July 2, 2025 • 28 mins
Note: This interview was recorded in March 2025 and the interview reflects that period.
In this episode, Diosa & Mala chat with Lala Romero to discuss the nostalgia of the 2000s. Before TikTok algorithms, we had MTV3, VH1, and MySpace. These spaces shaped our style, our sound, and our sense of self. From low rise jeans to Amanda Perez, Lala unpacks these iconic moments and how they are still relevant today.
Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/locatora_productions
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Look already.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Hi guys, I'm Laala Romero. I am former singer, songwriter,
a creative director, co founder of a few brands.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
One is Beadonna, which.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Is a lifestyle streetwear brand that some of you may know.
I have a cosmetic brand called Sweet Street Cosmetics, and
I'm working on a new project that's about to launch
in a month.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
So yeah, just kind of do all of the things.
I think. At the core of all.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
My endeavors in every pivot has been sisterhood and it's
given me a career for the last twenty years. It
sounds crazy to say that, but especially if we're gonna
be talking all things y two K, A lot of
listeners who may not know who I am will kind
of understand why. But yeah, the through line has really
been like Homegirls and Sisterhood.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Now, when you hear two thousands y two k early aughts,
what immediately comes to mind for you?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Low rice jeans and I never want to wear them again. No,
But honestly, I think I've been thinking a lot about
that era, even in terms of I feel like the
TikTok algorithm has like figured out who I am and
now is.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Marketing me memories.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
You know, and especially like the clubbing scene during that
time and the way LA felt during that time. It's
very different than where LA is at now. That's a
whole other podcast to go into, like what the city
was like and the energy in the city. But I
think that things were a lot of fun and you know,
(01:34):
being online, like chronically online like I am now. It
really wasn't a thing. We had my Space and when
I launched my career, it was kind of more towards
like the end of my Space, but it was just
a different time and a little bit more of a
care free time.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
There were a lot of artists at that time that
launched their music careers through my Space and kind of
built their following and fan base. Would you say that
that was similar for you?
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
I think MySpace and social media has been my savior
in so many ways. I know there's so many negative
things that we can say about it, but it helped
me find my community. Like decade after decade, a lot
of artists launched there. I think it was the perfect
platform for a music artist to launch because music was
such a big part and in fact, I think I've
(02:22):
I've struggled with every other platform since because for me
like being.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Online a lot of it.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
I wanted to really like show my creativity and show
my art, and it was the best place for that.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
I remember Lalla texted me and was like, I don't
like the reels and the TikTok because they're all about trends.
I don't want to follow a trend. I start trends.
I do my own things.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
I think at that time, with a platform like MySpace,
everyone was curating their own pages, right, and now we
kind of do that with like posts and reels, But
there was that creativity that my Space allowed us.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
I think so.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
And I think what I struggle with personally is I
think that especially TikTok, I feel like the algorithm rewards
you for sameness, and I think whether it's you know,
like with the brand, there might be songs that are
trending that don't fit what we do. And so I
think we've had we've really struggle. I mean, we've gotten
hack now and if there's a whole there's a whole
other situation going on with our TikTok. But I was like,
(03:23):
I'm not going to do this dance. It's not who
we are. But I feel like there's a lot of pressure,
especially for young artists, to do things, to go viral,
to connect with people that maybe they wouldn't necessarily want
to connect with in real life, just for kind of
like social equity.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
So yeah, it's tricky. My Space.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
It really wasn't like we didn't understand social equity yet, right.
It was kind of like a new frontier in so
many ways, whereas now like everything is about like that
social equity exchange. Maybe your friend group, your online friend group,
you're going to live in a TikTok house with other
people who can boost you. So it's just it's just different.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
It's different. I also notice, like, hm, it seems to
me that the farther along we go with TikTok, the
less original or creative you need to be to become
super viral and famous. Like I feel like the TikTok
live streamers who just like sit in front of the
camera like all day and all night have become like
(04:24):
our new online celebrities in a very strange way.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yeah, No, I definitely agree with you, and I think
you know for me again, like the struggle is what
does that mean for art? Like, what does that mean
for art? And that's kind of just it's tricky because
I don't want to say that it's wrong or that
it's right, or that those you know, those people don't
deserve that platform. I'm not sure how how to really
where to put it because it's here and it's our reality.
(04:50):
But what does that mean for art? And I think
for me as a creative because even though now I've
pivoted into like entrepreneur and I run businesses, and at
the of everything that I do, it's like kind of
always art first.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
And so that's just where.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Things are a bit of a dilemma. But I think
that we also are seeing the rise of some really
interesting artists. And I think the people who really stand
out in a world like this and in a platform
like this are people who really lean into that creativity
and are kind of doing things different.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
I think, especially in the fashion space. If I think
about like Latino creatives who are doing things that are
really interesting and beautiful and impressive to me online, I
think of the belladonnas right, and you have really interesting
campaigns and the way that you put your work out
there and the models you choose and the creative direction.
Also like Persona, the shop I think they're doing.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
A beautiful job. And I love Jasmine.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Yes, we had Jasmine on the podcast last season. And
I think that in all of those examples, I do
see some echoes of the two thousands and the nineties
and the early adds, And I'm wondering if, like, what
are some fashion trends from that time period the two
thousands that you think are just really translating beautifully right
now that come back in a gorgeous way.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
I think that, you know, I think Persona does such
a good a good job at like curating those styles.
I think when she goes to buy at market, like
she's bringing in styles that are like really cute.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
And really on brand.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
When we had our bad birthday party, some of the
looks that like I was just super obsessed with is
like like even though I said, I don't personally necessarily
want to wear low Rise, but seeing like low Rise
the lore with like something Ryan Stone on the butt,
I think is like super cute, like the two piece set.
You know, it's giving juicy couture, and you have to
(06:41):
think like in that era, there was like there was
a forever twenty one and actually I don't know what
year Fashionova popped up. I grew up in Panorama City,
so I grew up in the eight one eight, and
it's like one of the original fashion nova's way before,
like it was even online, but there wasn't tons of places,
like if you couldn't afford juicy couture, you didn't really
(07:03):
have that thing. You know, maybe like months later like
the coyohone is, like you could go downtown and get
something kind of like it, but there wasn't as many dupes,
and these things weren't necessarily like as accessible and for everyone.
And even in terms of sizing right, like sizing was
very limited. Body types were really really different then even
(07:24):
now when I think about that two thousands fashion and
I think, like when I go back and like watch
my old videos.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Like I thought I was fat then, Like it was
such like.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
I would be told like you need to like lose
a little bit of way it was like my weight
was very very centered because those looks really showed your body,
and it was just everything was so different. But I think, like,
you know, the thing about like latinas and I think
Latino culture in general is.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Were so nostalgic, So I feel like we kind of
always have a little bit.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Of like two thousand, like we're maybe like in other communities,
like they're just catching on. So like that's fly, but
like certain things like it just never goes out of
style for us.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
It's like baby hairs, you.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Know, since the nineties, like with all of our favorite
like you know, black artists or even Selena rocking her
baby hairs.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
It's like it stays with us.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
And I don't know that we're as trendy in some
ways because some of the nostalgia and I think when
you think of like Willie and when you think of
Jasmine or you think of what we do, I've kind
of my styles evolved to some degree, but I've always
stayed very true to like my core components. So I
think there's something interesting about Latinos in nostalgia and like,
(08:37):
you know, we.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Could go on a deep dive avala.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
We are a nostalgic people.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Yeah, Like what true.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
I really thought about it when we got the Betty
Boop license, and we've been working with Betty Boop for
like the last year and we have some fun things.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Coming with her.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
But when I'm trying to like explain to some of
the partners that these collaborations are like what, like why
They're like, why do Latinas love her so much?
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Much?
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Like where did this come from? And I'm like going
back to like Grandma's and Thea's and decades ago, you
know what I mean, Like why is this character sticking
with us? And what do we love about her? And
why are we so nostalgic about her?
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Latina is like, we like what we like, and we
do what we do, and.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
We'll like, you know, incorporate a little bit of the
trends into what we do and like maybe lean into
it heavy one day, but we like, we know who
we are.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
Don't go anywhere, lokomotives, We'll be right back, and we're
back with more of our episode. Our generation of millennials
and probably even Gen z ers that are listening to
like ballads like boleros en Espanol, right, because we're thinking
about our grandmothers, We're thinking about our mothers, and so
(09:46):
it's it is at constant nostalgia.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
So I'm glad that you named that.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
And I think also, I think culturally we're always looking
for I think that we a lot of times in
the media like lack our heroes, right, And I know,
you guys know this a lot of like even for me,
like a lot of my style was like informed by Lagoonne, right,
Maria Felix. And I remember when I was like becoming
the artist. I was becoming and working on like what
(10:11):
was my look gonna be? And like how was I
going to appear to the world. I was like looking
at like my grandmother's in like in the forties and
the fifties. And then when I saw her, and then
I saw I understood her career in things that she navigated.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
And then when she became like you know.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Like the face for Cardier and worked with mainstream brands
and the like you know, the glass Elene she shattered,
I was like, this is like a really remarkable woman.
Let me incorporate a little bit of her style mixed
with like my grandmother's style. And so I think we're
a lot of times looking back pinteresting back to artists
in times to find like our greatness and moments in
(10:50):
time because they seemed to be a little bit fleeting
and fun far between, where like Latinas are propped up
and given like the respect, the money and the flowers
that they just So I think sometimes when we find
that icon. We really are like we're never.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Letting or him go or we're never letting those.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Songs go because we're just like kind of always like
exploring our identity and our history.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Yeah, and it's not a trend. It's a true appreciation
and a true love for the person, the project that
the look.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Yeah, it's just not fleeting, you know, like our love
for these things, it it surpasses the trend cycle.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
That's how I feel about Leopard. My personal trainer, I
like walked in with my little Leopard bag. It was
like six am, and he's like, I've been noticing a
lot of women wearing Leopard and I was like, Oh,
this is not a trend.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
This is a lesson. What was it the mob wofe
trend or something. I'm like, God, shut the fuck up.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Yeah, my wives are fantastic and the women on Sopranos
had an amazing style. But you know, like culturally, some
of these things are just you know, that's our it's
a neutral for us.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Yeah. I don't necessarily agree with the way that gatekeeping
is used in like the social media context, but I
will say some things if we are using that word,
some things do need to be gate kept, like, yes,
stop putting everybody on to the things that we do.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Yeah, secret sauce.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Well, sometimes I think like people pander with gatekeeping, like
I'm not going to gatekeep this, you know what I mean.
But it's like you're doing it for likes well, and
sometimes it's like that wasn't even your thing to gatekeeper
or not gate keyp Right, yes, why are you at
the thrift store in Kenoga Park?
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Right?
Speaker 4 (12:33):
Yes, good point girl. So I want to ask you
because you have been such a I think, proponent of
giving Latinos, us born Latinos their flowers and their due.
So I want to ask you about maybe any artists
or like culture shifters of the early two thousands that
maybe aren't around anymore, maybe didn't take off the way
(12:55):
they should have, didn't have the industry support that they
should have had that you feel like, does there their flowers?
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (13:01):
I think you know, when if we were to go
into that conversation, I think, first and foremost, like Amanda
Perez is an artist because I think unless you really
understand the context of the music business in the industry
and radio and the politics involved with like having your
single played on terrestrial radio, which is like you know,
(13:23):
the Kiss FM and the PARERWANO six, like all of
the mainstream radio stations we were listening to growing up.
They're like Pauladianda, like they were signed to major labels.
I was an indie artist, and like in that time,
like now is like the era of indie and you
even have like major label artists pretending to be indie
because it's like cooler and you know, maybe like easier
(13:43):
for them to connect with their audience. But during that era,
you had like those women were signed to major labels,
getting major radio play, you know, and it should have
kept going like their careers, and some of you listening
right now might be like like who the fuck is
she talking about? You know, hopefully not or pause and
go listen to their record, whether it's with like phenomenal
(14:04):
voices or presence as an artist, like they were shaping
and shifting culture in ways.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
You know. Amanda with like.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Just a whole bunch of aspects of her that I
think if you were to like examine her as an artist,
like she was really ahead of her time. She was.
Speaker 4 (14:24):
She was, Yeah, she was one of the you know,
aspirational guests that we've been trying to track down to
get on to.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
See if I can find her. We love that. I mean,
she's really like.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
She had a phenomenal voice, she wrote those songs, she
could play the piano.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Like I hate.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Doing like the comparison with like the general market artists,
but it's like, was she like our Alicia Keys in
some ways, you know what I mean? She should still
be here and she is still performing and she still
Like a lot of these artists have like had big,
beautiful careers and you know, been able to take care
of themselves for years, but they should be in a
different income bracket and they should be like still performing
(15:04):
on the Grammys and things like that.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
In my opinion, Yeah, there's a few artists that we
really wanted to have on the show and they're still performing.
They're still doing their thing. We think about like the
Poladiandas who performed recently with Nina Sky and Nina Sky
they performed at the Belladonna like anniversary party. And I
think about even like who was the one the guy
(15:27):
from up north, the man what's his name, I forget
his name.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
I think he's from Balletje originally famous, but it's funny
I always thought he was from Texas, me too, and
he spent and when I met him, he was like
really based in Texas.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
I remember he like, yeah, he was.
Speaker 4 (15:52):
The podcast.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
Yeah, so he like.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
And in a lot of ways, I don't know if
people know this about Bash like a phenomenal writer, because again,
like I think, unless you're really digging into like album credits,
you're not realizing like when someone's writing like one hundred
percent of a record, or when someone's writing.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Other people's records or other people's hits beyond like our
Latino market, you know.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
But he is a great writer and producer and put
people on and still is in a lot of ways.
But yeah, and I think like it just topped out,
you know, like it just should have kept going and
going and going and going, you know to where we
had more icons from that era.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
Why do you think it topped out?
Speaker 1 (16:32):
I think a.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Lot of times, like when eras are kind of like
put into I don't know, like when like the initial one,
like in the late nineties when it was like the
Latino explosion and we had j Low, But I guess
I don't know, because she kept going and Ricky kept
going and was you know, established before that, and Enrique
(16:53):
like they kept going, but I think like there was
probably a lot of other artists from that era that
kind of like topped out. But I think sometimes when
things kind of get put into a box and then
general market doesn't receive that box or really importantly start
hiring people that understand the culture to be able to
keep like propelling those things. I know, for me personally,
(17:16):
every time I stepped into a room, and I'm so
sorry to have to even say this, but here we are,
like fifteen twenty years later, I still feel like when
I sit down with executives and I'm you know, like
I consult for brands for huge, huge, huge companies, they
still don't really understand us culturally. And when I sit
in a room, there is no one, you know, at
(17:38):
the table like advocating for us and for that space.
So I think like a lot of times, like if
you're at a label and there's no one inside fighting
for you and there's two hundred artists, like who's going
to get to break through, who's going to get that
marketing money, Who's who's in there championing for you?
Speaker 4 (17:52):
You know, don't go anywhere, look imtis We'll be right.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Back and we're back with more of our episode. So
going back to the aughts and thinking about not only
like radio and radio play and how important that is,
but we had things like MTV like for reels, you know,
and like VH one, like really playing music videos and
(18:18):
putting music on TV. And I'm wondering, like that that
piece of it that we don't have so much anymore.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Yeah, it's just not even that we just had that.
We had MTV thrice, yes, and we had mundos, you know, and.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
Can you tell us what that is for anyone that
doesn't remembers.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Honestly, it was like it was just like our bicultural
like bilingual. It was like this podcast comes to life
in a music variety show, and you guys also play
music videos, you have artists on It was networks dedicated
to very similarly. I feel like you guys are doing
(19:01):
you guys. I think you guys approach everything with like
a you know, like an academic lens that maybe was
missing from that.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
But it's this.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Type of storytelling, this type of platforming of you know,
artists and creatives. But it was a space to really
amplify the voices and the songs and the videos that
were coming out from you know, both both English speaking
like Latino artists and you know Latin artists. It was
(19:29):
it was crazy, like you would go as a like
if you had your video and MTBRACE, you would go
to Times Square to the same place that they did
TRL and just shoot METRL.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
So cool, yeah, so funny.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
It's just wild at these things or nothing even kind
of comparable exists. But I think, like even when you
think about, like, is is music and our visuals even
valued the same? You know when they live for such
a short breath.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
I'm sure you guys even feel it when you're shooting.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Like I know, at the start of every season, you
guys release a lot of creative and there's usually like
a big like film piece, and it's so like you
put so much into things like that, but when it
when it only lives for the scroll, the daily scroll,
it's it's really it's really tough. So I think just
things feel different. I think the way music specifically is
(20:18):
valued by listeners has changed a lot. I think people
expect it for free, not understanding that it costs a
lot of money to be in a studio. I just
tell you, guys, relate on someone totally out of my mouth.
I'm like, people don't understand, like it's studio time. Yeah
it's our friend who I don't know where he went,
but yeah, it's your engineer.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
You know.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
When you're in the studio, it's ours to make songs
and build your background tracks. And these things cost money,
and people just expect them for free, you know, and
something that special as a song like it can change
your mood, your day, your life.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
The money that is spent making the thing is not
necessarily meaning that we're getting paid to make the thing.
We're paying to make the thing absolutely and then figuring
out how do you support yourself? So I do think
about these artists that we're talking about in that time period,
you know, and and sustaining themselves.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Now it's really tricky.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Well especially even I was thinking when I was driving
over here, I was thinking, like, Okay, what was my
life like during that time? And I remember had like
a lot of back tax debt, And I was like,
you know, something that's also really different is like creatives,
then you didn't have the access to like vast information
on like how to set up your business as an artist,
(21:35):
because it's a business. How to you know pay your taxes,
how to save your money. There's just so much more
information now, I think for young artists too, and in
that respect that's like a benefit.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
Absolutely absolutely, I'm thinking now, like we talked a little
bit about trends and the difference between like style something
like having style and being trendy, and like I there's
a difference and in your descriptions of like our nostalgia
versus what's trendy, like I can kind of hear like
(22:11):
you making a distinction between like style and trendiness, and
I wonder like how you might define that.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
I feel like style has nothing to do with money,
like zero, right, because you don't have to hop on
something that's right now of the moment. It's style is
something that you kind of like you find like within yourself,
and you curate over time and it stays part of
(22:41):
your look, like as as all the trend cycles move.
But I think, like with trends, right, like there's something
economic about that in a lot of ways, because you
have to have the funds. And I think for me,
while I always was like better at developing my own
personal style, and even like it's something I have to
think a lot about when I'm creating products for BD
(23:02):
is like I care about giving my customer things that
are gonna like last her. I want to make her
the sweatshirt that she's not gonna let her sister borrow
because it's like a cold night out.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
And they're, you know, coming home from the beach or
something like.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
I didn't grow up with a lot of money, and
I had to be very creative. And it was before
thrifting was even popular. You thrifted because you were poor,
not because you know, you were even thinking about the
planet in this way. And so I think that just
like style is really about curating something that's really unique
(23:35):
to you, and you have to dig deep and be
honest about things that you like trends sometimes like I'll
catch myself buying something and I'm like, I can't, Like
I can't go to Zara and get this coat that
is gonna not not be with me in like six
or seven months. And so I think it's just neither's
right or wrong. I think to have like personal style,
(23:57):
it just takes time and patience and not.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
Every has that in them. But I think like.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
When you're able to develop your own personal style, and
I think this especially for like content creators listening. I
think that's how you're really going to stand out. It's
like you're putting together You're telling your own personal story
through what you're wearing, versus mimicking like you know something
that you're seeing on somebody else.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
Love that.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
That's a fabulous answer.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:28):
Absolutely. That was something I was texting Lalla about like
two weeks ago. I was like, I don't know how
to dress right now, because what do I wear? Because
as as you realize, as you get older, you realize like,
oh the trends, it's not even about the trends. Not
wanting to follow the trends. I'm like, oh, these trends
aren't even for me anymore because I'm in my thirties
now and I don't want to wear that actually, whether
(24:49):
it's cute or not, I'm like, I don't want to
wear that at all. I don't want to wear a mini.
I run so cold. I will wear a mini in
the summer. Yeah, I'm not gonna wear a mini right
now in the winter.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
I think I think it is something interesting, like when
we talk about like nostalgia and staying like true to
who you are who you are like through all your
style eras it's like what pieces.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
Do you retain and hold on to as you evolve?
Speaker 3 (25:08):
You know?
Speaker 2 (25:09):
And that's like that these are things that I'm constantly
having to ask myself because I totally understand, like baggy
jeans are in, like then, you know, skinny jeans were out,
Like how like I care about I think I might
have even told you this, like yeh, fuck it all,
Like what looks good on you?
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Right?
Speaker 2 (25:24):
And that's kind of what I rock with, Like it's
just like what looks good on your body?
Speaker 1 (25:28):
Because I feel like if you're cut up.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
In trend cycles right now, you're give up because they
change so fast.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
It's already over by the time you get it.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
It's by the time you get it, it's already over
and it's not worth it, you know what I mean?
And listen, home, girls, there is much more important things
to like invest your money and your time and energy.
So I'm just a big like I just if I
could encourage anything, is like develop your own personal style
and move it your own pace, because you're never going
to keep up with the pace that's out there right now.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
So I want to ask you because you talked about
kind of the state of the country. We all know
what's going on in the country right now or in
the year twenty twenty five. And do you think that
lends itself to the nostalgia that we're seeing.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
I think absolutely, And I think and I'm hoping that
if there's anything good that comes out of right now,
it's gonna be art in creativity right because and community
because more than like between like my twenty twenty five
and I know for so many people has just been
so rocky. Like for me personally, I live in like Pasadena, Altadena,
(26:33):
like right in the intersection of the city is like
my whole neighborhood has burned down. It's very sad to
see just driving around. It's been so much, And like
I've been just trying to hang on to like like
every time I think something can't get worse or go
more wrong, it has this year. So I'm like, okay,
like I've had enough. But I think that like a
(26:53):
lot of times, arts, art, community and creativity kind of
flourish in a time like this. I think, like hopefully
we'll see like the rise of great artists. But I
think like that nostalgia, like we have to hold on
to like the good eras in the good times and remember.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
Because how else do you have hope?
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Yeah, you know, you got to know that things can
be better, and they've been different, and you know, pendulum swing.
But I think that nostalgia does kind of tie you
back to better times, you know, And if that can
be your sweet escape, even for a little bit while
you're getting dressed and you know, popping off for your selfie,
then so be it.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Look at a Radio is executive produced by Viosa Fem
and Mala Munios.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Stephanie Franco is our producer.
Speaker 4 (27:37):
Story editing by Me diosa.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
Creative direction by me Mala.
Speaker 4 (27:42):
Look at Our Radio is a part of iHeartRadio's Michael
Dura podcast network.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
You can listen to look Atta Radio on the iHeartRadio
app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 4 (27:51):
Leave us a review and share with your prima or
share with your homegirl.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
And thank you to our lok A motives, to our
listeners for tuning in each and every week.
Speaker 4 (27:58):
Besitos look a Lamia
Look already.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Hi guys, I'm Laala Romero. I am former singer, songwriter,
a creative director, co founder of a few brands.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
One is Beadonna, which.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Is a lifestyle streetwear brand that some of you may know.
I have a cosmetic brand called Sweet Street Cosmetics, and
I'm working on a new project that's about to launch
in a month.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
So yeah, just kind of do all of the things.
I think. At the core of all.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
My endeavors in every pivot has been sisterhood and it's
given me a career for the last twenty years. It
sounds crazy to say that, but especially if we're gonna
be talking all things y two K, A lot of
listeners who may not know who I am will kind
of understand why. But yeah, the through line has really
been like Homegirls and Sisterhood.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Now, when you hear two thousands y two k early aughts,
what immediately comes to mind for you?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Low rice jeans and I never want to wear them again. No,
But honestly, I think I've been thinking a lot about
that era, even in terms of I feel like the
TikTok algorithm has like figured out who I am and
now is.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Marketing me memories.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
You know, and especially like the clubbing scene during that
time and the way LA felt during that time. It's
very different than where LA is at now. That's a
whole other podcast to go into, like what the city
was like and the energy in the city. But I
think that things were a lot of fun and you know,
(01:34):
being online, like chronically online like I am now. It
really wasn't a thing. We had my Space and when
I launched my career, it was kind of more towards
like the end of my Space, but it was just
a different time and a little bit more of a
care free time.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
There were a lot of artists at that time that
launched their music careers through my Space and kind of
built their following and fan base. Would you say that
that was similar for you?
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
I think MySpace and social media has been my savior
in so many ways. I know there's so many negative
things that we can say about it, but it helped
me find my community. Like decade after decade, a lot
of artists launched there. I think it was the perfect
platform for a music artist to launch because music was
such a big part and in fact, I think I've
(02:22):
I've struggled with every other platform since because for me
like being.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Online a lot of it.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
I wanted to really like show my creativity and show
my art, and it was the best place for that.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
I remember Lalla texted me and was like, I don't
like the reels and the TikTok because they're all about trends.
I don't want to follow a trend. I start trends.
I do my own things.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
I think at that time, with a platform like MySpace,
everyone was curating their own pages, right, and now we
kind of do that with like posts and reels, But
there was that creativity that my Space allowed us.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
I think so.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
And I think what I struggle with personally is I
think that especially TikTok, I feel like the algorithm rewards
you for sameness, and I think whether it's you know,
like with the brand, there might be songs that are
trending that don't fit what we do. And so I
think we've had we've really struggle. I mean, we've gotten
hack now and if there's a whole there's a whole
other situation going on with our TikTok. But I was like,
(03:23):
I'm not going to do this dance. It's not who
we are. But I feel like there's a lot of pressure,
especially for young artists, to do things, to go viral,
to connect with people that maybe they wouldn't necessarily want
to connect with in real life, just for kind of
like social equity.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
So yeah, it's tricky. My Space.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
It really wasn't like we didn't understand social equity yet, right.
It was kind of like a new frontier in so
many ways, whereas now like everything is about like that
social equity exchange. Maybe your friend group, your online friend group,
you're going to live in a TikTok house with other
people who can boost you. So it's just it's just different.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
It's different. I also notice, like, hm, it seems to
me that the farther along we go with TikTok, the
less original or creative you need to be to become
super viral and famous. Like I feel like the TikTok
live streamers who just like sit in front of the
camera like all day and all night have become like
(04:24):
our new online celebrities in a very strange way.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yeah, No, I definitely agree with you, and I think
you know for me again, like the struggle is what
does that mean for art? Like, what does that mean
for art? And that's kind of just it's tricky because
I don't want to say that it's wrong or that
it's right, or that those you know, those people don't
deserve that platform. I'm not sure how how to really
where to put it because it's here and it's our reality.
(04:50):
But what does that mean for art? And I think
for me as a creative because even though now I've
pivoted into like entrepreneur and I run businesses, and at
the of everything that I do, it's like kind of
always art first.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
And so that's just where.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Things are a bit of a dilemma. But I think
that we also are seeing the rise of some really
interesting artists. And I think the people who really stand
out in a world like this and in a platform
like this are people who really lean into that creativity
and are kind of doing things different.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
I think, especially in the fashion space. If I think
about like Latino creatives who are doing things that are
really interesting and beautiful and impressive to me online, I
think of the belladonnas right, and you have really interesting
campaigns and the way that you put your work out
there and the models you choose and the creative direction.
Also like Persona, the shop I think they're doing.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
A beautiful job. And I love Jasmine.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Yes, we had Jasmine on the podcast last season. And
I think that in all of those examples, I do
see some echoes of the two thousands and the nineties
and the early adds, And I'm wondering if, like, what
are some fashion trends from that time period the two
thousands that you think are just really translating beautifully right
now that come back in a gorgeous way.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
I think that, you know, I think Persona does such
a good a good job at like curating those styles.
I think when she goes to buy at market, like
she's bringing in styles that are like really cute.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
And really on brand.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
When we had our bad birthday party, some of the
looks that like I was just super obsessed with is
like like even though I said, I don't personally necessarily
want to wear low Rise, but seeing like low Rise
the lore with like something Ryan Stone on the butt,
I think is like super cute, like the two piece set.
You know, it's giving juicy couture, and you have to
(06:41):
think like in that era, there was like there was
a forever twenty one and actually I don't know what
year Fashionova popped up. I grew up in Panorama City,
so I grew up in the eight one eight, and
it's like one of the original fashion nova's way before,
like it was even online, but there wasn't tons of places,
like if you couldn't afford juicy couture, you didn't really
(07:03):
have that thing. You know, maybe like months later like
the coyohone is, like you could go downtown and get
something kind of like it, but there wasn't as many dupes,
and these things weren't necessarily like as accessible and for everyone.
And even in terms of sizing right, like sizing was
very limited. Body types were really really different then even
(07:24):
now when I think about that two thousands fashion and
I think, like when I go back and like watch
my old videos.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Like I thought I was fat then, Like it was
such like.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
I would be told like you need to like lose
a little bit of way it was like my weight
was very very centered because those looks really showed your body,
and it was just everything was so different. But I think, like,
you know, the thing about like latinas and I think
Latino culture in general is.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Were so nostalgic, So I feel like we kind of
always have a little bit.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Of like two thousand, like we're maybe like in other communities,
like they're just catching on. So like that's fly, but
like certain things like it just never goes out of
style for us.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
It's like baby hairs, you.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Know, since the nineties, like with all of our favorite
like you know, black artists or even Selena rocking her
baby hairs.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
It's like it stays with us.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
And I don't know that we're as trendy in some
ways because some of the nostalgia and I think when
you think of like Willie and when you think of
Jasmine or you think of what we do, I've kind
of my styles evolved to some degree, but I've always
stayed very true to like my core components. So I
think there's something interesting about Latinos in nostalgia and like,
(08:37):
you know, we.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Could go on a deep dive avala.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
We are a nostalgic people.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Yeah, Like what true.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
I really thought about it when we got the Betty
Boop license, and we've been working with Betty Boop for
like the last year and we have some fun things.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Coming with her.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
But when I'm trying to like explain to some of
the partners that these collaborations are like what, like why
They're like, why do Latinas love her so much?
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Much?
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Like where did this come from? And I'm like going
back to like Grandma's and Thea's and decades ago, you
know what I mean, Like why is this character sticking
with us? And what do we love about her? And
why are we so nostalgic about her?
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Latina is like, we like what we like, and we
do what we do, and.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
We'll like, you know, incorporate a little bit of the
trends into what we do and like maybe lean into
it heavy one day, but we like, we know who
we are.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
Don't go anywhere, lokomotives, We'll be right back, and we're
back with more of our episode. Our generation of millennials
and probably even Gen z ers that are listening to
like ballads like boleros en Espanol, right, because we're thinking
about our grandmothers, We're thinking about our mothers, and so
(09:46):
it's it is at constant nostalgia.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
So I'm glad that you named that.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
And I think also, I think culturally we're always looking
for I think that we a lot of times in
the media like lack our heroes, right, And I know,
you guys know this a lot of like even for me,
like a lot of my style was like informed by Lagoonne, right,
Maria Felix. And I remember when I was like becoming
the artist. I was becoming and working on like what
(10:11):
was my look gonna be? And like how was I
going to appear to the world. I was like looking
at like my grandmother's in like in the forties and
the fifties. And then when I saw her, and then
I saw I understood her career in things that she navigated.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
And then when she became like you know.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Like the face for Cardier and worked with mainstream brands
and the like you know, the glass Elene she shattered,
I was like, this is like a really remarkable woman.
Let me incorporate a little bit of her style mixed
with like my grandmother's style. And so I think we're
a lot of times looking back pinteresting back to artists
in times to find like our greatness and moments in
(10:50):
time because they seemed to be a little bit fleeting
and fun far between, where like Latinas are propped up
and given like the respect, the money and the flowers
that they just So I think sometimes when we find
that icon. We really are like we're never.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Letting or him go or we're never letting those.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Songs go because we're just like kind of always like
exploring our identity and our history.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Yeah, and it's not a trend. It's a true appreciation
and a true love for the person, the project that
the look.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Yeah, it's just not fleeting, you know, like our love
for these things, it it surpasses the trend cycle.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
That's how I feel about Leopard. My personal trainer, I
like walked in with my little Leopard bag. It was
like six am, and he's like, I've been noticing a
lot of women wearing Leopard and I was like, Oh,
this is not a trend.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
This is a lesson. What was it the mob wofe
trend or something. I'm like, God, shut the fuck up.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Yeah, my wives are fantastic and the women on Sopranos
had an amazing style. But you know, like culturally, some
of these things are just you know, that's our it's
a neutral for us.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Yeah. I don't necessarily agree with the way that gatekeeping
is used in like the social media context, but I
will say some things if we are using that word,
some things do need to be gate kept, like, yes,
stop putting everybody on to the things that we do.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Yeah, secret sauce.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Well, sometimes I think like people pander with gatekeeping, like
I'm not going to gatekeep this, you know what I mean.
But it's like you're doing it for likes well, and
sometimes it's like that wasn't even your thing to gatekeeper
or not gate keyp Right, yes, why are you at
the thrift store in Kenoga Park?
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Right?
Speaker 4 (12:33):
Yes, good point girl. So I want to ask you
because you have been such a I think, proponent of
giving Latinos, us born Latinos their flowers and their due.
So I want to ask you about maybe any artists
or like culture shifters of the early two thousands that
maybe aren't around anymore, maybe didn't take off the way
(12:55):
they should have, didn't have the industry support that they
should have had that you feel like, does there their flowers?
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (13:01):
I think you know, when if we were to go
into that conversation, I think, first and foremost, like Amanda
Perez is an artist because I think unless you really
understand the context of the music business in the industry
and radio and the politics involved with like having your
single played on terrestrial radio, which is like you know,
(13:23):
the Kiss FM and the PARERWANO six, like all of
the mainstream radio stations we were listening to growing up.
They're like Pauladianda, like they were signed to major labels.
I was an indie artist, and like in that time,
like now is like the era of indie and you
even have like major label artists pretending to be indie
because it's like cooler and you know, maybe like easier
(13:43):
for them to connect with their audience. But during that era,
you had like those women were signed to major labels,
getting major radio play, you know, and it should have
kept going like their careers, and some of you listening
right now might be like like who the fuck is
she talking about? You know, hopefully not or pause and
go listen to their record, whether it's with like phenomenal
(14:04):
voices or presence as an artist, like they were shaping
and shifting culture in ways.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
You know. Amanda with like.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Just a whole bunch of aspects of her that I
think if you were to like examine her as an artist,
like she was really ahead of her time. She was.
Speaker 4 (14:24):
She was, Yeah, she was one of the you know,
aspirational guests that we've been trying to track down to
get on to.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
See if I can find her. We love that. I mean,
she's really like.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
She had a phenomenal voice, she wrote those songs, she
could play the piano.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Like I hate.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Doing like the comparison with like the general market artists,
but it's like, was she like our Alicia Keys in
some ways, you know what I mean? She should still
be here and she is still performing and she still
Like a lot of these artists have like had big,
beautiful careers and you know, been able to take care
of themselves for years, but they should be in a
different income bracket and they should be like still performing
(15:04):
on the Grammys and things like that.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
In my opinion, Yeah, there's a few artists that we
really wanted to have on the show and they're still performing.
They're still doing their thing. We think about like the
Poladiandas who performed recently with Nina Sky and Nina Sky
they performed at the Belladonna like anniversary party. And I
think about even like who was the one the guy
(15:27):
from up north, the man what's his name, I forget
his name.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
I think he's from Balletje originally famous, but it's funny
I always thought he was from Texas, me too, and
he spent and when I met him, he was like
really based in Texas.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
I remember he like, yeah, he was.
Speaker 4 (15:52):
The podcast.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
Yeah, so he like.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
And in a lot of ways, I don't know if
people know this about Bash like a phenomenal writer, because again,
like I think, unless you're really digging into like album credits,
you're not realizing like when someone's writing like one hundred
percent of a record, or when someone's writing.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Other people's records or other people's hits beyond like our
Latino market, you know.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
But he is a great writer and producer and put
people on and still is in a lot of ways.
But yeah, and I think like it just topped out,
you know, like it just should have kept going and
going and going and going, you know to where we
had more icons from that era.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
Why do you think it topped out?
Speaker 1 (16:32):
I think a.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Lot of times, like when eras are kind of like
put into I don't know, like when like the initial one,
like in the late nineties when it was like the
Latino explosion and we had j Low, But I guess
I don't know, because she kept going and Ricky kept
going and was you know, established before that, and Enrique
(16:53):
like they kept going, but I think like there was
probably a lot of other artists from that era that
kind of like topped out. But I think sometimes when
things kind of get put into a box and then
general market doesn't receive that box or really importantly start
hiring people that understand the culture to be able to
keep like propelling those things. I know, for me personally,
(17:16):
every time I stepped into a room, and I'm so
sorry to have to even say this, but here we are,
like fifteen twenty years later, I still feel like when
I sit down with executives and I'm you know, like
I consult for brands for huge, huge, huge companies, they
still don't really understand us culturally. And when I sit
in a room, there is no one, you know, at
(17:38):
the table like advocating for us and for that space.
So I think like a lot of times, like if
you're at a label and there's no one inside fighting
for you and there's two hundred artists, like who's going
to get to break through, who's going to get that
marketing money, Who's who's in there championing for you?
Speaker 4 (17:52):
You know, don't go anywhere, look imtis We'll be right.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Back and we're back with more of our episode. So
going back to the aughts and thinking about not only
like radio and radio play and how important that is,
but we had things like MTV like for reels, you know,
and like VH one, like really playing music videos and
(18:18):
putting music on TV. And I'm wondering, like that that
piece of it that we don't have so much anymore.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Yeah, it's just not even that we just had that.
We had MTV thrice, yes, and we had mundos, you know, and.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
Can you tell us what that is for anyone that
doesn't remembers.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Honestly, it was like it was just like our bicultural
like bilingual. It was like this podcast comes to life
in a music variety show, and you guys also play
music videos, you have artists on It was networks dedicated
to very similarly. I feel like you guys are doing
(19:01):
you guys. I think you guys approach everything with like
a you know, like an academic lens that maybe was
missing from that.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
But it's this.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Type of storytelling, this type of platforming of you know,
artists and creatives. But it was a space to really
amplify the voices and the songs and the videos that
were coming out from you know, both both English speaking
like Latino artists and you know Latin artists. It was
(19:29):
it was crazy, like you would go as a like
if you had your video and MTBRACE, you would go
to Times Square to the same place that they did
TRL and just shoot METRL.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
So cool, yeah, so funny.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
It's just wild at these things or nothing even kind
of comparable exists. But I think, like even when you
think about, like, is is music and our visuals even
valued the same? You know when they live for such
a short breath.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
I'm sure you guys even feel it when you're shooting.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Like I know, at the start of every season, you
guys release a lot of creative and there's usually like
a big like film piece, and it's so like you
put so much into things like that, but when it
when it only lives for the scroll, the daily scroll,
it's it's really it's really tough. So I think just
things feel different. I think the way music specifically is
(20:18):
valued by listeners has changed a lot. I think people
expect it for free, not understanding that it costs a
lot of money to be in a studio. I just
tell you, guys, relate on someone totally out of my mouth.
I'm like, people don't understand, like it's studio time. Yeah
it's our friend who I don't know where he went,
but yeah, it's your engineer.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
You know.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
When you're in the studio, it's ours to make songs
and build your background tracks. And these things cost money,
and people just expect them for free, you know, and
something that special as a song like it can change
your mood, your day, your life.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
The money that is spent making the thing is not
necessarily meaning that we're getting paid to make the thing.
We're paying to make the thing absolutely and then figuring
out how do you support yourself? So I do think
about these artists that we're talking about in that time period,
you know, and and sustaining themselves.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Now it's really tricky.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Well especially even I was thinking when I was driving
over here, I was thinking, like, Okay, what was my
life like during that time? And I remember had like
a lot of back tax debt, And I was like,
you know, something that's also really different is like creatives,
then you didn't have the access to like vast information
on like how to set up your business as an artist,
(21:35):
because it's a business. How to you know pay your taxes,
how to save your money. There's just so much more
information now, I think for young artists too, and in
that respect that's like a benefit.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
Absolutely absolutely, I'm thinking now, like we talked a little
bit about trends and the difference between like style something
like having style and being trendy, and like I there's
a difference and in your descriptions of like our nostalgia
versus what's trendy, like I can kind of hear like
(22:11):
you making a distinction between like style and trendiness, and
I wonder like how you might define that.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
I feel like style has nothing to do with money,
like zero, right, because you don't have to hop on
something that's right now of the moment. It's style is
something that you kind of like you find like within yourself,
and you curate over time and it stays part of
(22:41):
your look, like as as all the trend cycles move.
But I think, like with trends, right, like there's something
economic about that in a lot of ways, because you
have to have the funds. And I think for me,
while I always was like better at developing my own
personal style, and even like it's something I have to
think a lot about when I'm creating products for BD
(23:02):
is like I care about giving my customer things that
are gonna like last her. I want to make her
the sweatshirt that she's not gonna let her sister borrow
because it's like a cold night out.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
And they're, you know, coming home from the beach or
something like.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
I didn't grow up with a lot of money, and
I had to be very creative. And it was before
thrifting was even popular. You thrifted because you were poor,
not because you know, you were even thinking about the
planet in this way. And so I think that just
like style is really about curating something that's really unique
(23:35):
to you, and you have to dig deep and be
honest about things that you like trends sometimes like I'll
catch myself buying something and I'm like, I can't, Like
I can't go to Zara and get this coat that
is gonna not not be with me in like six
or seven months. And so I think it's just neither's
right or wrong. I think to have like personal style,
(23:57):
it just takes time and patience and not.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
Every has that in them. But I think like.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
When you're able to develop your own personal style, and
I think this especially for like content creators listening. I
think that's how you're really going to stand out. It's
like you're putting together You're telling your own personal story
through what you're wearing, versus mimicking like you know something
that you're seeing on somebody else.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
Love that.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
That's a fabulous answer.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:28):
Absolutely. That was something I was texting Lalla about like
two weeks ago. I was like, I don't know how
to dress right now, because what do I wear? Because
as as you realize, as you get older, you realize like,
oh the trends, it's not even about the trends. Not
wanting to follow the trends. I'm like, oh, these trends
aren't even for me anymore because I'm in my thirties
now and I don't want to wear that actually, whether
(24:49):
it's cute or not, I'm like, I don't want to
wear that at all. I don't want to wear a mini.
I run so cold. I will wear a mini in
the summer. Yeah, I'm not gonna wear a mini right
now in the winter.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
I think I think it is something interesting, like when
we talk about like nostalgia and staying like true to
who you are who you are like through all your
style eras it's like what pieces.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
Do you retain and hold on to as you evolve?
Speaker 3 (25:08):
You know?
Speaker 2 (25:09):
And that's like that these are things that I'm constantly
having to ask myself because I totally understand, like baggy
jeans are in, like then, you know, skinny jeans were out,
Like how like I care about I think I might
have even told you this, like yeh, fuck it all,
Like what looks good on you?
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Right?
Speaker 2 (25:24):
And that's kind of what I rock with, Like it's
just like what looks good on your body?
Speaker 1 (25:28):
Because I feel like if you're cut up.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
In trend cycles right now, you're give up because they
change so fast.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
It's already over by the time you get it.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
It's by the time you get it, it's already over
and it's not worth it, you know what I mean?
And listen, home, girls, there is much more important things
to like invest your money and your time and energy.
So I'm just a big like I just if I
could encourage anything, is like develop your own personal style
and move it your own pace, because you're never going
to keep up with the pace that's out there right now.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
So I want to ask you because you talked about
kind of the state of the country. We all know
what's going on in the country right now or in
the year twenty twenty five. And do you think that
lends itself to the nostalgia that we're seeing.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
I think absolutely, And I think and I'm hoping that
if there's anything good that comes out of right now,
it's gonna be art in creativity right because and community
because more than like between like my twenty twenty five
and I know for so many people has just been
so rocky. Like for me personally, I live in like Pasadena, Altadena,
(26:33):
like right in the intersection of the city is like
my whole neighborhood has burned down. It's very sad to
see just driving around. It's been so much, And like
I've been just trying to hang on to like like
every time I think something can't get worse or go
more wrong, it has this year. So I'm like, okay,
like I've had enough. But I think that like a
(26:53):
lot of times, arts, art, community and creativity kind of
flourish in a time like this. I think, like hopefully
we'll see like the rise of great artists. But I
think like that nostalgia, like we have to hold on
to like the good eras in the good times and remember.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
Because how else do you have hope?
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Yeah, you know, you got to know that things can
be better, and they've been different, and you know, pendulum swing.
But I think that nostalgia does kind of tie you
back to better times, you know, And if that can
be your sweet escape, even for a little bit while
you're getting dressed and you know, popping off for your selfie,
then so be it.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Look at a Radio is executive produced by Viosa Fem
and Mala Munios.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Stephanie Franco is our producer.
Speaker 4 (27:37):
Story editing by Me diosa.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
Creative direction by me Mala.
Speaker 4 (27:42):
Look at Our Radio is a part of iHeartRadio's Michael
Dura podcast network.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
You can listen to look Atta Radio on the iHeartRadio
app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 4 (27:51):
Leave us a review and share with your prima or
share with your homegirl.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
And thank you to our lok A motives, to our
listeners for tuning in each and every week.
Speaker 4 (27:58):
Besitos look a Lamia
Popular Podcasts
United States of Kennedy
United States of Kennedy is a podcast about our cultural fascination with the Kennedy dynasty. Every week, hosts Lyra Smith and George Civeris go into one aspect of the Kennedy story.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com