Pau, Pau, Pau-Latina Paulina is Coming to the X-Factor

May 21, 2013

So either there’s more to this recent influx of Latina judges on mainstream television shows or Simon Cowell is just plain losing his touch. Why else would the “larger than life” and smaller than his ego celebrity producer of X-Factor select Mexico’s very own Chica Dorada to replace pop princess Britney Spears as one of his music reality show’s newest judges?

It wasn’t too long ago that Cowell was cracking jokes about American Idol‘s first Latina judge, Ms. Jennifer Lopez herself. ¿Qué paso Simon? How did your own words taste going down your throat?

Coincidentally Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguilera were the first to make the rounds as musical judges on American Idol and The Voice respectively. Shakira has since stepped in to replace Christina on The Voice. La Pau for her part has had her fair share of judging talent in recent years también. She was on La Voz México with Jenni Rivera before her passing. Most recently she’s joined the all star cast of La Voz Kids on Telemundo.

Maybe on X-Factor she’ll finally make that crossover we’ve all been waiting for.

As for the television producers of all of these shows, keep pushing the envelope. There’s plenty more Latina and Latino talent out there for your television shows!

Not Jenny From The Block… Becky G From The Barrio!

Apr 15, 2013

Forget Jenny from the Block! Well at least until you get to 3:02 on the video below. Oops, did I just ruin the surprise ending?! Maybe it’s just me, but I’m kind of hooked on the infectious sound of up and coming singer, songwriter and rapper teen Becky G. Well that is JLO and me. Why else would La Lopez make a cameo appearance on Becky G’s latest track?

Then again it could have something to do with the track itself. It is a tribute to Ms. Lopez’s runaway hit Jenny from the Block. You watch and you be the judge on this one. Inglewood!

If You Don’t Know Becky G, You Will – This Kid’s Got Talent!

Mar 12, 2013

Becky G.

I’m not gonna lie. I just discovered 15 year old Mexican American Becky G – as in G for Gomez – myself. Although not to be confused with that other Latina teen by the same last name. Becky G. if you are not familiar is an up and coming Latina rapper-singer-songwriter from Inglewood, California who until not too long ago was merely another hopeful musician sharing her talents on YouTube with the world. That was long before she was discovered by producer Dr. Luke who’s worked with the likes of Ke$ha, Kelly Clarkson and Pink, or before Simon Cowell called her a “star in the making” in a tweet.

Her music is pretty infectious and fun. A lot of it she has written herself. She’s worked with Cher Lloyd, Cody Simpson, will.i.am, and opened for Justin Beiber, on part of his US tour. Now this mexicana is working on her own debut album to be released later this year and featuring none other than La Diva Del Bronx, JLO herself on her first single and video.

Here’s a little taste of what you might expect from that album. I’m really digging the Turn The Music Up lyrics. ¡Ajua!

Why All Latinas In Hollywood Should Learn Conversational Spanish

Mar 1, 2013

Eva Longoria for Lay’s.

It wasn’t too long ago that celebrities like Eva Longoria, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Alba, and yes even La Diva Del Bronx Jennifer Lopez could speak only a couple of words of Spanish before staring blankly into space in confusion and resorting back to their more comfortable tongue of English. They didn’t really speak Spanish and that was okay. In fact, it still is. The only notable difference these days is the amount of big time Latina starlets who are making the conscious decision to improve their Spanish.

Jennifer Lopez’s Spanish improved so much she was able to participate in the almost all Spanish-language television show Q’Viva The Chosen last year on Univision. And these days she’s almost always talking to the Spanish-speaking press in pretty good español.

Eva Longoria meanwhile is the new face of Lay’s potato chips in both English and Spanish. Her new language skills were such a big deal that Escandalo TV actually dedicated an entire segment to talking about how “all of a sudden Eva Longoria is speaking a lot better espanish!”

Personally, I think they’re on the right track! Why wouldn’t you want to speak better Spanish if it means you gain access to a whole new demographic of Latinos? It’s the easiest thing to do to increase your brand and celebrity. If you can be a star on Telemundo and Univision and in Hollywood, that’s the triple threat right there. All Latinas in Hollywood should be following suit!

¿Qué crossover ni que nada? You don’t have to speak perfect Spanish. Just speak it well enough for us to understand you.

We appreciate the esfuerzo.

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For Super Soul Sunday Oprah Sits Down With Don Miguel Ruiz To Talk About ‘The Four Agreements’

Feb 28, 2013

The Four Agreements.

This Sunday, as part of her returning new series “Super Soul Sunday” Oprah Winfrey sits down with New York Times bestselling author, Don Miguel Ruiz to discuss his book The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom. According to Ruiz, the four agreements to a better you are:

1. Be impeccable with your word.
2. Don’t take anything personally.
3. Don’t make assumptions.
4. Always do your best.

Sounds like good advice right about now. ¿Apoco no? In this “candid” interview Don Miguel will share how his near-death experiences opened him up to the more profound levels of spiritual awareness, and how they inspired him also to guide others on this same spiritual path. Or that’s what the presser information I received this week says. Here’s a preview:

Oprah apparently first met Don Miguel through Ellen DeGeneres in 1999 and she has been a fan ever since. Oprah’s other guests on the “Super Soul Sunday” series this season include Dr. Maya Angelou and one of TED’s most-watched speakers Brené Brown.

The show with Don Miguel airs this Sunday, March 3, at 11 a.m. ET/PT on the OWN network. You can also watch it at Oprah.com or on Facebook.com/supersoulsunday.

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‘Acabame De Matar’ & Countless Other Rancheras That Transcend Time And Generations

Feb 27, 2013

racnheras that transcend time and generations mexican calendar girl juanofwords

Cultura.

I’ve always been a huge sucker for rancheras. From the very first moment I escuchar-ed one (forgive my poor taste in language as I was recently made aware of my having this affliction) I like to believe that something instinctual was turned on inside of me. Something that made me want more. And eventually, not to mention much more often these days, something that made me feel perfectly comfortable belting out all of my favorite rancheras a grito abierto every chance I get. Regardless of how poorly my renditions are executed every time.

You can ask Anjelica, Edgar, my brothers or sisters, even my parents. They will all tell you the same. ”For Juan the world is his shower. He sings everywhere for no particular reason.”

In my wildest of imaginations I actually have a pretty damn good voice that eventually will lead me to personal and professional success, y quién sabe hasta maybe to el stardom, jajaja! I kid, as I hope you’ve figured out by now. The truth is this music for me represents a part of me, a deeper connection to my Mexican roots, to the various cantautores that with only a couple of their vocals can send me almost to the brink of chillos y llantos.

When I listen to the classics as I like to call them – songs like La Cama de Piedra, Penas En El Alma, Paloma Negra, Cruz de Madera, Acabame de Matar, and so many others – I am transported to different times and places in my life.

In some of those places I am younger. The stupid kid who thinks he knows more about the world than his parents and who imagines himself living smarter and better than them just because he can. In some of them I am slightly older. That teenager and young adult making painful discoveries about life, those around him and himself. And in still others I am just a bystander trying to understand things that happened long before my time but that have everything to do with the way my life turned out in the end. I am there trying to understand what it must have been like to lose by mother at such a young age and to have grown up pidiendo una tortilla de casa en casa. What it must have been like to leave everything behind and become a slave to my work and a nothing to the country that my children have adopted. I imagine… and that is when the waterworks happen.

Quizas I’m just more sentimental than most. It could also be the writer in me. Though the other day my youngest sister posted a lyric on her Facebook page that made me think instead that it probably might just be the Alanis and Maldonado in me.

I like that explanation better.

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