1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 1: You know, in hindsight, I wouldn't change anything. But in hindsight, 2 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: so many things makes sense about ways in which things 3 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: might have been more comfortable for me, if a little 4 00:00:10,080 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: bit messier, if I just like came out earlier out 5 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: of either of the closets or both of them. 6 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:16,079 Speaker 2: I don't even know. 7 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 3: From futuro media, it's Latino USA. I'm Maria ino Josa. 8 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 3: Many many months ago, when twenty nineteen was coming to 9 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:38,959 Speaker 3: a close, all sorts of publications were putting together their 10 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 3: end of decade lists, the best movies of the decade, 11 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 3: the best albums of the decade, the best song of 12 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 3: the decade. On one such list, Vice Magazine highlighted perhaps 13 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 3: an unexpected musician as one of the most influential artists 14 00:00:55,440 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 3: of the decade. Her name is Alexandra Guerzi aka unexpected 15 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 3: because Arca hasn't sold nearly as many albums as let's say, 16 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,960 Speaker 3: Shakidan or Rihanna, but the Venezuelan producer and singer has 17 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:14,400 Speaker 3: been at the forefront of a movement bringing experimental sounds 18 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 3: and ideas into popular music. Since releasing her first mixtapes 19 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,680 Speaker 3: as Rakhan in twenty eleven, she's put out album after 20 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 3: album of boundary pushing music. At the same time, behind 21 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 3: the scenes, Arica has been busy producing for artists like 22 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 3: Kanye West, Toes Again, Frank Ocean, and FKA Twits, helping 23 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 3: to define a pop music landscape that's not afraid to 24 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 3: get a little weird. In late June, Araca released her 25 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 3: latest album. It's titled Kick One. It's her biggest production yet, 26 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 3: featuring guest spots from York and Rosalia, among others. Arca 27 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 3: spoke with me on the phone from her home in Barcelona, Spain. 28 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 3: We talked about growing up in Venezuela, her philosophies around music, 29 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:24,679 Speaker 3: and about finding herself as a trans woman. Why not, 30 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 3: I want to start at the beginning. You're born in Caracas, 31 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:30,799 Speaker 3: in Venezuela, but you actually end up spending some of 32 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 3: your early years in the United States in Darien, Connecticut. 33 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 3: So what was that? 34 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 2: Like? 35 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: I was born in the parochia La Vega, which my 36 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: brother would tease me. I was born in Las Vegas, 37 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: and I had an experience of Venezuela that was very 38 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: early on, like before preschool and then after second grade 39 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: that's when I returned. If you kind of imagine that 40 00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 1: like gap between preschool and third grade actually spent that 41 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: in the States. A summary of those early years, that 42 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: beginning was that in the American school, I was my 43 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 1: name was unpronounceable, and in the Venezuelan school, I was 44 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 1: a greeno, so kind of didn't really feel like I 45 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 1: was from one. 46 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:19,679 Speaker 2: Or the other. 47 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 1: And I would actually I was a little bit of 48 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 1: a nerd, so I think I would like try and 49 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 1: show off and like impress people in English class when 50 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: I first arrived, which was the wrong thing to do. 51 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 1: I was just kind of an awkward gamer kid. It 52 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: was just a crazy move for me. That was that 53 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: was difficult, it seems like. 54 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 3: And by the way, you know, I was born in Mexico, 55 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 3: raised in Chicago, and it was the same thing back then. 56 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 3: Many many lomismo you don't fit in in either place, estress, 57 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 3: but it is. But I also think in terms of 58 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 3: your work, like this was actually really formative. Definitely you 59 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 3: become that border crosser and that code. 60 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 2: Oh my god. 61 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, So you. 62 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 3: Talk about going back to Venezuela and you said it 63 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 3: was almost a little traumatic, and I'm wondering, so what 64 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 3: did you do? Yeah, you're like a lot, so what 65 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 3: did you do with that trauma, because that's a pretty 66 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 3: young age, you're like eight nine years old. 67 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,479 Speaker 1: I don't know, but I know that I tucked it 68 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 1: away until the moment where I could sift through it. 69 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: That much, I can tell you. So I went through 70 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 1: a lot of skin sheds you could call them, you know, 71 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: in my life online I had like another parallel life. 72 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 1: I think the main thing was online chat programs. In 73 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: a chat room, you will see a message and a timestamp, 74 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:44,599 Speaker 1: and there's like seconds between people's talking, and you're talking 75 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 1: about something that you're interested about, because that's how chat 76 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: servers kind of work is, Like they're grouped around let's 77 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 1: say a theme or a topic or a field or 78 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:55,360 Speaker 1: you know, interest or whatever. So you know, it's like 79 00:04:55,400 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 1: a real time social hangout. And I've spent countless hours, 80 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:02,160 Speaker 1: you know, just speaking to people without knowing what they 81 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:06,239 Speaker 1: look like, and it really does change how you relate 82 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 1: to people online. 83 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 3: That actually that notion to me is scary. 84 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: It is, and it's normal for it to be scary. 85 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 1: I mean, the uncertainty and the unknown and having less information. 86 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 1: It has pros and cons. I mean because I kind 87 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:27,479 Speaker 1: of I don't know, is it catfishing. If you later 88 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 1: come out as trans, you tell me. Because I had 89 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: a relationship that I feel was emotional and beautiful and 90 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:38,159 Speaker 1: libitimal with someone, but they didn't know what I looked like. 91 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 2: And I asserted. 92 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: The gender identity that I wanted to share with this 93 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,359 Speaker 1: person who I was interested in, and I was. 94 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 2: So guilty about that. 95 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:49,479 Speaker 1: It was awful, Like I was like I hated it, 96 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:52,479 Speaker 1: and so I would get these stomach aches that I 97 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:54,720 Speaker 1: know were related to the guilts. 98 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 2: And to the shame of that whole interaction. 99 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 1: And I literally just called the plug on that and 100 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 1: I just disappeared that us your name. 101 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 2: I just like, never do that again. 102 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 1: The beautiful thing about opening up about that is that 103 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 1: it was the first time I was having a conversation 104 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: with someone and I felt I was being seen as 105 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 1: the gender that I felt, regardless of being able to 106 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,160 Speaker 1: express it or not, and that person not being able 107 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: to say whether the way I looked fit with their idea. 108 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:37,919 Speaker 1: Then I was terrified about all this stuff. You know, 109 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 1: I was just I was closeted in more than one closet. 110 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 1: The whole thing is like, there was no guidance, there 111 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: was no I didn't know a single openly gay person. 112 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 1: I didn't know any The fact of the matter is 113 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: that there's who you're attracted to, which in Latin America, 114 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 1: and at the point in time you want to sort 115 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: of you know, being attracted the same sex or you know, 116 00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 1: being transit is. 117 00:06:58,320 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 2: Just so far away from the lexico. 118 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 1: It's almost like lumped into one thing, like queer like 119 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 1: it's just like so other that there's no representation. 120 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 2: And so I was trying to fix myself. 121 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: I was trying to coach myself out of all these 122 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 1: behaviors that I felt could make me stick out in 123 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 1: ways that were not going to get me to be liked. 124 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 3: There's not a lot of people who have said I 125 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:22,200 Speaker 3: grew up in multiple closets, not just one, but in 126 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 3: multiple closets. And so I'm wondering how you get from 127 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 3: feeling so dark, separate from yourself, and then at the 128 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 3: same time also being able to discover music. I mean, 129 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 3: you're a teenager when you do your first musical project, 130 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 3: it's under the name of Neuro. 131 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: Right, Hello, my my name is Neuro and I am 132 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 1: an alcohol. 133 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 3: So talk to me about how music comes into your 134 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 3: life when you're really it seems like struggling. 135 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 1: I needed to make maybe space for those feelings, but 136 00:07:57,280 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: I couldn't do it through language or through my day 137 00:07:59,240 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 1: to day. 138 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 2: You go to art. I think that's what our is 139 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 2: wonderful for creativity. 140 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 1: I think creativity is this moment of flow where you 141 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: do something for. 142 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 2: Its own sake. 143 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 1: It wasn't that my life was so noisy that how 144 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 1: did I find space for music? 145 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:13,119 Speaker 2: Is the other way around. 146 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 1: Music is a way of organizing noise into something that 147 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: feels pleasurable or at least cathartic. 148 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 2: Or meaningful, and believe it or not. 149 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: I would sometimes write lyrics but it didn't even know 150 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 1: what they meant, and then later I make sense of them. 151 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 1: I'm really glad to have music because it's been a 152 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:46,079 Speaker 1: mirror that I've been able to look into many years 153 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: throughout my life and see those skin sheds very much 154 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 1: archived emotionally, storytelling wise, sonically, textually, tamberly tonally. 155 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:57,200 Speaker 2: I remember where I was when I wrote each of them. 156 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 1: They're very powerful checkpoints if you will, you know, like 157 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: from when I look back. 158 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 3: You leave Venezuela, you come to New York for college, 159 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 3: and that's when you put out your first music as Adga. 160 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:12,439 Speaker 2: Correct. 161 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 3: So I'm wondering how you how you're translating heart and 162 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:30,960 Speaker 3: why you in New York these concepts about creativity and 163 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:35,959 Speaker 3: art and music. Were you able to articulate the musical 164 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 3: philosophy that you had? No, you were still experimenting. 165 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 1: Okay, So I arrived to New York and I don't 166 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:46,719 Speaker 1: have an idea of what I'm doing at all or 167 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 1: these concepts of musicality or creativity. No, I've changed my 168 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 1: language about what I do a lot, but I like 169 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:55,640 Speaker 1: to think that I keep the same, not knowing what 170 00:09:55,679 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 1: I'm looking for, you know, try not to be put 171 00:09:57,760 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 1: into a box, basically. 172 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 2: Trying new things. 173 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:04,320 Speaker 1: Or trying to not let the previous thing that I 174 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 1: did define me too much. And actually the moments that 175 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: I crave and that I seek still to this day, 176 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 1: is to not be fully in control of the music 177 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 1: or the creativity, but to create a situation where it 178 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 1: can surprise me. So like working with AI or working 179 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 1: with randomization, or working off off, you know, turning the 180 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:38,680 Speaker 1: grid off and just seeing what things sound like. When 181 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:41,319 Speaker 1: people ask me sometimes and they've met me, maybe I'm 182 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 1: at like a you know, a Nelcealan and someone asking 183 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:45,160 Speaker 1: what I do. I say they make music, they ask 184 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 1: me what kind? I say electronic, because that's like an 185 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 1: answer that's maybe just easy to but really every now 186 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:54,960 Speaker 1: and then through out another word which I find more fitting, 187 00:10:54,960 --> 00:11:04,080 Speaker 1: which is experimental. And the thing is the experimental will 188 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 1: usually elicit many more follow up questions, and sometimes I 189 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 1: just like to be polite, you know. But there's an 190 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:13,960 Speaker 1: element of like joy in searching and not knowing what 191 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:18,199 Speaker 1: you're even searching for, but having an idea, Like that's 192 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:20,959 Speaker 1: beautiful to me. And that happens too with I think 193 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:23,560 Speaker 1: when I'm cooking. I know it's necessilly, but to try 194 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: and consciously try and combine elements I haven't tried together 195 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 1: and maybe it'll work and maybe it won't, but if 196 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: it works, it's like so much more stimulating than if 197 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 1: you just autopiloted through it. So I don't really have 198 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 1: how much of a clue what I'm doing when I'm 199 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 1: making stuff, and I think that's the best creative stake. 200 00:11:55,840 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 3: Coming up out Goat has an epiphany that changes her life, 201 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:02,079 Speaker 3: life and her music, and. 202 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:07,440 Speaker 1: I'm standing there in a thong, no pants, in red 203 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:10,319 Speaker 1: heels with a tornado jacket. 204 00:12:10,760 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 3: That's coming up stay with us not stay rights, Hey 205 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 3: We're back. Not long after Atka releases her first mixtapes, 206 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:09,440 Speaker 3: artists like Kanye West and Fka Twigs started seeking her 207 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 3: out to produce for them, and Arca starts to gain 208 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 3: stature in the experimental and electronic music worlds. Let's dive 209 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:21,319 Speaker 3: back into our conversation fast forwarding. Now, talk to me 210 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:24,720 Speaker 3: about what happens then in twenty seventeen, when you put 211 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:28,079 Speaker 3: out your self titled album in Spanish. 212 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:32,079 Speaker 1: I remember asking people what, my friends, what they thought 213 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: about this strange urge that had built up in me 214 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:40,520 Speaker 1: to sing for the first time all my music as 215 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 1: Atka like, without effects, and explicitly saying like, this is 216 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: me singing my voice just unaltered, if you will, because 217 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 1: my vocals up until that point had been heavily filtered 218 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 1: through effects, so there was a lot of armor. And 219 00:13:55,840 --> 00:14:01,559 Speaker 1: so at this point twenty seventeen, mysteriously I feel compelled 220 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 1: to open my mouth and sing. And it happened to be. 221 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 1: One of the first songs I happened to record was 222 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:44,080 Speaker 1: Bill and Biel opens Black Scobby. In hindsight, when I 223 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 1: listen to the lyrics of Biel, it's about a skin 224 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:47,760 Speaker 1: shed I mean that's what it says. 225 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 3: It's absolutely a skin shed. 226 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 1: It was weird moment for me because the songs were 227 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:57,000 Speaker 1: intense and touring it was grueling. 228 00:14:57,360 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 2: I was feeling. 229 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: Exhausted because of tearing up like every show, and I 230 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: know that that's not a sustainable. 231 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 2: Way to tour. 232 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 1: If you look back at the dates, there really weren't many, 233 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 1: and there was so much time between each show because 234 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: I was pretty much a little bit terrified most of 235 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:20,120 Speaker 1: the time and then also having moments of epiphany. And 236 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 1: one such epiphany happened around the album release time in 237 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 1: Sonny sent when I played the show at the Roundhouse, 238 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:33,720 Speaker 1: and I remember standing under the epicenter of that beautiful building, 239 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: right and it was literally round So I'm in the center. 240 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:38,760 Speaker 1: I'm looking up and I see the dome, I'm under 241 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 1: the center of it, and I hear a voice boom 242 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 1: down at me. 243 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 2: My own and it just asked me. 244 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:49,560 Speaker 1: And I'm standing there in a thong, no pants, in 245 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:55,080 Speaker 1: red heels with a Torrera jacket and I've was asking me. 246 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 2: Coming down and just saying, girl, what are you doing? 247 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 2: No joke. 248 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: It was with humor, it was with and it was 249 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 1: a sad emo song too, but the voice chimed in through. 250 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 2: It was one of the It was this song called. 251 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 1: And there's this long pause in the center of it, 252 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 1: and I remember I looked up theatrically and I was 253 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: silent during the pause, you know, because I wanted to 254 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 1: serve and give shows and whatnot. But during what I 255 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 1: did not expect was that in hitting that pose, my 256 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 1: own self awareness would check in with me. I'm pretty 257 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:30,560 Speaker 1: much just flicked me on the forehead and I started 258 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 1: going to analysis after that. 259 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:57,200 Speaker 3: So it was in performance when you realize that you 260 00:16:57,680 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 3: want to do deep therapy. 261 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: I went to therapy and he was like, it's gonna 262 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:03,920 Speaker 1: be years. I was like, are you trying to scare 263 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,239 Speaker 1: me away here? And he's like, I'm just saying like 264 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 1: it's not going to be fast. And I was like, 265 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 1: I'm not scared, Like, let's do it. And one of 266 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:13,919 Speaker 1: the things that I didn't expect would come up was 267 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:18,159 Speaker 1: me coming out as trends. I didn't plan for that. 268 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:20,160 Speaker 1: In fact, I was trying to have that not happen. 269 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:22,560 Speaker 1: I was like, can I find another way to express 270 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 1: this literally? And then just like it would not stop 271 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:26,240 Speaker 1: bubbling up. 272 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:27,680 Speaker 2: It was crazy. 273 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,119 Speaker 1: I called my mother on Christmas and I said I'm 274 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 1: a woman and she was like I know. I was like, 275 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 1: you know, that could have helped so much if you 276 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:39,360 Speaker 1: just said one day randomly. 277 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,359 Speaker 2: Without me needing to say anything back that you knew. 278 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:45,119 Speaker 1: Seriously. Also, this was after years of my dad being like, 279 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 1: do the shows or would you have to dress as 280 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 1: a woman on stage? Because I've been dressing with heels, 281 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:52,199 Speaker 1: you know, and doing lit and all this stuff for 282 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 1: so long. 283 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 2: To the gender nonconforming part of my practice. 284 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: My dad knew, but he was thinking, oh, that's a 285 00:17:57,280 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 1: stage thing, and can you stop doing that stage thing? 286 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 1: The point where I was like, WHOA, I don't know 287 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 1: if we can have a relationship if we if it's 288 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: down to that, because for me this is important. I 289 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 1: was just trying to get him to understand what's important, 290 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: and he actually came around to it. He softened and 291 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 1: opened up tons in ways that I didn't even think 292 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:20,159 Speaker 1: were possible. So my respect to both my parents. I 293 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:23,159 Speaker 1: know that they did the best they could and I 294 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 1: love both of them. 295 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:36,119 Speaker 3: So talk to me about your latest album, which is 296 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:38,719 Speaker 3: called kick I do what I want to do. 297 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:41,240 Speaker 1: I want to do it to cut their pass proving 298 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:43,840 Speaker 1: hips would random makes shapes. Yes. 299 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:48,080 Speaker 3: The opening track is non binary. It includes the line 300 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:52,440 Speaker 3: what a treat to be non binary? And I want 301 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 3: to know. I mean, I'm looking at your how you're 302 00:18:56,520 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 3: documenting this moment, And as I was getting ready for this, 303 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:01,879 Speaker 3: I was like, the thing about our gay is that 304 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:05,399 Speaker 3: you sense and you give off so much joy about 305 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 3: this moment as you are in this transition, in this 306 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 3: kind of space of owning your pronouns, and I'm wondering 307 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:17,000 Speaker 3: about that joy talk to me about it and capturing 308 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:18,560 Speaker 3: it in your music. 309 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 1: Well, first of all, thank you for your one words. 310 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 1: And that is actually an encouragement that stays with me. So, 311 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 1: you know, so thank you for sharing. 312 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:27,880 Speaker 2: That You're welcome. 313 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, Moude, You're welcome. 314 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:30,399 Speaker 2: Yeah. 315 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:34,480 Speaker 1: No, because it's not you know, that's like it's it's 316 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:37,160 Speaker 1: it doesn't always happen, you know, So it's like it's 317 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:37,680 Speaker 1: very cool. 318 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:40,200 Speaker 2: Thank you. I think for me. 319 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 1: Regarding how to share joy, I don't know why, but 320 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 1: I've always been fascinated with the idea of standing in 321 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:53,200 Speaker 1: the shadow, right but looking toward the light, like find 322 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 1: this balance where you don't have to run from the 323 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 1: painful things or try to hide or escape from the 324 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:01,560 Speaker 1: painful things and at the same time are able to 325 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:05,719 Speaker 1: feel joy and possibility. I try to feel both at 326 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:09,200 Speaker 1: the same time. So it's like a kind of tension 327 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:12,879 Speaker 1: between those two things that makes me be able to say, 328 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:16,720 Speaker 1: you know what, I want to share this joy. I 329 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:18,920 Speaker 1: want to celebrate. I don't know what's going to come 330 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:20,639 Speaker 1: from it, but but I know that I'd like to 331 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:23,160 Speaker 1: use this platform, and I want to say something that's 332 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 1: important to me, you know. And I also want to 333 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 1: just have fun and try to enjoy the process and 334 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 1: not but too much pressure on myself, but also take 335 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:36,399 Speaker 1: that responsibility, you know, with care. 336 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 3: I'm thinking in part about this particular album and what 337 00:20:43,119 --> 00:20:45,720 Speaker 3: you have said, which that in some ways this album 338 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:50,320 Speaker 3: has been about reconciling your Venezuelan heritage and your trans 339 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,840 Speaker 3: LATINX identity, and so I'm wondering talk to me about 340 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 3: how you see that in this album. 341 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:59,800 Speaker 1: It's interesting, right because my perception is that like Venezuela 342 00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:03,440 Speaker 1: is not the most like it doesn't have the most representation, 343 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 1: you know, in terms of like music or pop or filmmaking. 344 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 1: Like there's like a Latin movement you know of our 345 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 1: and some countries have more representation and more cultural export 346 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:18,360 Speaker 1: and production than others, right, and so I've always craved 347 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:22,240 Speaker 1: and wanted more films, more books, more music, like to 348 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 1: come out of Venezuela and to like resonate outside of Venezuela. 349 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:29,199 Speaker 1: So most of all, I think because of this, the 350 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:33,360 Speaker 1: horror stories that you hear, things that are. 351 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 2: You know, like straight. 352 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:39,160 Speaker 1: Out of like you couldn't be unthinkable, you know, and 353 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:42,960 Speaker 1: like not wanting to look away, you know, from a 354 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 1: situation in Minnesota. So that's also part of why I 355 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 1: think it would be beautiful if Vanizula Are was maybe seen 356 00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:53,919 Speaker 1: and heard and felt more often because there's story. There 357 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 1: is wonderful work being made, and the stories that are 358 00:21:56,960 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 1: being told. 359 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:02,000 Speaker 3: Not in inaccurate and we don't really you're right. I 360 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:04,200 Speaker 3: mean when you think of Venezuela right now, you don't 361 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:10,080 Speaker 3: think of flourishing art. Sadly, in this album there are 362 00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:14,600 Speaker 3: a few songs that are influenced by Regaton. I want 363 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 3: to talk for a moment about make It Tanzai. 364 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:37,639 Speaker 1: Guess. 365 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 2: So the case is so metric. 366 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 3: Make it, jeez, make it, make it. You became so 367 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 3: Venezuela right there. You were like a make it. 368 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:57,200 Speaker 1: It's like people okay, people, my people, Okabo, but I'm 369 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:00,640 Speaker 1: not like a guy who's just a good for nashing 370 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:04,639 Speaker 1: or a trouble maker or a trouble starter or lazy, 371 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 1: you know, just not you know, not being not a 372 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:13,520 Speaker 1: good guy. 373 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:14,600 Speaker 2: Not being the upstanding guy. Right And so. 374 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 1: Okay, there's like a sexiness to that figure that I 375 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:22,399 Speaker 1: was saying, Mammy, like, just say, not only does she 376 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:27,160 Speaker 1: want this kind of bad boy, she deserves one, you know, like. 377 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:30,359 Speaker 2: There's an element of joy there as well. 378 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:55,920 Speaker 3: So in twenty nineteen, Vice identified you as quote one 379 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:59,359 Speaker 3: of the artists of the decade. So to be honest 380 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 3: with you, Araka, when I'm preparing to do interviews, I'm like, 381 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:05,639 Speaker 3: oh yeah, but oh my god, she's been one of 382 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:08,119 Speaker 3: the artists of the decade. She's worked with Kanye West. 383 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 3: Oh my god. You know what am I gonna? 384 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:10,879 Speaker 2: And Adka? 385 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:15,640 Speaker 3: You are so down to earth so to my view, 386 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:19,040 Speaker 3: have your feet on the ground, but your head as 387 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:23,199 Speaker 3: an artist, you know, exploding in the clouds. But you know, 388 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:26,160 Speaker 3: the truth is is that you have been labeled an 389 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:30,159 Speaker 3: most influential artist of the decade. What does that feel like? 390 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:33,040 Speaker 3: What do you what do you do with that? Atka 391 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 3: is not that Conisan. 392 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 1: Well, it's I have a funny relationship with press. 393 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 2: I like because I don't know, like I. 394 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:46,960 Speaker 1: Try, I guess I try to see it as encouragement 395 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 1: and not as pressure. I kind of just go, like, 396 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:53,399 Speaker 1: got it, Oh my gosh, that's so encouragement because I 397 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:56,280 Speaker 1: don't believe the words. I don't think I am, you know, 398 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:59,399 Speaker 1: a decade and it's like so hyperbolic, but I was 399 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 1: moved and by the gesture, you know, And so that's 400 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:04,800 Speaker 1: kind of how I interpret that kind of thing. I'm like, Okay, 401 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 1: so totally over the top and exaggerated and not true, 402 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:11,199 Speaker 1: but also going to take that as a compliment and 403 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:15,640 Speaker 1: also as a reminder to try to keep making work 404 00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 1: that can mean something to me and also to others. 405 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: Maybe I would say I'm trying to let positive feedback 406 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 1: in more. I'm trying to work on that, so not 407 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:36,360 Speaker 1: to feel smug, but just to like believe that other 408 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:38,520 Speaker 1: people mean that when they say it and. 409 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:40,520 Speaker 2: Let that in. 410 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:45,360 Speaker 3: I hope you believe it. You are an extraordinary artist 411 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 3: and an extraordinary human being. And it's been my pleasure 412 00:25:49,040 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 3: to speak with you Atica as much as it is 413 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:53,400 Speaker 3: for a beautiful interview thank you. 414 00:25:53,480 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 2: Thank You. Happy. 415 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:18,479 Speaker 3: Arca's latest album, Kick One, is out now on XL Recordings. 416 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:30,560 Speaker 3: This episode was produced by Marlon Bishop and edited by 417 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:34,960 Speaker 3: Sophia Palisa Ka. The Latino USA team includes Niel Massis, 418 00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:41,160 Speaker 3: Luis Reyes, Antonia Shooa, Gini Montalo, Alisa Escarce, and Alejandra Seasan, 419 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:45,159 Speaker 3: with help from Proubdes. Special thanks to Jennifer Sanchez for 420 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:48,359 Speaker 3: her help with this episode. Our engineers are Stephanie Lebou 421 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 3: and Julia Caruso. Additional engineering this week by Lia Shaw. 422 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:55,600 Speaker 3: Our director of programming and Operations is Natalia Fidelhertz. Our 423 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:59,480 Speaker 3: digital editor Samandel Candra. Our New York Woin's Foundation Ignite 424 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 3: fellow is Ulia Rocha. Our interns are Sophia Sanchez and 425 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:06,840 Speaker 3: Marie Mendosa. Our theme music was composed by zeger RINOs. 426 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:09,200 Speaker 3: If you like the music you heard on this episode, 427 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:12,200 Speaker 3: stop i Latinousa dot org and check out our weekly 428 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:16,440 Speaker 3: Spotify playlist. I'm your host and executive producer Maria Jojosa. 429 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 3: Join us again on our next episode, and in the meantime, 430 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:22,439 Speaker 3: look for us on all of your social media. Stay safe, 431 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:24,120 Speaker 3: Astell Aproxima. 432 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:30,399 Speaker 1: Choo Latino USA is made possible in part by the 433 00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:34,359 Speaker 1: New York Women's Foundation, funding women leaders that build solutions 434 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:38,720 Speaker 1: in their communities and celebrating thirty years of radical generosity. 435 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 2: Carnegie Corporation promoting the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding, 436 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:50,639 Speaker 2: and the Annie Casey Foundation creates a brighter future for 437 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:55,560 Speaker 2: the nation's children by strengthening families, building greater economic opportunity, 438 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:57,160 Speaker 2: and transforming communities.