Finally! September's ending!!!
It's my favorite month of the year!!! OCTOBER!!!
I'll be another year older in a couple of days and I've been blessed this past year so I would like to share the blessings :) You have to keep reading The Tangled Web in order to see what I'll be giving away to a lucky follower of The Tangled Web! Click on the "LIKE" button below and let's see how this flies :)
Still not a follower? :) Click on the "Join this site" button on the left
<---------- This side :)
What am I giving away? This is going to be BIG! I haven't given away anything like this before :)
I'll be giving away several items just keep reading the blog for more updates!!!
Elásticos e tampa de Nescau
Muita gente me pergunta qual é a do elástico na lapiseira (fig 1).
Eu explico.
Primeiro, não gosto daquela peça de metal usada para prender lapiseiras e canetas no bolso ou caderno. São inúteis para mim porque não as prendo no bolso e em lugar nenhum.
E, enquanto desenho, giro muito a lapiseira e aquela peça me incomoda em certas posições. Por sorte, são removíveis e sempre as retiro.
Mas aí, com a mesa de luz com superfície de vidro mais a inclinação legal para desenhar, as lapiseiras vão de bico direto para o chão.
Eu explico.
Primeiro, não gosto daquela peça de metal usada para prender lapiseiras e canetas no bolso ou caderno. São inúteis para mim porque não as prendo no bolso e em lugar nenhum.
E, enquanto desenho, giro muito a lapiseira e aquela peça me incomoda em certas posições. Por sorte, são removíveis e sempre as retiro.
Mas aí, com a mesa de luz com superfície de vidro mais a inclinação legal para desenhar, as lapiseiras vão de bico direto para o chão.
Certo dia, irritado, um pusta calor, correndo com uma página de X-Men e, sem perceber, reposicionando diversas vezes a lapiseira que rolava mesa abaixo.
Rola, rola, rola. Pega e bota no lugar.
Rola, rola, rola. Pega de novo e bota no maldito lugar.
Fiz isso umas 10 vezes até dizer (ou pensar. Não me lembro se cheguei a verbalizar): "CHEGA, CAR@*LHO!"
Rola, rola, rola. Pega e bota no lugar.
Rola, rola, rola. Pega de novo e bota no maldito lugar.
Fiz isso umas 10 vezes até dizer (ou pensar. Não me lembro se cheguei a verbalizar): "CHEGA, CAR@*LHO!"
E assim veio a idéia de prender o elástico na danada.
Hoje, ela ainda rola.
Mas apenas uma vez e pára quando as pontas do nó encontram a mesa. RÁ, RÁ, RÁ! EU VENCI!
Hoje, ela ainda rola.
Mas apenas uma vez e pára quando as pontas do nó encontram a mesa. RÁ, RÁ, RÁ! EU VENCI!
Aproveitando, outra idéia que veio da desgraça, é a base para o vidro de nanquim (figs 2 e 3).
Acho que não preciso passar por tudo aquilo novamente fornecendo detalhes sobre o que pode ter acontecido com um vidro de nanquim em uma mesa inclinada e uma página sendo arte-finalizada.
Fui tirar o excesso de nanquim do pincel na borda do vidro e as coisas se enroscaram...
Dessa vez, não disse nem pensei nada. Simplesmente calei.
Acho que não preciso passar por tudo aquilo novamente fornecendo detalhes sobre o que pode ter acontecido com um vidro de nanquim em uma mesa inclinada e uma página sendo arte-finalizada.
Fui tirar o excesso de nanquim do pincel na borda do vidro e as coisas se enroscaram...
Dessa vez, não disse nem pensei nada. Simplesmente calei.
Isso aí (figs 2 e 3) é só uma tampa de Nescau com um "X" cortado com estilete. Funciona que é uma beleza.
Se preferir, use um pedaço de fita adesiva para prender a base na mesa.
Se preferir, use um pedaço de fita adesiva para prender a base na mesa.
Mais invenções em breve.
To Guanabee or not to Guanabee...
Does it matter if the apology has been forced out of somebody if only to save face? Perhaps. But I'd rather the apology be sincere rather than half-assed or insincere.
This comes to mind because I took a decision last night to sever my ties with a website I have absolutely adored up to this point and has given this site major support as well (you no longer see their 'Partner Scoops' widget on Blabbeando anymore for one).
When quirky Latino gossip site Guanabee approached me a couple of years ago and asked if I was interested in being a "Featured Partner" I jumped at the chance. It's not that I got any monetary compensation from it but they often highlighted some of my posts which brought a lot of traffic to this site. The value of that traffic wasn't necessarily the number of hits on Blabbeando but the fact that they came from readers of a non-LGBT Latino site. In that sense, Guanabee helped to direct a lot of non-LGBT Latino readership to what happens to be a site with an LGBT-focus and I thought that was great.
As a gossip site, Guanabee does engage in campy humor sometimes and probably uses language that would not be used on other newsier sites. But, even within those parameters, yesterday I was alerted to a post that I felt went beyond the pale.
In "Eva Longoria Confronts Bitchy Queen on H8R", Guanabee Associate Editor Marcelo Baez using his Nacomprende nickname writes the following:
The CW is running a new show called H8R (pronounced "hater") where celebrities confront random people who hate them while attempting to win them over [...] We actually enjoyed the episode. In it Eva Longoria confronts a bitchy queen who fags out on her and her supposed self-Mexican hateIn the clip featured on Guanabee, a guy who comes across as an obnoxious twit goes all off on Eva Longoria's 'Latina-ness' and then gets all flustered and embarrassed when Eva Longoria shows up to challenge his views.
Call the guy an obnoxious twit, call the guy insufferable, but Baez instead calls him a "bitchy queen" who "fags out" when she shows up. This, on a site that is marketed to the general Latino public.
Up to this point, I've had a great relationship with the site's leading editors so I reached out to them to privately express my concern. In response, I was forwarded a message that Baez sent to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) when they made an inquiry about the post. In it, Baez stood his ground and argued that the informal tome used on the site and the fact that gays had appropriated terms such as 'queer' gave him the liberty to call someone a 'fag'. Baez also argued that he wasn't necessarily questioning the man's sexuality but, instead, he was calling him off on his intolerance.
That pissed me off even more so I wrote back again and tried to calmly explain, among other things, the fact that gays appropriating certain language does not mean it gives free reign for these words to be used at free will, by anyone, on any site or publication - or in day to day conversation.
I never got a response. Instead, Guanabee posted a follow-up last night titled "Gays, Do The Words "Fag" And "Loca" Offend You? GLAAD Says They Do"in which Baez defends the post making some of the same arguments he made in the response to GLAAD e-mailed to me and expanded on them.
I blew a fuse. And I quickly fired a Tweet severing my relationship with the site.
In the meantime, GLAAD, who alerted me to the post in the first case and had been exchanging messages with the editors as well, also reacted. They launched an action alert asking people to "Tell Guanabee.com you are not laughing". It mentions the actions I took last night.
In my anger I missed something in Marcelo Baez' latest post: For what I believe is the first time on the site, he tells his readers he is an openly bisexual man. In retrospective, it does explain his argument about appropriation of words that are used to insult members of the LGBT community even though I still don't agree he should have used the terms.
Does this make any difference? There was no mention of this on the original post that would have led anyone to assume that Mr. Baez was trying to appropriate such language as an openly bisexual man. Instead the words "fag" and "fagged-out" were used to denigrate the man in the CW show. I have since had an exchange with Marcelo on my strong feelings that it would have been wrong even if he had disclosed his sexuality in that post and I know he strongly disagrees with my assessment.
This morning, though, I woke up feeling something was missing from all of this. GLAAD's call to action will continue and sites, like this one, will begin to pick up on it. Guanabee and Marcelo will decide whether to stick to their guns and push back - or eventually apologize.
But in the larger context of things, I do see an opportunity here to expand the dialogue on usage of these terms in the Latino community as well as whether the fact that the person using the language is a member of the LGBT community changes these dynamics in any way (in some ways, the debate is similar to usage of the 'N'-word among African-American individuals where some African-Americans feel it's always wrong and others feel it's a way to appropriate the term and strip it from it's original intent to hurt someone based on one's race).
As things stand right now, I have asked to be removed from the Guanabee site. GLAAD is mobilizing against Guanabee. And Baez and Guanabee seem to be standing on their ground. I've had several exchanges with the editors of Guanabee throughout the day, including Marcelo, and they have expressed in no uncertain terms that they are sad to see me go, would love to continue the relationship, but understand my decision to go.
Part of me keeps looking at that post and the way the language was used, with or without the context that it was written by a bisexual man, and wonder how I can keep a relationship with a site that doesn't 'get' why I am so disappointment by the post.
Having said that, if Guanabee had been as homophobic as some are charging - and I am not talking specifically about GLAAD's reaction but that of individuals who might not have ever visited the site and are judging by this post alone - they would have never prominently featured this blog on their site and be so open to promote gay content on their site. It turns out, according to Marcelo, that he is the editor at Guanabee who promoted most of the Blabbeando content that made it on their site.
I know I don't often ask readers to comment and with such long posts, who is gonna bother reading this entry to this point. But, if you would please take a moment or two to comment, should I stay or should I go? Would working with Guanabee promote an editorial decision I do not agree with or would it provide a platform for their general Latino readership to continue having access to my point of view on the issue and on other issues as well.
TRESE 4: Clue #1
As the launch date of "Trese 4: Last Seen After Midnight" approaches, Kajo Baldisimo has released cropped details of his "unique" sketch. What is so unique about this awesome piece of art? See clue#1 and try to figure it out. Find out at the launch event on October 8, Bestsellers, 4F Robinsons Galleria at 5 pm.
Purchases of Trese 4 from National Book Store, Bestsellers and Powerbooks up to October 31, 2011 are eligible for the raffle of Kajo Baldisimo's sketch.
Rakenrol (2011)
Rakenrol (Quark Henares, 2011)
Rakenrol is a lot of firsts for its director, Quark Henares. It is his first feature film to be produced and directed independent of any major studio backing. It is his feature first film to be completely free from any genre limitations. It is also his first feature film after the untimely death of his most loyal supporter and most honest critic, Alexis Tioseco, to which he dedicates the film as a partial fulfilment to one of Tioseco’s famous wishes for Philippine Cinema.
Gamitan (2002), produced by Viva, was clearly bankrolled to maximize the very popular sex appeal of Maui Taylor, who pumped fresh blood and class to the waning genre of titillating films that dominated Philippine cinema in the last few years of the last century and the first few years of the new millennium. Keka (2003), also produced by Viva in an effort to launch the career of Katya Santos, another one of its up and coming sexy actresses, is a revenge film, in the same vein as Toshiya Fujita’s Lady Snowblood (1973) and Lino Brocka’s Angela Markado (Angela the Marked One, 1980). Wag Kang Lilingon (Don't Look Back, 2006), a horror film which Henares co-directed with Jerry Lopez Sineneng, is co-produced by Viva with Star Cinema. Super Noypi (2006), produced by Regal Films for the Metro Manila Film Festival, is a mash-up of sci-fi and superhero elements to unwieldy results.
Rakenrol evidently has all the heart a filmmaker can ever give his film, with storylines that are partly or wholly based on actual events and cameos of Henares’ friends and heroes. Henares has clearly taken independence seriously, showering his film with the little things that made his previous films work beyond their respective genres. It overflows with so much heart, its humor and unsubtle odes to whoever and whatever may tend to be alienating. Absent of any real genre, of an actual framework to work with, of self-control, the film doesn’t really have a story to stand on, just a flimsy tale of idealistic youngsters wanting to form a rock band called Hapipaks and in the process of doing so, form life-long friendships and romantic links with each other
It could have worked better if the flimsy tale were driven by real characters instead of just stereotypes and mockeries. It also does not help that the entire film rests upon the shoulders of Jason Abalos, who is unable to turn the character of Odie, the soft-spoken lead guitarist of Hapipaks, into anything more than the typical boy-next-door who happens to have a guitar on his hands. That Glaiza de Castro, who manages to inject Irene, the swoony Hapipaks lead singer with palpable sincerity amidst the film’s unabashed caricature of everything.
Ketchup Eusebio and Alwyn Uytingco, who play the other Hapipaks bandmembers, valiantly make most of their underdeveloped and over-typecasted characters. Ramon Bautista, who plays the self-absorbed director of the Hapipaks music video, Jun Sabayton, who plays misunderstood avant-garde artist, and Diether Ocampo, who plays Odie’s cocky rival to Irene’s heart, are more comedic acts than actual characters you care to love or hate. The film is unfortunately filled to the brim with characters, including the famous Ely Buendia who is reduced to play an inspirational deus ex machina, who serve no real purpose other than as arguably unsuccessful attempts at irreverence or just clutter.
Logic and the advertised promises of working with full independence dictate that outside the fences forced by his collaborations with commercial film studios, Henares would be able to create a masterpiece, or at the very least, a very good very personal film. Unfortunately, Rakenrol is hardly a masterpiece. Although it is indeed a very personal work, it feels more than a little bit scattered, with the story never evolving to be either the quintessential movie about the Philippine rock scene or to be one truly charming romance. With the way it seems to slide out of more interesting conflicts with humor and satire, the film seems to delight in its manufactured weightlessness, never really achieving anything except perhaps for personal nostalgia, and needless tons of it.
Gamitan (2002), produced by Viva, was clearly bankrolled to maximize the very popular sex appeal of Maui Taylor, who pumped fresh blood and class to the waning genre of titillating films that dominated Philippine cinema in the last few years of the last century and the first few years of the new millennium. Keka (2003), also produced by Viva in an effort to launch the career of Katya Santos, another one of its up and coming sexy actresses, is a revenge film, in the same vein as Toshiya Fujita’s Lady Snowblood (1973) and Lino Brocka’s Angela Markado (Angela the Marked One, 1980). Wag Kang Lilingon (Don't Look Back, 2006), a horror film which Henares co-directed with Jerry Lopez Sineneng, is co-produced by Viva with Star Cinema. Super Noypi (2006), produced by Regal Films for the Metro Manila Film Festival, is a mash-up of sci-fi and superhero elements to unwieldy results.
Rakenrol evidently has all the heart a filmmaker can ever give his film, with storylines that are partly or wholly based on actual events and cameos of Henares’ friends and heroes. Henares has clearly taken independence seriously, showering his film with the little things that made his previous films work beyond their respective genres. It overflows with so much heart, its humor and unsubtle odes to whoever and whatever may tend to be alienating. Absent of any real genre, of an actual framework to work with, of self-control, the film doesn’t really have a story to stand on, just a flimsy tale of idealistic youngsters wanting to form a rock band called Hapipaks and in the process of doing so, form life-long friendships and romantic links with each other
It could have worked better if the flimsy tale were driven by real characters instead of just stereotypes and mockeries. It also does not help that the entire film rests upon the shoulders of Jason Abalos, who is unable to turn the character of Odie, the soft-spoken lead guitarist of Hapipaks, into anything more than the typical boy-next-door who happens to have a guitar on his hands. That Glaiza de Castro, who manages to inject Irene, the swoony Hapipaks lead singer with palpable sincerity amidst the film’s unabashed caricature of everything.
Ketchup Eusebio and Alwyn Uytingco, who play the other Hapipaks bandmembers, valiantly make most of their underdeveloped and over-typecasted characters. Ramon Bautista, who plays the self-absorbed director of the Hapipaks music video, Jun Sabayton, who plays misunderstood avant-garde artist, and Diether Ocampo, who plays Odie’s cocky rival to Irene’s heart, are more comedic acts than actual characters you care to love or hate. The film is unfortunately filled to the brim with characters, including the famous Ely Buendia who is reduced to play an inspirational deus ex machina, who serve no real purpose other than as arguably unsuccessful attempts at irreverence or just clutter.
Logic and the advertised promises of working with full independence dictate that outside the fences forced by his collaborations with commercial film studios, Henares would be able to create a masterpiece, or at the very least, a very good very personal film. Unfortunately, Rakenrol is hardly a masterpiece. Although it is indeed a very personal work, it feels more than a little bit scattered, with the story never evolving to be either the quintessential movie about the Philippine rock scene or to be one truly charming romance. With the way it seems to slide out of more interesting conflicts with humor and satire, the film seems to delight in its manufactured weightlessness, never really achieving anything except perhaps for personal nostalgia, and needless tons of it.
(Cross-published in Twitch.)
TRESE 4 TO BE LAUNCHED OCTOBER 8!!!
Finally!!! The long wait is over!!! Personally, there are only 2 books I'm really really excited for and this is one of them!!! Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo are releaing TRESE Book 4!!! "Last Seen After Midnight", will be released on October 8, 5pm, at the National Book Store Best Sellers in Robinsons Galleria.
You know how we fanboys love exclusives? "Last Seen After Midnight"will have an EXCLUSIVE DUST JACKET! (See artwork above) TRESE 4 + The Dust Jacket will be exclusively available in National Book Store until December 31. All TRESE 4 books from January 1 onwards will not have the dust jacket.
I was told that Budjette and Kajo are raffling of a unique piece of art!!! We'll have to wait and see what it will be :) Don't forget! 10.08!!! Trese 4!!! National Book Stores Best Sellers!!!
JMC Final Exam
Time flies, my boys had attended Yamaha JMC ( Junior MUsic Course) for two years, yesterday they had their first exam to complete the course. Last Wednesday, also my last class to sit in together with them, from next level onwards, they will be in the class by their own, no more me to company them in the class. It is a relief for me, but i do miss the moment that i spent with them in the class, i am kind of having a mix feeling.
Yamaha HQ @ Kelana Jaya
We were at the Yamaha HQ at Kelana Jaya for the exam. It was in the afternoon, i don't know why, i think i am the one getting more nervous than the boys. When we are on the way i am too nervous till i got stomach ache! ahhahahahhaha..silly me!
Exam is one by one, i am allow to be in the room together with the music teacher and also one examiner. Exam room was scary, it is so quiet, and that time i can see some worry on my boys face. I cannot do any signal to them, have to leave it to their own.
Cruz doing first, then only Fearles. Both playing one same song and one different song. Fearles was doing good on one of the piece of song and his singing, comment given was his singing is loud and clear. Oh yes, we do get the immediate comment from the examiner after the boys "performance".
Well, now it is all over, this week they are going to have a small party to celebrate their graduation, and looking forward for the next level which is JXC ( Junior Extension Course), after the two years course, then they are going to have a real exam, if fail, means fail and they have to retake the exam.
Outside the exam room, waiting for their turn. :)
Well done boys, and after the exam , i brought them to Mcd to reward them. I told them if the result back, it's a big star, i am going to buy them Smurf toys which requested by them. :)
Yamaha HQ @ Kelana Jaya
We were at the Yamaha HQ at Kelana Jaya for the exam. It was in the afternoon, i don't know why, i think i am the one getting more nervous than the boys. When we are on the way i am too nervous till i got stomach ache! ahhahahahhaha..silly me!
Exam is one by one, i am allow to be in the room together with the music teacher and also one examiner. Exam room was scary, it is so quiet, and that time i can see some worry on my boys face. I cannot do any signal to them, have to leave it to their own.
Cruz doing first, then only Fearles. Both playing one same song and one different song. Fearles was doing good on one of the piece of song and his singing, comment given was his singing is loud and clear. Oh yes, we do get the immediate comment from the examiner after the boys "performance".
Well, now it is all over, this week they are going to have a small party to celebrate their graduation, and looking forward for the next level which is JXC ( Junior Extension Course), after the two years course, then they are going to have a real exam, if fail, means fail and they have to retake the exam.
Outside the exam room, waiting for their turn. :)
Well done boys, and after the exam , i brought them to Mcd to reward them. I told them if the result back, it's a big star, i am going to buy them Smurf toys which requested by them. :)
Snickers TV ad: Is it homophobic?
Mexico's National Council to Prevent Discrimination (CONAPRED) and the National Women's Institute (Inmujeres) have accused a Mexican ad agency working for U.S. giant Mars, Inc. of promoting homophobia, sexism and misogyny for a television ad promoting the Snickers chocolate bar brand.
In many ways the ad is similar to one of the most popular ads that ran during last year's Super Bowl in the United States, with a couple of major differences.
In the U.S. version you see a number of friends playing touch football when out of nowhere actress Betty White goes for the ball and gets tackled. This is the exchange that follows:
Guy #1: Mike, what is your deal man!
Betty White: Oh, man, you've been riding me all day!
Guy #3: Mike, you are playing like Betty White out there!
Betty White: That's not what your girlfriend says!
Someone hands Betty White a Snickers bar and, after taking a bite, it becomes clear she'd been a guy called Mike all along. "You are not you when you are hungry" reads the tag line at the end.
In the Mexican version of the ad, pop singer Anahi takes Betty White's role. Here is my translation of the similar exchange that follows Anahi falling down from a bike:
Guy #1: What's your deal, Carlos!
Anahi: Stop getting in my way!
Guy #3: Every time you get hungry you turn into a sissy.
Anahi: That's not what your girlfriend says!
And here is the actual ad:
In addition to adding Anahi, there is also the matter of one of the lines that was changed for the Mexican version: "Every time you get hungry you turn into a sissy."
In a joint statement released by CONAPRED and Inmujeres on September 12th, the government bodies say they received complaints about the ad and tried to reach the Effem Mexico ad agency to request the ads be removed and specifically call it misogynist, sexist and homophobic.
The ad agency has so far refused to remove the ads from the air arguing that they tested the ads with a number of women before the launch, none of whom thought it was discriminatory, and that versions of the ad have also ran in 15 different countries without anyone raising any concerns.
CONAPRED and Inmujeres argue that none of the women in the test screenings were experts on the issue and that the agency should have reached out to such experts before airing the ad.
On September 20th, an anonymous source at U.S. Mars headquarters spoke to Milenio and said that Mars would go to the Mexican courts, if needed, to prevent the ad from being removed from airing on Mexican television.
"It's something that took us by surprise, since the campaign was launched in October [of 2010]" said the surprisingly unnamed Mars representative who is only referred to as "a director of the business agency".
Pop music star Anahi also came to Mars' defense telling TV Notas that there was nothing sexist about the ad and that it is simply based on her reputation as being a troublemaker.
She stretched her defense a tad much by arguing that the line "you turn into a sissy" was meant to refer to a character she played in the successful soap opera that launched her career --- and not necessarily an insult.
Ismael Flores, writing for one of my favorite Mexican blogs Vivir Mexico agrees with CONAPRED and Inmujeres. In an essay published on September 19th, he writes:
In middle school we all had a call to battle: "The last to arrive is a girl!" Then, as we went on to high school, the word "girl" turned into "fag". In college, when it began to matter conquering an improvised career, the phrase turned into "you turn into a sissy". And that's that's the way it has been with our language, changing from time to time, but staying true to its essence: The feminine as an insult, as something degrading, as an instrument of discrimination. Hence, there is nothing bizarre about CONAPRED's complaint.
Wenceslao Bruciaga, who has a blog at Milenio in which he often documents gay life in Mexico, has a different take:
According to CONAPRED, the sequence of images [in the ad] "reaffirms the framework of the inequality between men and women... and highlight the erroneous and discriminatory social perception against girls and women as persons who may assume the masculine domain as being normal."Every time I listen to commentary such as this I get mixed emotions: I bust out laughing or get a knot in my stomach. It's similar to when I am asked to comment on my opinion or position regarding the usage of words such as 'puto', 'joto', 'maricón' [all can be translated as 'fag']. What am I expected to say? That it's discriminatory language? What about 'estupida' and 'babosa' [akin to using 'gurrl'], words used between gay men to communicate in the most intimate of circles... is it politically correct? Aren't they promoting the wrong common perception of women? Should we tell them to behave more like men? Sorry, I'm probably promoting the most retrograde of machismos.The vicious circle of what's politically correct.
Bruciaga closes his essay by noting that while CONAPRED is going after the ad agency that handles the Mars contract in Mexico, in part, because of homophobia, they failed to follow up on hundreds complaints of homophobia against Mexican morning talk-show host Esteban Arce.
Arce famously went live on air on December 18th of 2010 and questioned whether homosexuality was 'natural', said he was afraid young men who were drug users were susceptible to 'letting themselves go' into homosexuality and, when told by a guest on the show that homosexuality was prevalent in animals, Arce argued that male dogs who mated with other male dogs probably suffered from 'animal dementia' or been forced to go without sex for a long time.
Arce remains on Mexican television with his show "Matutino Express", which - wouldn't you know it! - recently began airing on U.S. television through Spanish-language network Galavisión. As recently as September 5th, there he was telling AOL Latino he hoped to bring his "moral and religious values" to American television.
So what do you think? Are CONAPRED and Inmujeres right to slam Effem Mexico and Mars, Inc. over the ad as Ismael says? Or is this a case of political correctness gone a muck as Wenceslao argues? I'll let you be the judge.
UPDATE: In the original version of this post I translated 'nena' literally as 'little girl'. A Mexican reader tells me that a more appropriate translation is 'sissy', which somewhat explains the homophobic claims.
UPDATE: In the original version of this post I translated 'nena' literally as 'little girl'. A Mexican reader tells me that a more appropriate translation is 'sissy', which somewhat explains the homophobic claims.
RELATED:
- Snickers Mexico website here
The Lisa M. Interview (English)
Last year few people noticed what I thought was a mini-trend: After a relative dearth in LGBT representation in the Latino music industry, several performers came out as gay or lesbian between the months of February and April (OK, maybe I was the only person who noticed).
The run-down: 1. First came former Menudo singer Angelo Garcia when he spoke to online site Paragon Men about being gay in February; 2. Then, in mid-March, came up-and-coming performer Rita Indiana who appeared on the red carpet with her partner Noeilla Quintero at the Dominican Republic's most important music awards ceremony; 3. Before the end of that month, Ricky Martin would use his official site to proclaim himself as a "proud homosexual" and, finally, in April, 4. Puerto Rican salsa and reggaeton singer Lisa M. decided to tell her followers on Facebook that she was a lesbian.
Both Angelo Garcia and Rita Indiana say they never really hid their sexual identity from anyone and that it was media who suddenly took an interest on their personal lives. Ricky Martin and Lisa M., on the other hand, spent years building their successful careers in the Latino pop industry actively shaping a performing persona while assiduously avoiding talking about their personal lives.
Born Lisa Marrero Vázquez, Lisa M. probably had the biggest commercial success of her career as a salsa singer in the late 1990's with huge hits like "Tu Pum Pum" and "Menéalo". But, artistically, she probably reached the professional high-point of her career with 2007's "Respect", a lavishly produced reggaeton album which also served as her last commercial release and contained the single "Hey Ladies".
On Friday, I had the opportunity to speak to Lisa on the phone from Puerto Rico. In her first exclusive interview with an English-language venue - or an LGBT-venue for that matter - Lisa addressed her decision to come out on Facebook last year, her relative silence since then and her plans to release a brand new single and album late this year or in early 2012 (for the original Spanish-language version of this interview click here).
Blabbeando: It’s been a little more than a year since you decided to tell your followers on Facebook that you are a lesbian. What made you decide to do it and did you feel scared at all when you finally came out?
Lisa M.: Well, look, when I actually did it, I was in Spain and, before that, I had already been thinking of coming out in public. I wanted to come out, not because I had any specific purpose, but because that was the purpose… to come out.
At that moment, all the stuff about Ricky Martin had already surfaced. Obviously, when Ricky takes something as delicate as his private life and decides to share it with his fans, with his family and with the rest of the world, it was something quite beautiful. And it’s not that I came out because he did it but, basically, it was a ‘wow’ moment for me.
As a fellow artist, I saw it as an incredibly beautiful moment and I felt it was the perfect moment to offer my support not only to him but also myself and other artists who truly want to live their lives freely. So I made the decision and I said ‘Look, I’ll write ‘I’m gay!’” And that’s what I did on my Facebook page.
I’ll be very honest. I posted it without knowing or thinking about any consequences or truly expecting it to get the reaction it got. In other words, first I wrote “I’m gay!” - saying it like ‘Wow!’ - but I later I reaffirmed it by writing “I’m gay” – no exclamation point. That’s when…
Lisa M.: Exactly, yes, the second time, when I reaffirmed it, well, everybody did react, writing stuff like “WHAT!? WHAT DID SHE SAY!? HOW!?”. It was such a tremendous reaction that it made it to People en Español, it went all through the internet, all throughout media… All of Puerto Rico basically just fainted [laughs].
Yes, it was such a huge reaction that… I’ll be honest, the reaction to Ricky was ‘Damn, Ricky, we sorta knew it or imagined it already’, but he did have a reaction… but with me, being a woman and being Latina - and I’ll put this out in the open - well, it probably turned off some people, but the overall reaction was positive. Thank God almighty it wasn’t something where I lacked people’s support. On the contrary, the reaction was very positive and I received a lot of positive feedback.
People, a lot of people – and I’m saying this because it happened a lot during those first days, weeks and months – sent me messages. I received a lot of e-mail messages from women congratulating me, married women, who would say “Look, I am gay but I am married” and so, for me, it was a ‘Wow’ moment to realize so many people had taken umbrage in what I had said.
And I learned to take it more seriously each day and to give it more respect. Respect towards me, as a person, and towards the public… and so much respect towards the gay community, which has also given me so much support.
Blabbeando: The reaction was immediate but you were in Europe when it happened and pretty much unreachable for comment…
Lisa M.: Yes. That’s the way I wanted it. I wanted to feel a bit more prepared before being able to give a more public response to the media. When I took the decision and saw the consequences, I told myself ‘This has reached another level, now it’s serious, it’s slipped from my hands and I will have to treat it respectfully and carefully.’
So I held media at bay a little bit but, yes, I can tell you that what took place with all the media was impressive. From the start, when I gave an exclusive to an important radio show in Puerto Rico via telephone, and, of course, now that I have returned to Puerto Rico from Spain and have begun to address all media. And, thank God, I have always enjoyed great respect from the press, now and at that moment, for which I am thankful. They treated me very well and understood my point of view and my way of loving someone and they accepted it.
And let me tell you that today I feel it is so normal to talk about it and to watch Ricky and his boyfriend, his partner, at the award ceremonies, to see him be free and be able to express himself, his feelings, you know? It’s a beautiful thing. And that is the same way I feel.
Blabbeando: I know you received some homophobic messages back in January but you seem to be saying it’s been the exception to the rule…
Lisa M.:. Yes…
Blabbeando: I also know you have worked with other reggaeton singers such as Tego Calderón. It was also interesting for me to see that there didn’t seem to be any homophobic reactions from your peers.
Lisa M.: Yes, thank God, I’ve also had my peers come to me… and everyone has remained in their place, everybody has treated me with respect, everybody has accepted it well.
Look, Andrés, we are living during an era in the business where it really doesn’t matter who you are, you know? It’s all about what you can give. It’s as if people want a different life, a different way to share things, they want something more positive, they don’t want to tear an artist down or hurt them.
It’s my understanding that in the industry, right as of now, it is not a taboo, it’s not a barrier, it’s not an illness, it is not something that will hurt your fans.
Blabbeando: At the same time, there are female artists such as La India and Ivy Queen who have faced false rumors about their sexual identity and, in Ivy Queen’s case, even questions about her gender, just for presenting themselves as strong women. What do you think about those stereotypes?
Lisa M.: What has happens is that, obviously, we are stronger women thanks to what we have done as artists, based on our personality and the way we have handled our careers, you know? [We are] women with a stronger character… fighters. And being fighters makes us stronger, it makes us brave, and so we create that character, a warrior’s armor, from having to be up front as women. And then that strength is reflected in our songs, they way we interpret a song, the way we talk, how we dress, how we express ourselves, and that’s what people see.
Blabbeando: Now, throughout your career you have launched seven albums. The last one, “Respect” (2007) was actually pretty great. But I know you have been spending time in Europe and Spain and focusing more on a career as a club DJ under the name of DJ Miss M. Now, after spending these years in Spain, you’ve returned to the recording studio. Tell me a little bit about the latest stage in your professional life.
And, what can I tell you? Yes, it has been a really beautiful part of my life in which I have experienced the nightlife, being a dedicated DJ, without obviously abandoning who I am: A singer and an artist. What I have done is that now, in the new stage, I am mixing up both things. I am recording my new album. I am doing it in Puerto Rico and I am doing it in New York City and other places. I want to do an album that reflects everything that is happening in my life, which is the nightlife, life at the dance clubs and lounges, the music ‘life-style’ as I call it. It’s an album that reflects that vibe, now that I’m working as a DJ, that touches on electronic music – tech-house, techno, house, hip-hop – my new album fits somewhere along those lines.
As a DJ and producer – because obviously that determines a lot of the things that have gone into the album – that’s where I’m at. And I am truly enjoying it a lot. I’m not getting much sleep, Andrés, but I know the end results are going to be very positive.
Blabbeando: So it’ll be a new sound, integrating old sounds but from a dance-club perspective…
Lisa M.: Exactly. That’s it. That’s it. And, as I’m telling you, using little things, old sounds but modern arrangements. With really, really amazing… how should I say… now that I’m a DJ, which is the music genre in which I’m surrounding myself and considering the industry is changing so much… perhaps in the way that Madonna has done since “Confessions on a Dance Floor”, or, later, when Black Eyed Peas came up with that electronic sound and mixed it up with hip-hop and R’n’B, and what’s happening right now and blasting off the radio like Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull… well, that’s the same vibe that is ruling the airwaves right now and that’s the same track I’ll be on pretty soon.
Blabbeando: Do you have a date for the launch of the new material?
Lisa M.: I’d say that before the year is over I’ll come out with a new single, at the very least. I am pushing myself, working really hard to have it come out by year’s end as well as a video.
I’m not certain yet about a record label because I am truly working independently. For the moment, I am producing the record myself and I do not have a recording label. But I am so happy and working so well that I didn’t miss it during the recording process.
Nowadays the recording industry has changed so much that you can go and find an investor, do a video, tape a single, pace it, put it out there, kick it up there on YouTube, push it on Twitter, post it on Facebook, and forget about it! You do a couple of interviews and get some cameras to shoot the video and that has some impact. And so, there you go [laughs]…
Yes. I know record companies are very good for other things. Moneywise, as an artist, I cannot penetrate the market in the same way record companies do their promotion and handle the ‘business’ side. They go deeper. So we’ll see what happens. For now, production is running really well and, as I told you, we hope to have something out there before the end of the year. Andrés, the record is coming out really great. I think it’ll be a totally different sound that doesn’t lose the essence of who I am.
Lisa M.: Yes, I am happy. I have my partner, who is a beautiful girl who respects and admires me a lot and that also helps me to focus and commit myself and to have sufficient strength to say let’s go forward, let’s go. And when you have someone who is so positive next to you it does help a lot, and that’s what’s been going on in my case.
And, yes, I am traveling a lot. But once I get back to Puerto Rico on the 28th, look out! I’ll be immersed in what will become the new single. There are several tracks ready, I imagine I’ll get some people together and let them listen, including the single. And, yes, it’s a process, but at the same time I am enjoying it greatly. Maybe sometimes I do feel exhausted but it is a stage in my life in which I feel much calmer and feel much more at ease with myself.
Blabbeando: Lastly, is there something I didn’t ask that you’d like to tell readers of Blabbeando?
Lisa M.: Well, let me thank you for the interview. What I’m really wishing for is for the public and media to offer their support for my new project and I know that will be the case. I know I have earned the place where I am, thanks to God. Whoever grants me their support, I know I am a pioneer in what I do and, thank God, the public has chosen to support me throughout my career.
I do hope I’ll have additional support when the new album comes out because the fans I have now are fans from before and after and they are still there. But those of now, who don’t really know about me… their parents, unless and cousins do, but the new generation, those of now, I am truly hoping for the support of the new generations. And I know I will because, musically, I am working with groups of professional musicians and producers who are at the level of the new generations. So we are doing good.
Blabbeando: Well, Lisa, that bring the interview to an end, I thank you so much.
Lisa M.: Sure thing, Andrés. Thank you so much for the opportunity and for thinking about me. What I’ll do is that when I get the single ready I’ll send it over so you can give me your feedback and we’ll keep in touch.
Blabbeando: Great. Hugs and thanks.
Lion City - Singapore 2011 - Day 1
~ Another backdated post ~
During the long raya week and the short school holidays break and just few days after i back from Sibu Sarawak, we went to Singapore for a 3 days 2 nights short holidays. Believe it or not, i never step foot in this country before and this is my VERY FIRST trip in lion city. tsk tsk tsk.
It is a very last minute arrangement, sister in law arrange the trip while i am back in Sibu. She manage to grab the offer from Tiger Airways and this is also our first time taking Tiger Airways.
This trip was mainly "ladies + kids" trip, me, my younger sister in law and hub's sister and 4 active boys! My hub and his younger brother, they ride the bike to Hatyai instead of joining us.
We left on Sunday evening, it was about an hour flight, but the journey to airport and waiting and from airport to hotel, took us a lot of times. Flight depart at the "forever-busy" budget airport LCCT, lucky flight depart on time and check-in at the counter was a breeze, it was at another section and no long queue and less havoc.
Tiger Airways
Tiger Airways
travel light with two boys, and they help me with the hand trolly luggages.
Flight touch down on time, we reached Singapore budget airport at 5.40pm, after immigration, bus transfer to Changi Airport, then we took MRT to town center, after change at a few station we are end up at ION shopping Mall. :S
MRT from airport to City Center
look at the long route!
I mention earlier, this is my first trip, and my two sister in law only been there twice or thrice, so one of them is our "tour guide". Lucky we still manage to find our way to the hotel and didn't get lost . hahahhahah
We are staying in this hotel, Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre
this is our room, quite spacious, manage to accommodate 3 adults and 4 kids!! We add one extra bed, hub's sister was sleeping on the extra bed, me and my sister with kids sleep on the twin queen bed, it just nice to fit three of us in one bed.
I love this hotel, their service is good, hotel room nice and clean, staffs are polite and helpful. I don't mind to go back again to this hotel for my future visit.
After we checked in the hotel, put our luggage in the room, then we were out again to hunt for food. We were heading to Marina Bay.
there are one row of restaurant with very unique and nice design just next to the hotel. This trip was too rush, we got no time to check that out, we just passed by the place.
the four hyper active BOYS!
Preggie sister in law...
me and hub's sister, two sitting on the reserved seat. It was ok, because that time was not crowded. :D
Marina Bay
We are thinking to have some street food here, but look at the distance to walk over, we nearly faint. Everyone were so hungry, kids had some bread in the room before we came out. There is one new shopping mall in Marina Bay, we decide to just go to the food court to have our late dinner. After check with the information counter on which direction is the food court, and what time do they closed, because it was already 10pm! We walk and walk and walk, like forever never reach the end of the building to locate that food court! tsk tsk tsk
night view at Marina Bay, beautiful. But my camera did not capture the nice night view. Ok, it's my lousy photograph skill. :P
when we walk and walk to find the food court, we passed by one of the cafe, suddenly heard the loud water dropping down, we stand there and watch, interesting. I think they have certain time to have this .
Finally, we reached the food court, such a long walk! This food court is next to a skating rink.
i order roast duck rice for the boys to share
my plate of CKT, taste ok, i order "medium size " because i am super hungry and it cost me SG8 ..tsk tsk tsk..i know...don't convert don't convert, but can't help, i still do the calculation.
Hub's sister sizzling plate with rice. Look good.
Sister in law was having some noodles i think, too hungry and i didn't take picture of her food. :P
After our late dinner, and think of walking a long way out again, all of us surrender. We check with the information counter, which is the short cut to walk out from the building. She told us can walk up to the roof top then from there can walk to the main road.
It has a very nice view on the roof top, enjoy the scenery at Marina Bay, and we can see Singapore Flyer,and also oversee the Singapore river nice night view.
Singapore Flyer
the boys on the bridge...
view from the bridge, a very nice place to visit during night. I enjoy very much with the scenery.
We had a slow stroll on the bridge and took some pictures and went back to hotel and rest. It is almost 12am, kids were all worn out and we need a good rest, because we know the next day will be another long day.
continue........
The Lisa M. Interview (Spanish)
Below the fold, you will find the original Spanish-language version of my exclusive interview with the lovely Puerto Rican superstar singer, DJ and music producer Lisa M. in which she reflects on her decision to come out as a lesbian on Facebook a year and a half ago and the repercussions since telling the world she is gay. Click here for the entire Spanish-language interview. For the English-language translation click here.
El año pasado hubo un fenómeno del cual pocos se percataron. De Febrero a Abril de 2010 varios artistas de la industria musical Latinoamericana decidieron salir del closet.
Resumiendo: 1. Primero vino Angelo Garcia, ex-miembro de Menudo, que hablo sin pelos en la lengua para un portal de internet llamado Paragon Men en Febrero; 2. Después, a mediados de Marzo, fué la novelista y cantautora Dominicana Rita Indiana quien llevó a su pareja Puertorriqueña Noellia Quintero al evento más importante de la música Dominicana; 3. Antes del final del mes de Marzo se dió lo de Ricky Martin; y, finalmente, 4. En Abril, la reggaetonera Boricua Lisa M. también decidió decirles a sus seguidores en Facebook que era lesbiana.
En el caso de Angelo y de Rita Indiana, ambos insisten que jamás ocultaron su identidad sexual y que solo fue que de un momento a otro los medios de comunicación tomaron interés por su vida personal. En el caso de Ricky Martin y Lisa M., ambos tenían una amplia trayectoria profesional en el mercado de música pop Latina y tomaron esa decisión después de años de vender cierta imagen a su público.
Nacida con el nombre Lisa Marrero Vázquez, Lisa M. probablemente tuvo el éxito más grande de su carrera cuando se convirtió en una sensación de la salsa en los 1990's con éxitos como "Tu Pum Pum" y "Menéalo". Sin embargo, se podría decir que su último album con son de reggaeton, "Respect" (2007). es el mejor trabajo de su carrera artística a nivel musical.
A año y medio después de que Lisa M. decidió salir del closet, por fin tuve la oportunidad de hablar con ella sobre su decisión, la reacción de los medios hispanos, la razón por la cual se demoró a hablar con esos mismos medios y el impacto en su carrera. También hablamos sobre su reciente carrera como DJ en Europa y sus planes de lanzar un nuevo trabajo discográfico posiblemente antes de que termine este año.
Blabbeando: Hace un poco mas de un año decidiste decirle a tus seguidores en Facebook que eres lesbiana. ¿Qué fue lo que te llevó a tomar esa decisión y tuviste algún temor al hacerlo?
Lisa M.: Pues, mira, Andrés, yo cuando hice eso estaba en España y yo, anterior a esa ocasión, como que ya había pensado en abrirme al público. Abrirme no porque tuviera nada en especifico – un propósito – si no porque el propósito era… pues, el de hacerlo.
En ese momento también surge lo de Ricky Martín. Obviamente pues cuando Ricky también toma su decisión y toma esa cosa tan delicada que es la vida personal y decide compartirla con su público y con sus familiares y con todo el mundo, pues para mi fue un detalle muy bonito. Y no fue que yo lo hice porque el lo hizo pero básicamente también para mi fue como un ‘Wow!’
Yo, como artista, lo vi como un momento muy bonito y yo creí que era el momento preciso para darle el apoyo tanto a el como a mi misma y a otros artistas que de verdad quieren hacer sus vidas libres. Y entonces tomé la decisión, y dije ‘Mira, pues voy a poner ‘I’m gay!’’. Y, pues, así lo hice en la página de Facebook.
Te voy a ser bien honesta. Lo escribí sin saber, sin pensar las consecuencias y sin esperar que realmente tuviese una reacción como la que tuvo. O sea, primero fue una expresión como de ‘I’m gay!’, como like ‘Wow!’, pero luego lo reafirmé al volver a escribir ‘I’m gay’ – sin punto de exclamación. Ahí fue que...
Blabbeando: Si, porque la primera vez, me imagino que la gente no sabia que pensar, si era una broma o algo diferente. Ya, la segunda vez que lo escribiste, ahí fue que la gente reaccionó…
Lisa M.: Exacto, si, ya la segunda vez, cuando lo reafirmé con firmeza, pues como que todo el mundo hizo como ‘¿¡QUE QUE!?, ¿¡QUE DICE?! ¿¡COMO?!’. Bueno, fue una reacción tan grande que fue algo que salió en People en Español, por todo la internet, por todos los medios… Puerto Rico se vino patas pa’arriba [se ríe].
Si, fue una cosa que te voy a ser honesta, lo de Ricky pues también tubo una reacción así, como que ‘Coño, Ricky, ya como que lo sabíamos, o nos lo imaginábamos’, pero igualmente tubo su reacción. Pero que como que lo mio, al ser mujer y Latina, y te digo así abiertamente, pues supongo que fue bastante chocante para alguna gente pero tubo una reacción positiva. Gracias a Dios todopoderoso pues no fue algo donde la gente no me apoyaba. Al contrario, tuvo una reacción muy positiva, un ‘feedback’ positivo.
La gente, mucha gente – y te digo porque sucedió mucho y sobretodo en esos primeros días, semanas y meses – me enviaron mensajes. Yo recibía muchos e-mails de muchas mujeres felicitándome, mujeres casadas, que me decían ‘Mira, yo soy gay pero estoy casada, no se que hacer’ y entonces para mi se convirtió en un ‘Wow!’ al descubrir que mucha gente se refugió en mi decisión. Y yo cada dia pues lo tomaba mucho mas en serio y mucho mas con respeto. Respeto tanto a mi, a mi persona, como respeto al publico… y con muchísimo respeto a la comunidad gay que tanto también me han apoyado.
Blabbeando: La reacción fue inmediata pero tu estabas en Europa y creo ningún medio pudo contactarte para pedir tus comentarios…
Lisa M.: Si. Yo lo quise así. Antes de poder dar una respuesta mas pública a los medios, yo quería sentirme un poquito mas preparada. Al tomar la decisión y ver las consecuencias, pues yo dije ‘Esto ya paso a otro nivel, ya es en serio, esto ya se me fue de las manos, y lo tendré que tratar con mucho respeto y con mucha cautela’.
Entonces por ende a los medios los aguanté un poco pero, si, te digo, lo de los medios fue una cosa impresionante. Tanto al principio que por teléfono – por vía telefónica – le di la exclusiva a un programa radial de Puerto Rico que es bien importante acá, y obviamente ahora cuando regreso de España a Puerto Rico y comienzo a dar la cara obviamente a todos los medios. Y, gracias a Dios, siempre tuve el respeto de parte de la prensa tanto ahora como en ese momento, lo cual estoy muy agradecida. Me trataron muy bien y entendieron mi punto de vista y mi forma de amar y me aceptaron.
Y te digo que ya hoy en dia para mi hablar de eso es tan normal y ver a Ricky con su pareja, con su compañero, en los premios, ya verlo libre y poder expresarse, sus sentimientos, tu sabes, es bonito, entiendes? Y así me siento yo también.
Blabbeando: Yo se que en Enero recibiste algunos mensajes homofóbicos pero por lo que tu dices son la excepción...
Lisa M.: Si…
Blabbeando: Se que has trabajado con cantantes de reggaeton como Tego Calderón y otros y, para mi, también fue interesante ver que no hubieron reacciones homofóbicas en el medio, de parte de otros artistas…
Lisa M.: Si, gracias a Dios, he tenido también compañeros artistas… todo el mundo se mantuvo al margen, todo el mundo se mantuvo con respeto, todo el mundo lo aceptó bien.
Es que mira, Andrés, ya estamos viviendo en un era del negocio donde realmente lo que tu seas no es lo valioso, sabes? Es lo que tu puedes dar. Es como que ya la gente quiere otra vida, quieren otra forma de compartir, quieren otras cosas mas positivas, no quieren coger con el artista y hacerle el daño.
Yo entiendo que en el medio de la industria ahora ya mismo… no es un tabú, no es un impedimento, no es una enfermedad, no es algo que le haga daño al publico.
Blabbeando: Igual, tu sabes que hay artistas como Ivy Queen y La India que se enfrentan a un sinnúmero de rumores falsos por presentar una imagen de ser mujeres fuertes. Que piensas tu de esos estereotipos…
Lisa M.: Lo que sigue pasando es que obviamente somos mujeres fuertes por lo que interpretamos como artistas y es parte de nuestra personalidad y de como llevamos nuestra carrera, entiendes, de mujeres que somos un poco más fuertes de carácter. Mas luchadoras. El ser luchadoras, pues, nos hace fuertes, nos hace valientes, y entonces creamos ese carácter, esa caparazón de guerreras, de lucha, de estar al frente como mujer. Y entonces esa fuerza se proyecta en nuestras canciones, en nuestras interpretaciones, como interpretamos, como hablamos, como vestimos, como nos expresamos, y eso es lo que se ve.
Blabbeando: Ahora, a lo largo de tu carrera tu has lanzado ya 7 discos. Tu ultimo disco fue “Respect” que salio al mercado en el 2007 y es tremenda producción. Pero se que has estado en España y te has estado concentrando mas en una carrera como DJ. Ahora, después de estos años en España, regresas al estudio. Cuéntame un poco sobre esta etapa de tu vida profesional.
Lisa M.: Pues, básicamente el disco de “Respect” y “Respect (Deluxe)” fue mi ultimo album. Luego de eso, pues ya entre en esa etapa de DJ. Ya llevo de ser DJ unos 6 años. Pero en los últimos 3 años es donde más fuerte mi carrera como DJ se ha presentado y ya el nivel mío de DJ ha escalado muchísimo nivel. Y al estar en Europa y al estar en España pues bueno, me posicioné muy bien como una de las DJ mas importantes femeninas de Barcelona e Ibiza. Allá estuve con muchísimo trabajo, lo cual regreso ahora el dia 20 hasta el 28, para el cierre de Space Ibiza que es el Septiembre 24. Y bueno, que te digo, pues si, ha sido una etapa de mi vida bien bonita en la cual yo me he vivido muchísimo lo que es la noche, al ser una DJ dedicada a esto, sin dejar de – obviamente – de ser lo que soy, una cantante y una artista.
Lo que he hecho es que ahora, en la nueva etapa, es que voy a mezclar las dos cosas. Estoy grabando mi nuevo disco. Lo estoy trabajando en parte en Nueva York, lo estoy trabajando en parte en Puerto Rico, y en otros sitios. Quiero hacer un disco bien dentro de todo lo que está pasando, dentro de lo que ahora yo estoy viviendo que es el ‘nightlife’, que es la vida de las discotecas, de los clubes, de los ‘lounges’, el ‘life-style’ como digo yo. Es un disco que viene por esa onda ya que ahora yo estoy de DJ, tocando música electrónica - tech-house, techno, house, hip-hop - pues por ahí por esa línea es que vengo con mi nuevo disco.
Como DJ y como DJ-producer - porque obviamente eso define muchas cosas de las que van dentro del disco - pues estoy en esa etapa. Y de veras que la estoy disfrutándola muchísimo, Andrés. No duermo mucho pero los resultados yo se que van a ser bien positivos.
Blabbeando: O sea que va a ser un sonido nuevo. De pronto integrando viejos sonidos pero con un ambiente mas de ‘discoteca’.
Lisa M.: Exacto. Así es. Así es. Y como te digo, usando cositas, sonidos viejos pero con arreglos modernos. Con cosas bien, bien… como te digo… ahora que yo estoy de DJ, que es el género en el cual yo me estoy desenvolviendo y en lo que la industria ha cambiado muchísimo… también como lo que ha hecho Madonna desde su album “Confessions on a Dance Floor” - ahí yo entiendo que empezó el cambio - luego vino Black Eyed Peas con ese sonido electrónico mezclado con hip-hop y r’n’b, y lo que tenemos ahora mismo sonando bien fuerte que es Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull… y pues esa onda es la que esta predominando ahora y es por ese mismo caminito que también pues vengo pronto.
Blabbeando: Ya existe una fecha para el lanzamiento de tu nuevo material?
Lisa M.: Pues mira, yo te diría que antes de fin de año voy a salir, por lo menos, con un sencillo. Estoy apresurándome, estoy trabajando bien duro para tratar de lograr de tener el sencillo por lo menos antes de que se acabe el año. Decirte fecha específica, ya estamos en Septiembre, me queda Octubre y Noviembre para hacer cualquier lanzamiento que tenga que hacer ya de inmediato antes de que se acabe el año. Estoy trabajando duro en el estudio así que esperamos que ya antes de que se acabe el año esté el sencillo con un video.
No se con que disquera todavía vamos a trabajar porque, verdaderamente, estoy independiente. Estoy yo misma produciendo el disco por el momento y verdaderamente no tengo ninguna casa disquera ahora mismo, no tengo ‘record label’. Pero estoy tan feliz y trabajo tan a gusto que en este proceso no me hizo falta, sabes?
Y hoy en dia como ha cambiado la industria las cosas están que tu te buscas un inversionista, haces un video, grabas un sencillo, lo pautas, lo pones, le das ahí p’abajo por YouTube, le metes por ahí en Twitter, le metes en Facebook, y olvídate – que se yo – haces un par de entrevistas y apartas unas cámaras para grabar ese video y tiene su efecto. Y entonces por ahí, pues [se ríe]…
Si. Yo se que las disqueras para otras cosas son bien importantes. Yo monetariamente, como artista, no puedo penetrar de una manera y en las disqueras hay esa parte de promoción y del ‘business’ pues entran un poquito mas fuertes. Y eso ya lo iremos viendo. Pero por el momento estoy corriendo bien con la producción y, como te dije, esperamos tener algo antes de fin de año ahí fuera. Y bien contenta y trabajando bien duro, Andrés, el disco va a quedar bien chulo, y pienso yo que será un sonido diferente totalmente pero espero sin perder la esencia de lo que yo soy.
Blabbeando: Se nota que estas en una etapa de tu vida en la cual estas muy a gusto y contenta…
Lisa M.: Si, estoy feliz. Tengo mi pareja que es una chica muy linda, me respeta muchísimo, me admira muchísimo, y eso también le ayuda a uno a uno enfocarse y a uno dedicarse y a uno tener las fuerzas suficientes como para uno decir pa’lante, vamos. Y mas si uno tiene una persona positiva a tu lado, eso te ayuda mucho, lo cual es lo que ha estado pasando en mi caso.
Y, si, viajando mucho. Pero ahora que regrese el 28 a Puerto Rico pues ¡Fijo! Bien de lleno en lo que sería el sencillo que tengo varias canciones y de ahí me imagino yo que me sentaré con otras personas para escuchar los temas y ponerles el sencillo. Y si, es un proceso, pero a la misma vez me lo estoy disfrutando. A veces a lo mejor me puedo sentir agotada pero es una etapa en la que estoy mucho mas tranquila y mas en paz con migo misma.
Blabbeando: Por ultimo, hay algo que no te pregunté que quieras compartir con los lectores de Blabbeando?
Lisa M.: Bueno, agradezco la entrevista y lo que mas deseo es realmente contar con el apoyo del publico, con el apoyo de los medios, que cuando salga con mi proyecto yo se que así será. Porque gracias a Dios, me he ganado ese sitio y ese espacio que me pertenece. Tenga quien tenga, yo dentro de lo que hago soy la pionera, entiendes, y gracias a Dios ese respeto el publico me lo ha dado toda la vida a través de mi trayectoria y espero que cuando salga lo nuevo tener el mismo o un poco más de apoyo porque la gente que son mis fans de antes y después están. Pero los de ahora… ¿Eh, entiendes?... están los nuevos de ahora que realmente no saben de mi… sus papas son los que saben de mi, tíos, primos, pero la nueva generación – los de ahora – esa generación es de la que de verdad espero recibir el apoyo que yo se que si porque musicalmente estamos bien. Estamos bien porque trabajo con un grupo de músicos profesionales y productores y yo se que estamos al nivel de la nueva generación. En eso estamos bien.
Blabbeando: Pues, Lisa, con eso cerramos la entrevista. Te agradezco mil.
Lisa M.: Seguro Andrés. Mil gracias por la entrevista, por la oportunidad, por pensar en mi. Y lo que hacemos es que cuando yo tenga lo del sencillo pues te lo envío para que me des tu critica y nos estamos comunicando.
Blabbeando: Bien. Un gran abraso y gracias!
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