1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,960 Speaker 1: El Camino is really about sort of that confusion. It's 2 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 1: like when a relationship just hits across road, and I 3 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: remember writing it and imagining as if Luisa and I 4 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: were like riding this car. It's like the sun came 5 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: down and like we can't see the road and we 6 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: don't know where we're going, and it's just we just 7 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:24,279 Speaker 1: have to choose somewhere to go. 8 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 2: From Futuro Media and r X, it's Latino Usa, I'm 9 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 2: Maria jo Josan Today. The Puerto Rican indie music duo Busca, 10 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 2: Luis del Vaye and Raquel Verrios not only make music together, 11 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 2: they're also romantic partners and they have a kid together. 12 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 2: Their new album, which dropped in June, is called Saa 13 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 2: Mava Assi, which you could translate many different ways, but 14 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:10,960 Speaker 2: roughly it's this is how One Loved. The record takes 15 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:15,680 Speaker 2: listeners on a narrative journey through Raquel and Louis's intimate 16 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 2: relationship and the challenges of modern love. And I couldn't 17 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 2: help but think about my own marriage, which has had 18 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 2: its own bumps along the way, and the choices that 19 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 2: my husband and I keep on making to keep on 20 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 2: loving each other. Now for thirty four years. Saah mava 21 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 2: Assi is Uska Wuya's first album in five years. The 22 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 2: couple sat down with me to talk about Puerto Rican pride, 23 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 2: the creative process behind the album, and the stickiness of 24 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 2: long term relationships. Raquel and Louise, Welcome to Latino, USA. 25 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 3: Hi, thanks for having us, Thanks for having us. What 26 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 3: a great sound voice? 27 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 2: Oh well, thank you? I try iconic, I try well, 28 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 2: thank you? Or really I want to start every morning 29 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 2: like this. 30 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 4: I'm Louis del Vaso, from producer, engineer and ranger and 31 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 4: instrumentalists in the group. 32 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:24,799 Speaker 1: My name is Raquel Verrios Seton, also a member of BUSK. Yeah. 33 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:30,080 Speaker 1: I'm also very lucky to be co partners with Louis, 34 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: who is a creative force and also makes me laugh, 35 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 1: which is really important. 36 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:40,639 Speaker 2: So I've been listening to the album and now I'm 37 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,919 Speaker 2: completely immersed in a lot of of the. 38 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 5: Both of you. 39 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 2: To be honest, at some point you were like, wait, 40 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 2: the album is about us, The album is about our experience. 41 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 2: When did it kind of hit you that you were like, 42 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 2: it's kay? 43 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 1: Is this? 44 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 5: Els said, this is the album that we have to do. 45 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: The band is already more than ten years old. Our 46 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:03,799 Speaker 1: relationship has even been even longer than that. I met 47 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 1: Louise and sort of the winter of twenty ten. Sometimes 48 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:10,679 Speaker 1: they ask us what came first, like our relationship or 49 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 1: the music, and sometimes those lines are blurred, and I 50 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 1: think precisely, kind of like the intertwining of both things 51 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:23,639 Speaker 1: has been both a blessing and also a big challenge. 52 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 1: I don't want to say it's a curse, but it's 53 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 1: definitely been a big challenge. And we've been doing it 54 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:32,519 Speaker 1: for enough time that clearly it came to a point 55 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 1: where it got pretty difficult, and we just decided to 56 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: sing about it, to really pour our hearts out and 57 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: just be really honest about it. When I would sit 58 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: down at the piano, it's all that I could sing about. 59 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:50,559 Speaker 1: And after I kind of had a couple of ideas 60 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: and demos, I sat down one day with Louise and 61 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 1: I said, I think this is the record that we 62 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: have to write. 63 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 2: And Louise when she said that, which meant basically, Okay, 64 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 2: we're gonna have to be really honest about what's going 65 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:03,200 Speaker 2: on between us. 66 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 5: What was your reaction. 67 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 4: My immediate reaction was a bit of hesitation, like because 68 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 4: it has never been sort of our mo or our 69 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 4: voice to speak too much about our life, you know. 70 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:17,599 Speaker 4: But then I had to reflect, and I had to 71 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,159 Speaker 4: really think about the artists that I admire, and I 72 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:22,360 Speaker 4: think they're all brave and vulnerable and truthful. 73 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 3: And it became clear that it was a bold artistic. 74 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 4: Move, and and and then I had to embrace it. 75 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 5: Sol simper flutum jig. 76 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 4: Eventually begrudgingly, I did you know, or as we would say, 77 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:44,040 Speaker 4: she won, I think she. 78 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 3: Won this one. I mean she forced my hand. 79 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 4: To be honest, after writing six or seven songs about you, 80 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 4: you can't really do another thing, you know. 81 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 5: Well, you state there's this thing that you did. 82 00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 2: You collaborated with Bad Bunny on a song called Andrea 83 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 2: for his album UMMEERANOSINDI. 84 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 5: I think people don't realize. 85 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 2: If unless you've been to Puerto Rico and you kind 86 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:19,160 Speaker 2: of have a deep understanding of Puerto Rican culture and arts, 87 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:23,719 Speaker 2: how hugely important music is on the island of Puerto Rico. 88 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:26,599 Speaker 2: And that's why having someone like Bad Bunny, who is 89 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 2: changing music around the world and yourselves, it's not a 90 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 2: surprise that it comes from Puerto Rico. But you know, 91 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 2: the art world there is big and small at the 92 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 2: same time. So how did the collaboration between you and 93 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 2: Bad Bunny come about. 94 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 1: I mean, we just got a DM from his I 95 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,719 Speaker 1: love this from his producer, But like Benito had never 96 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 1: really talked to us directly or we've never received anything. 97 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: And maybe he did a couple of stories where he 98 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 1: had tagged our music, but it really came out of nowhere. 99 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 1: It all happened really fast. I mean, the track was there, 100 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: his verses already there. They very much sort of produced 101 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 1: the track in the style of buscabuya, you know, and 102 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 1: he sort of laid down his verses. And when the 103 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 1: first time we heard it, I was sort of impacted. 104 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,479 Speaker 1: I'm like, this doesn't sound like most of his songs. 105 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 1: This is a different type of vibe. This is a 106 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 1: different song. The theme was really profound, like he was 107 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 1: saying really beautiful, poignant lyrics. And you know, we just 108 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: got on a call with him, a FaceTime call. You know, 109 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: we were in our pajamas. He was dressed to the 110 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 1: nine in his studio. He's like, I want you guys 111 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 1: to write a chorus. I want you guys to produce 112 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 1: all the last part of the song like go Crazy, 113 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:44,040 Speaker 1: I don't care if it lasts fourteen minutes. And after that, yeah, 114 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 1: and after that we had two weeks and it was 115 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: really intense and we put it in and about a 116 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 1: week after that the record came out. We were the 117 00:06:51,040 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 1: last song to make it to the record. So it 118 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: was wild, honestly, because we were at a weird moment, 119 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: like after the pandemic. We put our record out in 120 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 1: May of twenty twenty, right in the middle of the pandemic, 121 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: so already two years had gone by, and Lisa and 122 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 1: I were kind of feeling like, where are we going 123 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: to go now? And then apparently Benito, all that he 124 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: had done was here this record when he was on lockdown, 125 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 1: and we I don't know, but we had worked some 126 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 1: sort of inception in his brain that he was like 127 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: he really wanted to collaborate and really wanted us to 128 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 1: be in this album. 129 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 2: Bad Bunny has once again put Puerto Rican music on 130 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 2: the map around the world like no one else putting 131 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 2: Puerto Rican Spanish, you know, on the global scale. And 132 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 2: I talked about Puerto Rican pride. It is an essential 133 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 2: part of being Puerto Rican. So Luis just talk a 134 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 2: little bit. 135 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 4: About that I think, Yeah, the pride of being Puerto 136 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 4: Rican is kind of our biggest export. You know, wherever 137 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 4: we go we have that, we wear it on our sleeves. 138 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 4: I think we do live in a pretty special place. 139 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 4: I mean, I don't want to, you know, gloat and 140 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 4: the fact that it's so known now is kind of 141 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 4: a double edged sword, if I'm being honest, And I 142 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 4: think that's also made it unique and interesting in its 143 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 4: own way. I remember being ridiculed by other Hispanics, you know, 144 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 4: for our accent, and now because of Benita and people 145 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 4: like him. 146 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 3: You know, this is like now the new vernacular. 147 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 2: But you actually went back to Puerto Rico. You went 148 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 2: back soon after Hurricane Maria, and actually living on the 149 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 2: island is beautiful and challenging. So why move back at 150 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 2: that moment? And what's it been like? 151 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: I think growing up in this island, the poll is 152 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 1: really big. Some people get used to it and never 153 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 1: come back, but a lot of people want to come 154 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:04,840 Speaker 1: back or really idealize the island. The problem is clearly, 155 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 1: I mean, we have a lot of economic problems. There's 156 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 1: a lot of corruption, there's a lot of problems with 157 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:13,679 Speaker 1: the power grid. We always knew we wanted to be 158 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: back on the island. We wanted to make music in 159 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:24,680 Speaker 1: the island. It hasn't been easy. Our rent got hyped up, 160 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 1: you know. After that, like three times we had to 161 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:32,080 Speaker 1: move to San Juan. My father passed away, and sometimes 162 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:34,720 Speaker 1: I also questioned myself, like why am I still here? 163 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: But our daughter has been here now for eight years, 164 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 1: and we have no regrets. 165 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:40,960 Speaker 3: She's here. 166 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:44,080 Speaker 1: We're cultivating her with the love of the island. She 167 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:49,079 Speaker 1: speaks the language, she understands the history. We are very proud. 168 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 1: So yes, it's a challenging place to live, but lately 169 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:55,080 Speaker 1: I feel like it's a challenging place to live anywhere. 170 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 2: How do you think that living in Puerto Rico versus 171 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 2: being here in New York, How do you feel like 172 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:10,359 Speaker 2: that impacted your relationship? 173 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 1: It definitely has effected our relationship as any other place could. 174 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:17,199 Speaker 1: But I think also in a good way. I think though, 175 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 1: coming back home, being in the place where you grew 176 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 1: up and also having a bit of that space is 177 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 1: the best place to be self reflective and really go 178 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:29,679 Speaker 1: deep within. What better place to do it other than 179 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 1: being back home. 180 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 4: Yeah, it sort of you know, makes you face your 181 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:36,319 Speaker 4: past in a way that. I guess perhaps living somewhere 182 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:37,679 Speaker 4: else doesn't do it. 183 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 2: Coming up on Latino USA, I get personal about my 184 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 2: own relationship journey, and Lisa and Raquel take us through theirs. 185 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 2: Did you decide not to get married? Have you decided 186 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 2: to do that as a political statement or is it? 187 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 4: Yeah, very much political. It was a political maneuver. We're 188 00:10:57,559 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 4: very much known for these. No, honestly, it was not. 189 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 5: Stay with us. 190 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:26,959 Speaker 2: A citizen. Hey we're back. I've been speaking with Luis 191 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:31,239 Speaker 2: del Bayer and Raquel Verrios. They're the duo known musically 192 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 2: as Busca. The Puerto Rican couple doesn't only make music together, 193 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 2: they're also romantic partners and they have a child together. 194 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 2: Their latest album is about the ups and downs of 195 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 2: a long term relationship. So let's get back to our 196 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 2: conversation now. And this is where I get a little personal. 197 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 2: So I listened to the whole album Samasi, and I'm 198 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:56,959 Speaker 2: going to tell you something. 199 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 5: I don't mean it in a bad way. 200 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 2: So I'm listening to it while I'm doing other things 201 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 2: for watering my plans, walking the puppies, et cetera. The 202 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 2: thing is is that in a lot of ways, it's 203 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 2: really like Buskabua does music that is really easy to 204 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:13,600 Speaker 2: listen to. 205 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 5: I e. Easy listening. 206 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 4: Yeah, and this is the easy listening record about heartbreak 207 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:20,640 Speaker 4: and couple's therapy. 208 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 2: I was horrified saying those words, but at the same 209 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 2: time I was I was like, the thing is that 210 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 2: it's very comforting. It's very comforting music to have get 211 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 2: that that can be with you. And in that sense 212 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 2: it was easy to listen to. 213 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:50,959 Speaker 1: I mean, I think that that's kind of what we want. 214 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 1: I mean, we've never been very aggressive. I personally, when 215 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: I make music, I look at it more from a 216 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 1: therapeutic standpoint, and I hope that through it making it easier, 217 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:05,840 Speaker 1: it's sort of a way for people to really pay 218 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 1: attention to the lyrics and maybe self reflect on their 219 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 1: own relationship and their own experiences. 220 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 5: You love. 221 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 2: You would translate SAMVASI you you would love this way? 222 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 5: Or one loves this way? How would you translate it? 223 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 1: The way it was loved? Could be a good translation. 224 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,199 Speaker 3: I have to give credit to Raquel. She wrote the song. 225 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:40,200 Speaker 4: She sort of wrote it from one go and she 226 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 4: showed it to me. But it's interesting also that it 227 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:45,600 Speaker 4: has the double on tundra or several on Tundra, you 228 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 4: know what I mean. There's different spins you can put 229 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 4: on it. If you put our name right in front 230 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:54,559 Speaker 4: of it, it's it's a sentence, you know, Musca, yes, 231 00:13:54,880 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 4: Mavasi some Okay Sae. Both of us felt like it 232 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:12,280 Speaker 4: very much clicked because it has this sort of it 233 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:15,439 Speaker 4: can mean this is how we love, This is. 234 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:17,319 Speaker 3: How love used to be. 235 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 4: These people loved each other like this and in the 236 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 4: past tans, which is very curious. 237 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 3: I think it's it's a. 238 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 4: Powerful, powerful three words in. 239 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:33,600 Speaker 6: Okay. 240 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 2: So we're going to talk a little bit more about 241 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:38,440 Speaker 2: the arc of the album Samvasi, And because there's a 242 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 2: whole drama that happens and you're documenting it, we're with 243 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 2: you as these things happen in your relationship. So how 244 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 2: did you love Como Samamon or Gomo Salmon. 245 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 1: Still, when I wrote the song sam Maasi, I was 246 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 1: reflecting on my sort of my parents' relationship. It reflects 247 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 1: sort of on my own parents way of love, but 248 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 1: it could also be hypothetically ourselves, you know what I mean. 249 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 1: But it does sort of start with Atapa Mama magazine, 250 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 1: So it's already talking about a family and a relationship, 251 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 1: a relationship between a man and a woman. As a child, 252 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 1: I couldn't see what was right or wrong about it. 253 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 1: It's just what I knew that it was my reality. 254 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 1: And then it's sort of a reflection on how we 255 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 1: just take for granted the way that we're taught how 256 00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 1: to love, and then that later in my life, through 257 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 1: my own reflection, I realized the patterns that I had 258 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: been repeating. And then eventually I realized sometimes that you 259 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: end up sort of repeating things that maybe subconsciously you 260 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 1: didn't want to know. 261 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 5: This person. 262 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 6: Is seeing. 263 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 1: Sing, and then what's interesting is that towards the end 264 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: of the song, our daughter sings a couple of melismas. 265 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 1: It's also maybe about, you know, transgenerational trauma, or like 266 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:07,160 Speaker 1: the way our parents love, the way our grandparents love. 267 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 1: And then we also learn a new way to love. 268 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:13,240 Speaker 1: So I would say that Samawasi is kind of maybe 269 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 1: recognizing sort of the way that you loved, which is 270 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 1: not necessarily the best way to love, that maybe we 271 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 1: have to learn how to love each other in a 272 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 1: better way. 273 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 2: The first track El Camino, it's almost like an initial 274 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 2: separation in your relationship. 275 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 1: The same. 276 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 5: He Commino El Camino. 277 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 2: You can go your own way, by the way, couldn't help, 278 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 2: but notice the parallel to Fleetwood Mac. 279 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:09,400 Speaker 5: You can go your own way. 280 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:10,919 Speaker 3: Never going back again. 281 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:13,680 Speaker 5: Can you say that again? Can you sing Fleetwood Mac 282 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 5: for me? 283 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:20,200 Speaker 2: Can you just talk a little bit about this push 284 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:23,199 Speaker 2: and pull that you wanted to really capture in the 285 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:24,879 Speaker 2: song at I mean. 286 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 1: I wanted to open the record with sort of the 287 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:31,199 Speaker 1: dilemma and the crisis of the story. I mean it 288 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 1: starts immediately with sort of the problem as being presented 289 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 1: to people. It's a crossroads. It's a moment of indecision 290 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 1: of do we stay do we separate? I think it 291 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:43,880 Speaker 1: was a song that I wrote to kind of soothe 292 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:50,520 Speaker 1: myself into saying sort of like I can't take this anymore, 293 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 1: which means either go take the road, and sometimes it's 294 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 1: choose the road. Let's both go and do what you 295 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 1: need to do, but it's also you have to choose 296 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 1: what you want to do. 297 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:14,520 Speaker 5: Luis, can you talk a little bit about track number 298 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 5: four and Poche Oh god bo. 299 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:23,439 Speaker 2: So this one has you on vocals and truly it 300 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:26,840 Speaker 2: feels like you're in conversation with Raquel's tracks in the piece. 301 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 2: Can you tell me about the decision to have you 302 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:33,840 Speaker 2: sing on this album, and in fact, were you responding 303 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 2: to Raquel in the song. 304 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 4: Once Raquel had all this you know sort of body 305 00:18:42,119 --> 00:18:44,840 Speaker 4: of work, you know, it sort of really did put 306 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:46,439 Speaker 4: me in a position where I was like, well it 307 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:49,680 Speaker 4: to balance this off of it only makes sense to 308 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 4: to sort of offer my own perspective as well. 309 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:56,120 Speaker 3: And you know, finally sing on a track selling. 310 00:18:55,880 --> 00:19:08,199 Speaker 4: No gael se track number four and MP is genuinely 311 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:13,480 Speaker 4: that sort of response. Raquel sets up a narrative and 312 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:17,640 Speaker 4: at some point I'm sort of photo bombing here and going, hey, 313 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:21,119 Speaker 4: look there's another side to the story. I've got something 314 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 4: to say to you know. 315 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:33,159 Speaker 2: We did you decide not to get married? Have you 316 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 2: decided to do that as a political statement or is it? 317 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:39,360 Speaker 4: Yeah, very much political. It was a political maneuver. We're 318 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,879 Speaker 4: very much known for these. No, honestly, Maria, it was 319 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 4: it was not I have to be honest. 320 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:49,480 Speaker 5: Oh my god, you guys, that was too funny. 321 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 2: I was like, oh, dude, because you know, there's a 322 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:56,199 Speaker 2: deep political analysis around the institutional marriage. 323 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 3: There's a song about it on the record addressing just this. 324 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 6: Yeah, the one called me Mario Mario me Marido is 325 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:16,119 Speaker 6: a song about loving a person and being present in 326 00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:18,639 Speaker 6: their life, just as if we were married, but without 327 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:21,120 Speaker 6: ever really signing papers and sort of. 328 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:25,919 Speaker 1: Thinking that ultimately, like love should really kind of be 329 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 1: a commitment made between two people. I think that it's 330 00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:34,240 Speaker 1: more about a commitment of like deepness, whereas people got 331 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 1: married and never had deep conversations about their relationship. So 332 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:46,520 Speaker 1: it's sort of challenging that notion of marriage. 333 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:51,360 Speaker 4: In every interview, we're always asked sort of, oh, what's 334 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:54,880 Speaker 4: it like to be married? And and you know, work together, 335 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:58,159 Speaker 4: and we're even in some you know places on the 336 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 4: internet if you look us up, it's like the married 337 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 4: couple who makes music in this. 338 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:04,880 Speaker 1: Someone wrote someone started that room. 339 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:10,399 Speaker 4: I've never been married. I don't think Raquel has either. 340 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:13,359 Speaker 4: There is something interesting to point out about the evolving 341 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:16,119 Speaker 4: nature of relationships, what we take from the past, what 342 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:19,400 Speaker 4: we what we don't, what we choose to move forward with, 343 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:23,200 Speaker 4: And I think it's it's an interesting open ended conversation 344 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:24,280 Speaker 4: to sort of start. 345 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 5: So you end with track ten. 346 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:33,480 Speaker 2: It's de lea hito, which again Puerto Rican Spanish de 347 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 2: le hito, which means from Afar. This is adorable, because 348 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:46,200 Speaker 2: part of the refrain of the song is please go away, 349 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 2: take some time for yourself, so that when you come back, 350 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 2: I'm like, oh my god, I missed him so much. 351 00:21:51,720 --> 00:22:09,440 Speaker 2: I love him. I'm wondering what ended up happening. Did 352 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:10,639 Speaker 2: the Lehito's part happen? 353 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: I think that we've given each other space. 354 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 4: Yes, we it's intentionally. I think we want to keep 355 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:29,199 Speaker 4: the open ended, sort of ambiguous nature of the of 356 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 4: the song and records in a way so that people 357 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:44,880 Speaker 4: can apply it to their own lives. 358 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:49,359 Speaker 2: I think the central reason why I've been able to 359 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:51,920 Speaker 2: stay married and have decided to stay married is because 360 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:59,120 Speaker 2: I truly, truly adore my husband Spieda, because he's an artist, 361 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:03,720 Speaker 2: because he's always creating, because he's Dominican, because he makes 362 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:08,440 Speaker 2: me laugh, because he's still adorable and gorgeous. But there 363 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:12,600 Speaker 2: are these moments in relationships. We went through a really 364 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 2: difficult time a decade ago. I was not shy about 365 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:19,639 Speaker 2: talking about that publicly or even in my memoir, and 366 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:20,719 Speaker 2: my therapist asked me. 367 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:22,320 Speaker 5: She was like, do you love Hermann? 368 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 2: And I was like, I adore him, and she was like, 369 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 2: he adores you, too, Therefore, can you lead with love, 370 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:34,360 Speaker 2: but again, you can't force love. What do you all 371 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 2: want to say to couples out there, married or not 372 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:43,720 Speaker 2: who are making that decision like do we stay or 373 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 2: do we go? 374 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:47,720 Speaker 1: I think that it's really important to understand the context 375 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:51,679 Speaker 1: of our relationship. We work together, We've worked together for 376 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:54,879 Speaker 1: ten years. We're sort of an anomaly, and it hasn't 377 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 1: been easy. I feel like the fact that we put 378 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:01,160 Speaker 1: our record out is in itself sort of a feat 379 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 1: because we're constantly having to kind of choose between these 380 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:10,120 Speaker 1: two things. I mean, when you're working on something and 381 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:14,959 Speaker 1: the stress hits and the creative ideas and the creative egos, 382 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:18,760 Speaker 1: that's definitely going to affect a relationship. I think also 383 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 1: like the Lahito could kind of be a song about 384 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:26,280 Speaker 1: codependence and the need for independence and relationships, for people 385 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:28,679 Speaker 1: to really be able to look from afar so that 386 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:33,160 Speaker 1: there's more mystery, so that there's more space to sort 387 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 1: of admire each other. 388 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:37,480 Speaker 5: Doomlympis it. 389 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 2: Through avis kiro Slo Porkisian Thrism. 390 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 5: Trou De la. 391 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:51,080 Speaker 1: Hito has more of a song about how necessary it 392 00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:53,960 Speaker 1: is to have space to have a healthy relationship. 393 00:24:57,240 --> 00:24:59,120 Speaker 3: Everybody's going through their own journey. 394 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 4: I think in this record we go through ours and 395 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 4: it's important that, like you said, that we lead with 396 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 4: love in in whatever shape that may taste good. 397 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:34,159 Speaker 5: Very sis, So great to speak to the both of you, 398 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 5: and maybe I'll see you on tour. 399 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:37,960 Speaker 1: Thank you, Maria, and that would be great so much. 400 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:47,199 Speaker 2: Say Amava Assi is out now wherever you get your music. 401 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:52,360 Speaker 2: MS is on tour now through July twelfth, closing out 402 00:25:52,600 --> 00:26:09,240 Speaker 2: in Houston, Texas. This episode was produced by Tasha Sandoval. 403 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:13,240 Speaker 2: It was edited by our managing editor Fernando et Chavarri. 404 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:17,879 Speaker 2: It was mixed by Julia Caruso. The Latino USA team 405 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:24,520 Speaker 2: also includes Rosanna Guire, Jessica Ellis, Victoria Estrada, Renaldo Leanos Junior, 406 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 2: Stephanie Lebau, Andrea Lopez Cruzado, Luis Luna Flor, mar Marquez, 407 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:35,400 Speaker 2: Julieta Martinelli, Marta Martinez, Monica Morales, Garcia, JJ Carubin and 408 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:39,760 Speaker 2: Nancy Trujillo, Pennilee Ramirez, Maria Garcia and I are co 409 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:43,879 Speaker 2: executive producers and I'm your host, Maria Inojosa. Join us 410 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:45,920 Speaker 2: again on our next episode. 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