Mexico] just accepted reforms to a law that had not been modified in 10 years, against human trafficking, giving stronger punishments to abusers and protection to witnesses and victims. The truth is that I never thought that the series would be able to [move people] in such a way as to change laws in Mexico.
“Walking with zapatos viejos (or old shoes) and a broken heart, but always walking,” says Gloria Trevi.
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9. Mary Boquitas has her podcast En Boca Cerrada, where she shares her version of the events you shared together in the so-called Trevi-Andrade sex clan. Could you tell us how is your current relationship with her and what do you think of her podcast?
It is something that really hurts my heart. At this moment I prefer to talk about it with her someday if we see each other again in person, because these are things that I would say to her face. I am not going to make any comments to you, negative or positive, regarding her. I can’t.
10. You are no doubt a fashion icon — how would you define your personal style, and how do you think it has evolved over time?
I can tell you that my fashion was born out of necessity. I didn’t have the money to buy spectacular costumes. My torn stockings, I made them myself. Well, I can’t say that I invented them, because nobody invents black thread. The torn stockings are very punk culture; I liked them and I appropriated them — since I couldn’t buy stockings all the time. They lasted a long time. I would even sew them up and maintain them. The important thing for me has always been to be spontaneous, to be different.
With Una Rosa Blu, I started to like wearing feathers, and I started to have a theme. With El Amor [from 2015] I become a man, Mr. Trevi, to sing songs to women. They are my inner personalities. I make my designs many times, and I send them to designers to help me give them reality. There are super iconic costumes that [drag performers use to] imitate me a lot.
“Mr. Trevi… The love of your life,” says the singer.
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11. Which facets do you enjoy most as an artist?
Being on stage. But I also love recording in the studio. I love it when I’m recording a song. That’s something that makes my mouth water. You know, when I’m recording a song, it’s like a child is being born. And when I’m on stage, the child is already walking, playing, living.
12. Great analogy! Let’s also talk about how incredibly fit you are. Well, it seems like you always have been. What’s your workout routine like?
How nice. Right now I’m focusing more on resistance. It’s what I like to do, weights for the arm and for the butt. You have to take good care of your muscles. What I was telling you about nutrition, now I’m following the bone broth routine, and vitamins for everything, for my bones, my skin, and collagen. And above all, I also use treatments, the ones that I get every six months that are specific for the face. But I like the normal treatments, nothing that is not reversible.
13. Green or red chilaquiles?
Divorciados. [Chilaquiles with both green and red salsas.]
“The beginning our story,” says Gloria Trevi.
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14. Tequila or mezcal?
Don’t limit me, eh!
15. Do you have a favorite Mexican dish to cook at home?
Miguitas, [which are] little tortillas with eggs.
16. How do you feel about being nicknamed the “Mexican Madonna”?
Nothing. Zero. I don’t like it. I have a lot of respect for Madonna. I think she’s a badass. I think that’s why they make that comparison. There was a social revolution in the United States, or worldwide, when Madonna came out, and in my case, there was a revolution in the Latin area when I came out. That’s why they make that comparison, but we are both very different. I would like to be “the Gloria Trevi of the United States.” My respects, she is a great artist. I love to see her doing concerts, she is a brave woman.
“Our story has always been like a movie. Me as a ticket seller, a very endearing look,” says Gloria Trevi.
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17. What is the most surprising thing you would find in your bag right now?
The most surprising thing you would find in my bag is that I don’t have a bag. Well, I have a fanny pack. Maybe the most surprising thing for some people who don’t know me would be that I have a rosary that I bought when I went to Jerusalem, with a very typical stone from there. It is a ring that is like a rosary.
18. When you look back on your 30-year career, is there anything you would have done differently? Any advice you would give to your younger version?
Another manager. [Laughs.]
“This costume with crystal snakes is one of the ones my impersonators are currently wearing and they are spectacular,” says Gloria Trevi.
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19. You’ve been through it all. What’s left for you to do? President of Mexico?
We don’t like politics. I once said I wanted to be president, but what I like is social advocacy. I think that in politics there are too many commitments that do not allow people to fulfill them. Physically, I have a lot left. To begin with, the tour of Mi Soundtrack is coming and I have never done that before.
20. What can Gloria Trevi’s fans expect to see live in 2024?
They are going to see their life in music. We are going to get super emotional and excited. We are going to be children, teenagers, we are going to look back at our feelings about first love and first heartbreak. Life is music and together we are going to make a great concert.
“This look from my latest single ‘Inocente’, a design between futuristic and ’70s from the latest collection of The Blonds. I love it because it conveys a feeling of boldness and at the same time innocence,” says Trevi.
Great Talent Records
Pop-rock crooner Stephen Sanchez may be best known for his 2022 breakout hit “Until I Found You,” a lovestruck ballad that earned him his first Hot 100 hit. The song also topped Billboard‘s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart earlier this year.
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But on Friday (Sept. 22), he’s hoping to transcend any one song with the release of his narrative-driven debut album Angel Face. The full-length tells the rousing story of his alter ego, The Troubadour Sanchez, a fictional musician from the 50s who finds himself in a love triangle with Evangeline (fittingly, the title of Sanchez’ doting follow-up hit) and her boyfriend Hunter.
The tragic tale is both lyrically and sonically captivating, rooted in bluesy rock and ballads — and sounds from a different era entirely, proving that Sanchez too could be poised to stand the test of time.
Below, the rising artist answers 20 questions about his earliest inspirations, favorite musician alter-ego and befriending none other than Sir Elton John.
1. What’s the first piece of music you bought for yourself, and what was the medium?
I bought Lord Huron’s sophomore record, Strange Trails, at a Barnes and Noble in my hometown and I begged the girl I was dating at the time to buy it for me, as I didn’t have any money. She spent the $20 bucks that her parents gave her for food … for my vinyl.
2. What was the first concert you saw?
My parents forced me to go to Chris Tomlin’s Worship Night in America concert in Sacramento, CA. It was so beautiful I cried the whole time. I was about 13.
3. Who made you realize you could be an artist full-time?
Oh my gosh, probably my mum — we weren’t in the best financial spot growing up, but she bought me my first proper acoustic guitar. When I started playing shows, my dad would drive me to every show and help me set up. They both made me feel like I could do it before anyone.
4. Your debut album tells the story of your alter ego, The Troubadour Sanchez. What artists do you admire who also have alter egos?
Ben Schneider from Lord Huron. He has made outstanding conceptual records with amazing characters. I’ve been inspired by him and his stories since I was in middle school. I am unbelievably honored to have written a few songs with him for the new record. His influence is one of the reasons this record ends in tragedy.
5. You live in Nashville now; how does that city inform your artistry?
I’ve actually just moved to Brooklyn, I’m over the moon about it! I still love Nashville, though, and I can’t wait to return there to make more records.
6. What’s the last song you listened to?
I just listened to Laufey’s song “Must Be Love” from her new record, Bewitched. She sings a duet with me on a track called “No One Knows.” Ben Schneider and I co-wrote the song at Whispering Pines studio in Los Angeles. The song is from the perspective of two lovers having loved each other long enough to hate each other. It’s a sentiment the two characters, Evangeline and The Troubadour, dream of having together: that long lasting, deep love filled with temperamental moments along the way.
7. If you could see any artist in concert, dead or alive, who would it be?
That’s easy! Roy Orbison.
8. What’s the best or your favorite concert that you saw this year, and why?
Definitely Elton John at Glastonbury. He hit the stage with “Pinball Wizard” while I was in the green room and I thought the ceiling above me was going to blow off. The boom of the crowd and Elton’s perfect voice is engrained in my memory like a familiar smell. He’s the consummate showman, the most brilliant performer. He kindly asked me to come out and perform a song of my own during his last live concert ever. I’m still lost in the dream come to reality.
9. What albums or artists did you listen to most this year?
A lot of Roy Orbison. I’m listening to the new Hozier and Laufey records, which are both absolute perfection. I usually listen to Lord Huron when traveling.
10. You have an incredible team of producers you work with; how did you create your creative circle?
We needed an incredible producer and engineer to help create the first EP — enter Ian Fitchuk and Konrad Synder, who both have the natural ability to create a beautiful, inspired and safe environment for creation. They are the best of the best. I love them like family.
11. What song off Angel Face was particularly challenging to write?
The ninth track, “Doesn’t Do Me Any Good” was unbelievably challenging. The lyrics felt natural and easy to put together, but the construction of the melody and groove was a real challenge.
12. What song off the album are you most excited to play live?
I’m really excited to sing “Shake.” I think it’ll send the crowd into a state of pure, unfiltered madness.
13. How are you preparing for tour?
Spending time with the woman I love before I go, eating good food, taking hot showers.
14. Has Elton shared any advice for delivering a compelling live show?
Elton is just such a generous friend … while we were in rehearsals for Glastonbury, he sat me down and told me to really take advantage of the stage. Don’t waste this moment. He also told me to have my band sing back up vocals on tour, and now they’re doing it.
15. What’s your karaoke go-to?
“Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli.
16. What’s one thing your most devoted fans don’t know about you?
I want a humble farm with a cow and grapes to make wine.
17. What movie, or song, always makes you cry?
Some Like it Hot with Marilyn Monroe. She is performing “I’m Through With Love” while sitting on a piano. Tony Curtis is dressed as a woman and watching her, bewitched from the sidelines. She finishes the song, he rushes in, dries her eyes and kisses her lips saying, “None of that sugar, no guy is worth it.” It gets me every time.
18. Which TV show do you recommend binge-watching?
Mind Hunter … best crime, serial killer show, if you like that stuff.
19. What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
Don’t sweat the small stuff.
20. What remains at the top of your professional bucket list?
I would love to record a LIVE album at the historic venues we play on our tour this fall.
Luis Fonsi feels “like it was yesterday” when he released his first album, Comenzaré, on September 15, 1998. He was barely 20 years old and hoping that there would be a place for him in the music industry and the mainstream. All he knew, and wanted to do, was music.
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Twenty-five years later, the singer-songwriter behind hits like “Despacito” and “No Me Doy Por Vencido” celebrates a career of which he can be proud — in addition to being still open enough to continue taking risks and trying new music styles.
The Puerto Rican star, who in recent days announced a concert at the WiZink Center in Madrid for February 16 with which he will launch his 25 Años Tour, debuted on the Billboard charts in 1998 with “Dime Como,” which reached No. 23 on both Hot Latin Songs and Latin Airplay, and two years later achieved his first No. 1 with “Imagíname Sin Ti,” which topped Latin Airplay for two weeks.
He holds the record for most weeks at No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs with his Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber assisted mega-hit “Despacito,” which spent 56 weeks at the top of the chart, while his 2008 song “No Me Doy Por Vencido” held the top spot for 19. In addition, he has 13 entries on Top Latin Albums, eight of which reached the top 10 and four No. 1, and eight entries on the Billboard 200 albums chart, with Palabras del Silencio achieving the highest place in the ranking, at No. 15, in 2008.
He will soon release a new studio album, El Viaje, which will include the recent singles “Buenos Aires” and “Pasa la Página ‘Panamá’.”
Billboard Español caught up a few days ago with Fonsi, who spoke enthusiastically about his beginnings, his new music and his thirst to continue experimenting without paying attention to algorithms.
1. Hi Fonsi! You are speaking to me from Madrid, where you have just announced an upcoming concert at the WiZink Center. Why is this venue important to you?
I have never done my own concert at WiZink as part of a tour. I have played on many occasions there at different events, festivals, as a guest, but oddly enough, it is the first time I will perform […] And more than anything, the fact that it has to do with my 25th anniversary, which is going to be kind of celebration — but hey, I’m going to take it everywhere, this is not going to be the only place — it makes it even more magical.
2. You spend an important part of your time in Madrid. Do you feel at home there?
Madrid is a city that I love very much. After my homeland of course, I consider it to be the place where I feel most at home — perhaps even more so than Miami, which is where I reside. And I love Miami! What happens is that my wife [Águeda López] is Spanish and we have made a very nice base here with family and friends. The last four or five years we have spent entire summers here because I have just had to go on long summer tours, and at the same do La Voz [the Spanish version of The Voice], which is a format that I enjoy a lot [as a coach], and that forces me to be here for long stretches. So I feel comfortable here.
3. You just released “Pasa la Página ‘Panama’.” What led you to write that song?
It’s a fun song. Like a relief. Everything obviously revolves around a phrase that I don’t know about everyone, but I use it a lot: “Turn the page, leave that behind, move on, life is too short, forget it, get over it.” That’s how it was born, and I think a lot of people need someone to tell them that. It does not refer to any specific person or moment. I think life is full of cycles, and sometimes we reach one that is difficult for us to close and someone has to tell us, “Get up, get out of that funk.” And it doesn’t necessarily have to do with love. It goes beyond that.
4. Would you say that it is not so much about love but about self-love?
Totally. For me the song it’s a PSA. It’s a meme, it’s a hashtag. In fact, the concept of the new album, which will be released next year, is that all the songs are names of cities. It came out a bit accidentally because several songs from cities emerged and we said: “Hey, it would be cool to celebrate this 25-year anniversary by going on a trip more than anything down memory lane.”
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5. But Fonsi, what happened in Panama? Why is it called “Pasa la Página ‘Panamá’”?
[Laughs.] Because it says: “Now change the channel, you are not Panama.” [Ed. note: “Canal” in Spanish can be translated both as channel and canal.] The song is not dedicated to Panama. And the other songs are not tributes to the countries either, they are not personal experiences. It’s just like the song goes through that place. But “pasa la página” is a phrase with so much weight that I did not want to remove it from the equation, and that is why it is the only song on the album that has two titles.
6. “Pasa la Página ‘Panamá’” is the second single from El Viaje, after “Buenos Aires.” What else can you tell us about the album, perhaps on a musical level?
Musically speaking, it is an album that covers several genres within what pop is for me. At the end of the day, I make ballads and pop music and I make fusions, I mix melodic genres. “Buenos Aires” has a little bit of that Argentine cumbia, “Pasa la Página” has a little more funk. There is a bachata, there is a merengue-pop, there are more traditional pop songs, there are songs that are simply very singer-songwriter, guitar-driven. Within the range of this genre, I always like to play with different colors and flavors, because I am curious, and because musically I see it as a challenge.
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7. You are celebrating 25 years of this “viaje” (journey) since the release of Comenzaré in 1998. You were only 20 back then. Any particular memory from that time?
I honestly don’t feel like 25 years have passed, I feel like that was yesterday. I remember it as jumping into the unknown. I had prepared and studied all my life, or my short life — until 19, I was very studious — and luckily, I always knew what I wanted to do, from a very young age, and that is a privilege because many people realize it later in life and it takes time to get on track. Then it’s album one, let’s see what happens.
I was born in Puerto Rico, moved to Orlando at 11, went to Florida State [University], recorded my album in my last year of college, went straight back to Puerto Rico, moved to a little apartment … It was like a crash course in welcome to the real world. I literally went to promote my album and see if people were going to accept me, to see if the industry was going to save a space for a new artist. So I remember it as the uncertainty of saying “Wow! What is going to happen?” But at the same time, the thrill of seeing my face on the cover of an album — to some extent, that excitement has not gone away.
8. You may be better known internationally for songs like “Despacito” and “No Me Doy Por Vencido,” but what did your first No. 1 on the Billboard charts, “Imagíname Sin Ti,” mean to you?
It was that first taste of wow, having a hit song, having a song nominated for awards, doing the red carpet. It was the first song that crossed the pond, because with that song I got to Europe — specifically to Spain — so when I sing that song or listen to that song, I get flashbacks of feeling that there was a very important stepping stone. And also of assurance to myself — because it was already album No. 2 — that maybe I can dedicate [myself] to this. I say it with a smile now, but at that time it was like that. A record guarantees you absolutely nothing in life. But when you say, “Well, I already have a second album and now I have a No. 1 on Billboard…” I think I’m going to make it!
9. Years ago, when I interviewed you about the release of “Despacito,” you said that you were glad that that level of success came at a point in your career where you were more prepared for it. How do you see it now that some time has passed and you are not in the middle of the “Despacito” madness?
You cannot design a perfect career and say, “I want such a certain thing to happen to me at such a time.” Obviously I would have liked my first single to have been a global success, but the fact that my career has gone, not pun intended, despacito [slowly], has taught me to keep my feet on the ground, to appreciate and celebrate every moment, every triumph. To know how to learn from the blows that life gives you and that this career itself gives you. To not lose focus and to continue going forward with a smile and the desire to learn.
So when it arrives 19 years after having started, well, you are already a little bit bulletproof. And look, I celebrated it and I cried and thanked it as if it were my first hit — but the moment was not bigger than me.
10. In no more than five words, how would you define your career?
It has been a journey of learning, a journey of love. And it has been a gift.
11. What do you feel you still need to do as a singer-songwriter?
I think it’s honestly about continuing to evolve, continuing to take risks. I consider myself still young, but clearly there is a generation or two after me that I am learning from. I think I’m in a place where I can express myself in a different way, and where I have to take risks to make music, and not think so much about trends and what works or what the algorithm says works. I’m in a place right now as a singer-songwriter where I’m like, “I’m going to make music, and — especially in the writing process — I’m not going to think as much about whether it’s going to work or not.”
12. I’m gonna say a series of words, names or titles, and I’d like you to tell me the first thing that comes to mind. Puerto Rico.
My whole life.
13. Águeda López.
Ah! The love of my life.
14. Fatherhood. (Fonsi and López have two children together)
My best song.
15. Fame.
What accompanies success.
16. “Despacito”.
Before and after.
17. How often do you go to Puerto Rico?
About four times a year.
18. Your favorite Puerto Rican dish?
Arroz blanco, habichuelas y tostones. When you have white rice, beans and fried plantain on your plate, whatever is there to accompany it already tastes better.
19. What would you be if you weren’t a singer-songwriter?
I think I would work in the industry in some way. I don’t know how to speak any language other than music.
20. Ballad or urban pop?
Ballad.
21. Each song is created differently, but generally speaking, what is your songwriting process like?
I almost always start with a melodic idea, and there is almost always a word or a phrase that is like the anchor of that melodic idea. I’m not one to pick up the guitar and write a verse in one sitting from beginning to end, but I can write a melody in one sitting from beginning to end. The melodic part comes very easily to me, and the fill-in-the-blanks of the lyrics is the second step.
22. What is the song you wrote the fastest?
“No Me Doy Por Vencido” with Claudia Brant.
23. The most difficult?
“Aquí Estoy Yo” took us a long time. It wasn’t difficult, but just like a good wine, we needed the idea and concept to age. It was my fault, because I insisted on the song being a quartet. I wrote it with Claudia in around 2003, and it was completely shelved because I didn’t know what to do with it. Years passed until the first person I played the demo to was David Bisbal and he told me: “Vamos, Fonsi, count me in!” At the time I was writing songs with Noel Schajris and I called him. And well, that’s where the concept of “Aquí Estoy Yo” was put together. [The song, also featuring Aleks Syntek, finally came out as a quartet in 2008.]
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24. What song by another artist, in any language, do you wish was yours?
Any [song by] Juan Luis Guerra — but they would never be what they are if they were not his.
25. Where do you see yourself in 25 years?
Wow, by then I’m going to be old already! [Laughs.] I can’t say for sure, but I hope I still have this desire to continue communicating through songs.