Episode 298
From Acting to Music: Carolina Lopez's Artistic Evolution
Carolina Lopez, a multifaceted talent in both acting and music, shares her profound journey of self-discovery and artistic expression in this engaging episode. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity in her craft, illustrating how her unique voice sets her apart in a competitive landscape. Lopez recounts a pivotal moment in her youth that reshaped her understanding of failure as a necessary component for growth in the arts. Through her reflections, we explore her transition from acting to music, unveiling the intimate themes woven into her lyrics. This conversation not only highlights her creative process but also her commitment to fostering a genuine connection with her audience, encouraging us all to embrace our true selves.
Takeaways:
- Carolina Lopez emphasizes the significance of embracing failure as a crucial element for personal and artistic growth, underscoring that one must be willing to fail in order to evolve and improve.
- During her youth, Carolina experienced challenges with her low singing voice, yet she learned to embrace her unique vocal qualities, ultimately crafting a distinct musical identity.
- The conversation highlights the importance of authenticity in music creation, with Carolina expressing her commitment to producing work that resonates with her true self rather than conforming to industry trends.
- Carolina speaks about her father's influence on her artistic journey, recounting how his encouragement to pursue her passion for music has empowered her to continue creating and expressing herself through song.
- In discussing her transition to music from acting, Carolina articulates the desire to convey intimate and personal narratives through her lyrics, which reflect her lived experiences and evoke empathy in listeners.
- She notes the challenges faced by artists in the contemporary music industry, stressing the necessity for musicians to remain true to their essence while navigating commercial pressures and societal expectations.
Transcript
About you have your own brand already in your voice.
Speaker A:Yeah, I always sing.
Speaker A:And I remember I had a, like a tricky experience when I was young and I was singing in front of people and my voice is so low.
Speaker A:Even more in Spanish.
Speaker A:And I remember I had the process, like voice changing voice a little.
Speaker A:So I was singing, you know, so confident.
Speaker A:And then it came up.
Speaker A:I remember I pushed myself so hard and I did one of those promises that I think all of us did at certain point that killed myself a little.
Speaker A:And it was like, you know, Carolina, you will never do something that you are not good, really good enough.
Speaker A:So, you know, if you check that is like you are killing your flies, your wings.
Speaker A:Sorry.
Speaker A:It's because, you know, I just realized that we need to fail to grow and you need to stop doing those contracts with yourself.
Speaker A:So talking with my father, he said, you know what, Carolina, you have a really special one.
Speaker A:Weird voice.
Speaker A:If I hear you, I will know it's you.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:And that was so special for me coming from him because he was that old school type of singer.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And he always, when I was younger, he was always watching me kind of like, this is like the critical.
Speaker A:Yeah, it's weird, you know, like, ah, the new generation.
Speaker A:Like that.
Speaker A:When he told me that he was so serious and appreciative about what I was doing because I show more or less to him what I wanted to do.
Speaker A:And he was so impressed.
Speaker A:Like rap, flamenco, what is that?
Speaker A:Is that a new genre?
Speaker A:And yeah, I did it.
Speaker A:And at that time I showed a song to him.
Speaker A:He was so proud.
Speaker A:And he asked me to continue singing.
Speaker A:He said, you know what?
Speaker A:Whatever happened to me, I will listen to you.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:Wherever I.
Speaker A:It doesn't matter where I am, I. I can listen to you for sure.
Speaker A:So keep singing and keep writing because I love your writing.
Speaker A:So to me, that was so empowerful.
Speaker B:Of course.
Speaker B:Yes, absolutely.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:And is that what propelled you to kind of pursue it more?
Speaker B:Do you still act, by the way?
Speaker A:Yes, I'm still acting, but I. I came here without English.
Speaker A:So I have been here for three years and a half, almost four.
Speaker A:But I came with the intention of doing my process of learning English, of having more challenges.
Speaker A:And yes, I have been doing a couple things.
Speaker A:I have done two movies and some short films here in Canada and.
Speaker A:Yeah, but I'm so focused in my music right now.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:So what's that process like?
Speaker C:So you said that your brother is a producer.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker C:Did you work with him on your first music?
Speaker C: How did you decide in: Speaker C:Do you come with lyrics?
Speaker C:Do you write the full music?
Speaker C:Do you play any instruments?
Speaker C:Tell us about the process.
Speaker A:So what happened was like, you know, I had already the platform people recognized me from for my acting.
Speaker A:So I guess it was easier to say, you know, hey, I want to come up with this.
Speaker A:And people will appreciate that because I was not doing something regular.
Speaker A:And I think people appreciate that.
Speaker A:I'm sure if I would go out with a reggaeton, they would say, okay, one more, you know, but I'm doing my own trip.
Speaker A:So I think it's something to appreciate and to respect for sure.
Speaker A:And my lyrics are so intimate and so about what I have been living.
Speaker A:So I think people, you know, feel certain empathy for that.
Speaker A:So to respond your question, I started with this first song as a dream of doing some rap flamenco.
Speaker A:I love flamenco and I love.
Speaker A:I love rap.
Speaker A:So someone introduced me to the biggest rap flamenco guy in Spain and we talk about doing a collaboration.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:He was super open about it.
Speaker A:And then I did the flamenco part and he did the rap.
Speaker A:And we come up with this ideas.
Speaker A:My brother produced a song and.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And I was just starting to feel confidence and healing my, you know, my agreement.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Then I came up with my first solo song here in Canada.
Speaker C:And do you record in both Spanish and English at this point?
Speaker C:Do you make multiple versions, like Shakira?
Speaker A:No, not yet, but I'm writing more in English right now.
Speaker A:Like Spanglish.
Speaker B:Right, right.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:For example, the last song, who is the name is a Latin dance.
Speaker A:The Latin dance has certain part in English.
Speaker A:Knowing that it's so difficult to, you know, conquer Canadians without saying anything in English.
Speaker A:Right, right.
Speaker D:Yeah.
Speaker D:It's a challenge in itself.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker D:It's also a big challenge.
Speaker D:I mean, you said that you.
Speaker D:You came here basically, or one of the reasons you came here was to learn and improve your English.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker D:I can't imagine doing that.
Speaker D:I think it's something that we've probably all thought about on some level, but I can't imagine leaving my life in my comfort zone, submersing yourself to go anywhere.
Speaker D:There's a lot of places I love to, a lot of languages I'd love to learn, places I love to see, but the amount of courage it must take to do that.
Speaker D:Yeah.
Speaker D:Was that a big decision?
Speaker D:And why did you choose Toronto, actually?
Speaker A:Well, again, I think my father has been big part of all.
Speaker A:All of this.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:But I would say I was living so many situations in my life.
Speaker A:For example, I was engaged and I decided to don't get married.
Speaker A:That was a big, huge scandal in Colombia.
Speaker A:I was in the peak of my career.
Speaker A:Like, I just realized, like, you know what?
Speaker A:There is no more to do here.
Speaker A:I just felt like I want more, and if I stay here, I will just be in my comfort zone.
Speaker B:Right, right.
Speaker A:Then my father passed away, and that just pushed me, you know, I was like a full year again inside.
Speaker A:I was recording a series.
Speaker A:My character was the.
Speaker A:The one of the main characters, and I was the comedy one.
Speaker A:So I was with so many things that I just needed my own time.
Speaker A:I. I would say I even couldn't cry.
Speaker A:My father and because he passed away and nine days after I was doing the series.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:So when I came here, I came because a friend at that time told me, like, hey, I'm doing to Toronto.
Speaker A:I'm going to Toronto because I want to do, you know, a college in blah, blah, blah.
Speaker A:And I said, you know what?
Speaker A:I'm going with you.
Speaker A:I need to learn English.
Speaker A:I want to live this place for a while.
Speaker A:I want to take time for myself.
Speaker A:And then, yeah, I just pack everything in boxes and inside, inside, inside.
Speaker A:I knew that I was not going back because, yeah, I did want once that I'm from Medellin and I left everything to go to Bogota, to the capital, you know, with a big dream of being one of the best actresses.
Speaker B:Right, right.
Speaker A:And then I did it.
Speaker A:So then, you know, I came here.
Speaker A:I want to be.
Speaker A:I want to continue my career.
Speaker A:I want to be recognized by my acting and my music here.
Speaker A:So then I won't leave this place until that.
Speaker C:Well, you picked a good place.
Speaker A:You know, I'm stuck in that.
Speaker B:Wow, that's amazing.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker D:Wow.
Speaker D:You're.
Speaker D:Jeez, you guys always laugh because I'm not.
Speaker D:I have no emotions.
Speaker B:I actually had a weird question just about Colombia in general, because there's a lot of stereotypes that come with Colombia, especially the two places you mentioned, Medellin and Bogota.
Speaker B:Is it.
Speaker B:What was your experience like growing up in Colombia?
Speaker B:Was it anything like the narcos experience that I've seen on tv, or is it more just, you know, that stuff gets sensationalized in the news and it's not as crazy as someone like me has never been there.
Speaker A:I think you guys have been watching amazing series.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:But I would say I also, yeah, it was a really hard time in the 80s.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:But I was so young, young at that time.
Speaker A:So I would say my generation didn't realize until we saw, for example, the series.
Speaker A:And I had actually a memory like my mom, every time that was seeing a taxi or a car stand there for a long time, they call the police.
Speaker A:Because you never know.
Speaker B:Exactly.
Speaker A:But that was a long time ago.
Speaker C:And the police would be like, that's one of our guys.
Speaker C:Leave him alone.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:Well, yeah, it was a tough time.
Speaker A:But I would say Colombia has been changing a lot.
Speaker A:And we have great artists, we have amazing people that have been talking about our culture.
Speaker A:We are so rich in so many ways.
Speaker A:And I think for that we have been suffering a lot, you know, Know, because that's what happened when you have so many elements to.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, elements.
Speaker A:So we have so much gold, we have so much nature.
Speaker A:We have different places.
Speaker A:We have the Amazon, but we have mountains.
Speaker A:We have also the Pacific and the Caribbean.
Speaker A:So we.
Speaker A:We are full of different cultures.
Speaker A:Music.
Speaker A:Each place has typical food, typical dance, typical music, typical elements, you know, for music.
Speaker A:So I would say we are more than what series absolutely are showing.
Speaker A:And for that, I'm trying to expose another side of Colombia.
Speaker A:We are not just prostitutes, drugs, and beautiful women.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:We are also smart and intelligent people.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker D:Wow.
Speaker A:And we are people resilient, you know, because that's what happened when.
Speaker A:When you are fighting against so many things.
Speaker A:You died or you get stronger.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker A:And yeah, I'm here.
Speaker A:I got stronger.
Speaker A:So there are so many beautiful stories that we can talk about Colombia.
Speaker A:And it's not just that.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:No, I just wanted you to talk.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:No, but it's amazing to clarify that.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker A:Because there is that meat there.
Speaker A:You know, it's sad, but I have noticed that some people think I'm from who knows where because I'm not like Colombian type of looking.
Speaker A:And then when they realize I'm Colombian, I have noticed certain times like, oh, come on.
Speaker A:You know, like, hey, just respect, you.
Speaker D:Know, Listen, people, have some respect.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:All people know is about Pablo Escobar.
Speaker C:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker C:But to illustrate to those that don't know how much of a dent that put in both the Colombian economy and just people's spirits.
Speaker C:Pablo Escobar's people spent $2,500 in 90s money on rubber bands every month for their cash.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker C:Like, messed things up for a while.
Speaker C:And it was very unfair.
Speaker C:And it all had to do with the geography of where the plant grows.
Speaker C:It would have been a different country.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:If the coca plant grew elsewhere.
Speaker C:So that's very unfortunate.
Speaker C:But the thing about sad times is that they often create.
Speaker C:Create great music, right?
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker C:So a lot of great things have come out of that region in general.
Speaker C:And so let's talk about the Latin Grammys a little bit.
Speaker C:What?
Speaker C:How?
Speaker C:Because we don't know much about the Latin Grammys up here.
Speaker C:Is it.
Speaker C:Is it an important event down there?
Speaker C:Is it something everybody tunes in for?
Speaker C:Or is it not something really that people pay attention to?
Speaker C:How does it, how does it work?
Speaker A:It is huge for Latin America, for sure.
Speaker A:Yes, it is so important.
Speaker A:But I would say I'm so disconnect to that.
Speaker A:I'm not a following person because I have that theory and I try to apply this in my life.
Speaker A:And even in small things like Instagram, you have the option to follow and follow and follow or create and create.
Speaker A:And for being a creator, you need to be disconnect if you are thinking I want to win that award.
Speaker A:And then you will start to do what people want you to do.
Speaker A:And in my music, I have been doing just my own trip and my own trip is fusion music.
Speaker A:I'm taking elements, different elements from everywhere, from Colombia, fusioning that with different elements from the world.
Speaker A:For example, a Latin dance has fusion with hip hop and cumbia.
Speaker A:It's a really rich fusion.
Speaker A:And you know, I try to, as I told you, be just a little disconnect about all of that because I think at the end of the day, if you will receive an award, amazing, of course it is welcome.
Speaker A:But in the process you need to be pure.
Speaker A:As pure as you can.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:And I try to be so disconnect even about listening to music, because I think even in your subconscious you will start to took those influences.
Speaker A:And I try to be, you know, just me.
Speaker C:So what does that mean?
Speaker C:You don't listen to music?
Speaker A:I listen to music.
Speaker A:But do you know what is my exercise?
Speaker A:I don't listen to the same music all the time.
Speaker A:And I love to listen to music that let me think, for example, shamanic music, music just with instruments or changing music like jazz soul to do exercise a little rakiton.
Speaker A:Why not?
Speaker A:You know, but just going around, not staying with any artist or any type of music, just being flexible.
Speaker A:I think we need to be flexible as an artist.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker B:And I think it's like for me, I do it with Internet.
Speaker B:Like if I don't know the language, I'll listen to music because then I'm not focused on the words.
Speaker B:It's more just the.
Speaker B:The actual production of the song and the melody itself.
Speaker B:And I never thought about that, but that's I think anyone.
Speaker B:That's great.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:They definitely have to go outside of the genre.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:And the comfort zone, we've noticed with a lot of people, the two of us tend to follow and listen to, and they often say, I don't read comments.
Speaker C:I don't follow anybody.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker C:I'm.
Speaker C:I'm presenting something here.
Speaker C:It's not.
Speaker C:It's designed to be a two way street, but it doesn't have to be a two way street.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker C:That's the.
Speaker C:It's.
Speaker C:It sort of takes away from.
Speaker C:From the mystery when Bruno Mars responds to a tweet.
Speaker B:Right, right.
Speaker C:Well, I mean, it's cool, but.
Speaker C:And then they feel obligated and then of course, there's trolls that come on.
Speaker C:So it's kind of a better idea to.
Speaker C:You can stay on social media and be busy, but not get caught up in all that mess, in the pollution.
Speaker A:Yeah, but the point is even deeper.
Speaker A:You know, I try to give 20 minutes after to each post to my followers responding, hey, have a good day.
Speaker A:Thank you so much for your comment.
Speaker A:Immediately after, yes, 20 minutes, no more.
Speaker A:You know, it's the time that I'm giving to the people that follow me, that take care of me.
Speaker A:And actually my followers are so special because they don't follow it.
Speaker A:They don't follow me because of my ass or.
Speaker A:No, no, no.
Speaker A:They follow me because they really like what I have been doing.
Speaker A:So they write to me so educated, with so much respect and I really appreciate that.
Speaker A:Also, 62% of my followers are women.
Speaker A:That for a woman, it's so difficult.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:You know, you usually don't get admiration by women.
Speaker A:So I try to empower women and I try to give that time to respond and share.
Speaker A:And they are so open to even say, like, hey, I have had a bad day.
Speaker A:My auntie passed away.
Speaker A:Passed away.
Speaker A:And I felt this, whatever, like deepest content.
Speaker A:So I try to, you know, give a place to that.
Speaker A:But I unfollow so many people.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:And I'm not checking his stories and I'm not, you know, I'm just more in my own words.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Because I realized at certain point you can get that contamination.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker D:Yeah.
Speaker A:And Instagram is a fake platform.
Speaker A:So you will feel like, hey, am I not doing enough?
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:We have been in a lockdown for how long?
Speaker A:And I'm seeing people in Colombia with their careers.
Speaker A:If I would be there, I would be doing this or that or, you know, it's too much.
Speaker A:I think it's important to continue, like in the present yes.
Speaker C:Personally, I follow Anthony for his ass.
Speaker D:I don't have no Instagram.
Speaker C:Oh, yeah, no, in person.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker C:That one was behind you live shows.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker C: h time to do live shows since: Speaker C:But what kind of live shows do you put on?
Speaker C:Do you have a live band or do you like to really produce the music and then have that backing track play back to you exactly as you like it?
Speaker C:What's the show like?
Speaker A:I did last year, a concert for a Bong Latin festival and I did it with a guitar player and a dj.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Also because of the restrictions, we couldn't have more people.
Speaker A:But I would love to play my music with a band and I would love that.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker C:Anthony can help with that.
Speaker A:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Well, we need to talk about it because.
Speaker A:Yeah, I love that.
Speaker A:You know, I think it's beautiful.
Speaker A:And this is also like something that I want to bring back.
Speaker A:It's like those times where the musicians had a place in the scenario too.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:When the guitar player took his time to show, you know, what he does.
Speaker A:And not just the singer being the big show.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:The whole ensemble.
Speaker A:Exactly, exactly.
Speaker A:So, yeah, I would like to do something like that.
Speaker D:Yeah, we'll look forward to that and hopefully put something together with you at some point.
Speaker D:That'll be awesome here in Toronto too.
Speaker A:Yeah, please.
Speaker A: also a presentation for KANIF: Speaker D:Okay, nice.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And it was so special with that.
Speaker A:In that occasion, I won best Music Video with the song Hero.
Speaker A:That is the song that I did for my father.
Speaker A:That's his tribute and it's a beautiful song.
Speaker A:It has the English lyrics if you guys want to check it.
Speaker A:And it's an impeccable film.
Speaker D:Amazing.
Speaker D:Yeah, congrats on that.
Speaker A:Thank you so much.
Speaker D:And so huge that you.
Speaker D:You did that for your father and won the award that.
Speaker D:I know you said awards don't mean as much, but obviously there's going to be some validation and I'm sure some really good feelings for you on that, so that's huge.
Speaker D:I wanted to ask you because you talked a lot about your influences and now you're in Toronto.
Speaker D:I know Toronto is a very diverse place and we've been in a lockdown, but have you managed or have you gathered any Toronto influence either to your style, your music, or anything at all so far?
Speaker A:I like, I like so much.
Speaker A:Classify.
Speaker A:Classify.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:I like that guy.
Speaker D:Interesting.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:I told you I love hip hop.
Speaker B:Where did that come from, by the way?
Speaker B:Especially in Colombia.
Speaker A:Colombia.
Speaker A:I never heard about him in Colombia.
Speaker B:No, no, just hip hop in general.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:The point is, because of my own investigations in music, I always listen to the music that.
Speaker A:That anyone else was listening to.
Speaker A:So my.
Speaker A:My way of looking music at that time, it was like going to YouTube and put, you know, a word, for example, love.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:And then so many songs with love.
Speaker A:Or you.
Speaker A:You are the.
Speaker A:So, you know, and I was checking the artist, just, you know, giving that grace of 30 seconds, 1 minute, and say, like, wow, what a boys.
Speaker A:I want to hear more of this guy.
Speaker A:So, like, that I always discover.
Speaker A:Discovered people.
Speaker B:That's great.
Speaker D:That's online.
Speaker B:So who was the first guy you were like or girl that when you heard them, you're like, this is hip hop.
Speaker B:I like hip hop.
Speaker B:Do you remember?
Speaker B:Or one of the first ones.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:I'm scared to say the name, but please correct.
Speaker A:Correct this.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker C:You're looking at me like I'm going to know.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:I would say Lauren Lauryn Hill.
Speaker B:That's a great first one, dad.
Speaker A:Woman.
Speaker A:Her boys, her style.
Speaker C:Everything is everything.
Speaker C:I was a core memory for me.
Speaker C:Like, you know, you have some memories.
Speaker C:You're like, this made me a person.
Speaker C:Seeing that video on repeat on TV did something to my head.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Of that record with the city on it.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, yeah, I do.
Speaker D:Who was your first, like, hip hop memory when you.
Speaker B:Maestro Fresh West Canadian.
Speaker B:I was my aunt.
Speaker B:She was older.
Speaker B:She bought me Symphony in Effect and cassette.
Speaker B:That's how old I am.
Speaker B:And what's a cassette?
Speaker D:Some people.
Speaker D:Some people are wondering.
Speaker D:I ask for the people.
Speaker D:Here you have.
Speaker B:We'll take a picture.
Speaker B:But yeah, that was my first exposure.
Speaker B:Him and father mc.
Speaker B:And that goes really, really far back.
Speaker B:And then, like, you.
Speaker B:You get to go, like, what else is there?
Speaker B:Yeah, but Lauryn Hill.
Speaker B:Wow, that's a great first pick.
Speaker B:I mean, that album, was it the Fugees or was it her album the Fugees first?
Speaker A:Then I started to check more.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:About hair and all that.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:But at that time in.
Speaker A:In.
Speaker A:In my adolescence, I was listening to so much rock too, right?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So English or Spanish?
Speaker A:English.
Speaker A:And then I came.
Speaker A:I went to New punk and Spanish, like from Argentina and that type of rock.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Is that specific?
Speaker B:Like, I'm a little ignorant to Argentina.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:Well, the point is, in Argentina, there was a huge movement with the rock.
Speaker A:It was one of the first places in having rock in Espanol.
Speaker B:Oh, okay.
Speaker B:And what were some of the, like, bigger acts to come out of like some of the bigger Argentina rock bands.
Speaker B:Are they known internationally?
Speaker A:I don't know if they are known internationally.
Speaker C:That's the thing about the Latin Grammys.
Speaker C:There's some sort of divide where people from the north of.
Speaker C:Of Mexico are just not interested, probably because of the language, which is so interesting, because who cares about the words?
Speaker B:I think it might be by design too.
Speaker C:I mean, it's a.
Speaker C:It's a big, complicated, oh no system.
Speaker C:So.
Speaker C:Yeah, I think that's.
Speaker C:That might be intentional.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:That we don't know.
Speaker A:I would say.
Speaker A:I'm sorry.
Speaker A:I think we have been more influential by you guys, North America, and the way that we have been open to listen to you, because you guys, of course, the countries are ahead, right?
Speaker E:Yeah.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker A:At the opposite side.
Speaker A:I would say it's kind of like ignorant at certain point.
Speaker A:I wouldn't.
Speaker A:I won't say ignorance, but I would say you guys are so close in your own Babel.
Speaker A:A certain way.
Speaker C:I agree.
Speaker A:Like.
Speaker A:Well, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:It's something that.
Speaker A:It doesn't hurt, you know, like we.
Speaker A:I just learn English here.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So before I was, you know, singing the songs like, as I could in English in my own version, like Churi Chu, you know, like that.
Speaker A:That's what happened.
Speaker A:But what happened with you guys?
Speaker A:Why you are not open to something different?
Speaker A:What is the market doing into our heads that we are not open to explore?
Speaker A:Even new sounds and new languages that you can just, you know.
Speaker A:Because Spanish is so sexy.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:And it's soft and it.
Speaker A:It's easy to assimilate.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker C:I think it was entirely financial because now anybody can make a movie on their phone.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:But before that, you needed, like, to make anything, an album, a movie, you needed like at least a fifth of a million dollars, you know, and only Canada didn't have that kind of money either.
Speaker C:If we look back, we had what Rush and other American artists basically, that we worked on.
Speaker C:I mean, there were a lot of.
Speaker C:There was the guess who and everything, but America, particularly Hollywood and New York, had all the money to make.
Speaker C:So then if people get used to that and then they see a music video from Columbia shot on a DV tape.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:Which is the best they had access to.
Speaker C:You immediately go, I.
Speaker C:That's.
Speaker C:I'm used to nicer things than this and you don't even give it a chance.
Speaker C:But now, even on TikTok, if you're just scrolling randomly through TikTok and you listen, like, half the songs are in Russian.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:There's songs in Spanish.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:And people.
Speaker C:Because now anybody can buy an HD camera or a 4K camera.
Speaker C:Anybody can buy a zoom, it's in your phone.
Speaker C:So now, now that it's democratized, I think that's what the closed mindedness was.
Speaker C:It was just every.
Speaker C:Things like Russian movies used to be like, I don't want to finish this.
Speaker C:It looks so weird.
Speaker C:They'd like lit this with a table lamp.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:But now like the equipment is so much cheaper.
Speaker C:LED lights are cheaper, cameras are cheaper.
Speaker C:And I think now if we wait 10 years, we'll really see what people are into and what they're not into.
Speaker C:Because now anybody from anywhere can make a good sounding song.
Speaker B:But I think she brought up a good point.
Speaker B:Where the world will hear American music, but Americans don't hear world music as often.
Speaker B:Like that exchange is really one sided.
Speaker B:Where the world hears all of the popular US songs but we don't get.
Speaker C:To hear because of the money, because of the cost of production, which has changed.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:But if you take that away, which is totally true and I'm with you.
Speaker B:Yeah, I agree with this point.
Speaker A:I would say is also kind of ego involved.
Speaker B:Yeah, of course.
Speaker A:Right, Absolutely.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:That's the point is like if we are here, why we need to go down to see what is there.
Speaker B:Exactly.
Speaker A:And you know, in art you need to learn from everywhere the influences.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:And I mean they do get validation.
Speaker C:For example, we talked about Eurovision with Mihaela and one thing that I've noticed, because Eurovision.
Speaker C:Have you heard of Eurovision?
Speaker C:It's like a music Olympics for Europe.
Speaker C:Every year all the countries present their song and then the winner hosts it next year.
Speaker C:And it used to be that every country came with a song in their own language, with their own culture.
Speaker C:And now if you watch Eurovision, we should watch this year.
Speaker C:It's all Americanized, quote, unquote music.
Speaker C:The Greeks are singing in English and doing like pop moves and stuff.
Speaker C:Everybody's just trying.
Speaker C:And Americans watch this and go, okay, so we are the best.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker C:I think now that everybody can make music in their bedroom.
Speaker C:It's time that people from other countries make music not in English on purpose and go deal with this.
Speaker B:I think that's what's happened and that's.
Speaker C:What you're doing too.
Speaker A:Well, the point is, yeah, you want to be easy to digest, but not for that.
Speaker A:You need to lose your essence.
Speaker B:Essence, yeah.
Speaker A:So, yeah, I'm trying to put something in English because I'm trying to be empathy with you guys.
Speaker A:And I would say, okay, if it's everything in Spanish.
Speaker A:I would like a piece that I can sing and understand.
Speaker A:So then I put that in the.
Speaker A:In the Latin dance and the songs that are coming.
Speaker A:And I think they have like a North American influence, but also something new to bring into the table.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:So I don't know.
Speaker A:I think is.
Speaker A:That's the point in art.
Speaker A:We should be more open because there is no rule.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:We can mix everything with everything in have like thousands and millions of combinations.
Speaker A:And yes, everyone has a platform to do everything.
Speaker A:I don't know if that is good or not.
Speaker A:I think we are having so much.
Speaker C:It's good for bursting the bubble.
Speaker C:It definitely bursts the bubble.
Speaker C:So that's a plus.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And not again.
Speaker A:UD said like your algorithm is giving you what you are watching.
Speaker A:So what is your bubble?
Speaker A:What is my bubble?
Speaker A:Is the same one.
Speaker A:No, it's a bubble.
Speaker A:So I don't know.
Speaker A:I think we are having so much information at the time that is coming.
Speaker A:Like a misinformation.
Speaker D:Yeah.
Speaker C:It's dangerous.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Very dangerous.
Speaker A:And we are having people that has all the money to put a song every 15 days.
Speaker A:And most of the music right now is like garbage.
Speaker A:And I'm sorry, it's like you just listen to that song, it's a hit for one month and then to the garbage.
Speaker A:Nothing like 80, 70s, 90s when you listen to the song even now.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:We don't have timeless classics anymore.
Speaker B:And it's unfortunate.
Speaker A:So that's my point.
Speaker A:And you know, it's like it's not easy to survive and pay and do music.
Speaker A:As an actress, I would say, like, it was amazing.
Speaker A:I always received money.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:As a singer, I would say, you know what?
Speaker A:Where is my money?
Speaker B:I have been invested in this.
Speaker A:So it's not.
Speaker A:Not easy.
Speaker A:I would say, and I hope is not impossible, but we have so much to do to.
Speaker A:To put again, some good products.
Speaker A:More than put products.
Speaker A:And more and more and more.
Speaker C:We had a music historian on the show.
Speaker C:I call him a music historian, Alan Cross, that said exactly that.
Speaker C:He said, look at the top 10 Billboard artists of last year.
Speaker C:All the Grammy winners of last year.
Speaker C:You don't remember half of them.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker C:More than half.
Speaker C:They had one hit and they're gone.
Speaker C:And that used to be something that we would call one hit wonder.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:Now it's called having a career.
Speaker D:Yeah.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:Which means that.
Speaker C:And then whatever comes next, only fans.
Speaker C:I don't know what's next in.
Speaker C:In that situation.
Speaker C:But it's true.
Speaker C:There's less longevity.
Speaker C:And part of it is that people just keep on scrolling.
Speaker C:No one's going to listen to.
Speaker C:I miss albums.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:I miss them.
Speaker C:And now I find that not only is my attention span lower and it's harder for me to listen to an album.
Speaker C:When I do listen to an album, I feel like the person that made it no longer made it as an album.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:It just feels like here's 10 songs.
Speaker C:But you have to consider the flow.
Speaker C:Like we used to have charts when we had all of our songs written and we tried to put them on an album.
Speaker C:Our band or anybody else that comes in here and we actually match.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Each member writes their own order and then we compare and sometimes it's the same, which is cool to be like this flows into this.
Speaker C:And sometimes you have to talk about.
Speaker C:Yeah, but the experience would be different if this song came after this song and it's part of it.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:You know, you ever.
Speaker C:With songs that you've listened to back in the album days, when that song is over in your mind playing the next song, it's.
Speaker C:It's part of the experience.
Speaker C:So that's too bad.
Speaker C:But at the same time, people are getting better with the long format podcasts like this.
Speaker C:I don't think that people had the patience before to listen to just people talking for 40 minutes and.
Speaker C:No, they would.
Speaker C:They would tune into talk radio and they'd be weird older people.
Speaker B:Right, Right.
Speaker B:So even like Rogan's format, like you'd never think people be.
Speaker B:And he's the most popular.
Speaker B:He's like two, three hour long formats of just long unscripted stuff and he gets hundreds of millions of downloads a month.
Speaker C:So how do you get someone to listen to your album these days?
Speaker B:It's a good question.
Speaker A:I don't know because we don't have people living the present and even in videos they.
Speaker A:We know like in a.
Speaker A:In a video you should move everything.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Because we are seeing that in Hollywood.
Speaker A:So more quiet you are, less possibilities you have.
Speaker A:And for that the first, even not 30 seconds anymore, it's like five seconds.
Speaker A:You need to sell your product.
Speaker A:That's impossible.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:That effect of how songs are written and that you have to get to the interesting part immediately kills the vibe a little.
Speaker C:Because some songs you want to like, you know, tool has songs that take like two minutes to rev up and that's part of.
Speaker C:Of the feel you.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Cold Little Heart by Michael Kiwanuka.
Speaker E:The.
Speaker B:The intro is like two and a half minutes of just violin.
Speaker B:And so for like a long time it's such a Long buildup.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:It pays off in the end if you're patient and you listen to that whole intro when the song comes in, you're like your hair stand up, you know, it's beautiful.
Speaker B:But that's a good point.
Speaker A:But I would say I have a hope that with this pandemic we have learned something.
Speaker A:And I think part of that is going a little to the roots.
Speaker A:You know that roots.
Speaker A:I mean, living in the present.
Speaker A:Sometimes don't do anything.
Speaker B:Just be.
Speaker A:Be.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Just breathe.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Like we are so contaminated by funds, publicity, you know, like everything.
Speaker A:And we are not taking the time.
Speaker A:It's like we don't think even we deserve the time to listen to a podcast to ours.
Speaker A:Because you are losing your life and no, you are not losing anything.
Speaker A:You are earning something.
Speaker A:You know, you are giving something to yourself.
Speaker A:But who are thinking like that?
Speaker B:Not too many.
Speaker C:Yeah, there is.
Speaker C:Sorry.
Speaker D:Please, please, please.
Speaker D:Okay.
Speaker B:I love the Canadian off.
Speaker D:I gonna just to piggyback on what you said, I was just gonna say that if you don't give to yourself, if you don't treat yourself right and develop and, you know, self love and so into your own future and your own being, then you have nothing to offer anyone else, really.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker D:So that's always my thing.
Speaker D:We can be everybody for everyone else.
Speaker D:But at the end, if you're not being true to yourself, then what you're giving is not real.
Speaker D:And what you're giving isn't really gonna be as beneficial as what it could have been had you taken the time for yourself.
Speaker A:Yeah, that's beautiful.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Well, I have an idea.
Speaker C:Sure this is gonna be good?
Speaker C:Well, no, because we're talking about artists that have to write songs that start quicker.
Speaker C:And I would argue that a big part of that is economics.
Speaker C: .: Speaker C:Yeah, that's.
Speaker C:See, the thing is, I don't want to say actual numbers because whenever you're listening to this, the numbers are going to change.
Speaker C:But as it stands right now, there are certain platforms that pay essentially nothing.
Speaker C:It really is nothing.
Speaker C:I've received Spotify checks for less than 8 cents.
Speaker C:Are you kidding me?
Speaker C:Leave me alone.
Speaker C:But there are other platforms that pay a penny per play, which is still very little, but it's like 30 or 100 times more.
Speaker C:So I would suggest voting with your wallet, looking at which plat platform pays the artists more and switching to that one.
Speaker C:Because the more we.
Speaker C:We pay artists and help them pay their rent and live, the more Comfortable they're going to feel making the music that they want to make and not music that economically makes sense.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And that's what's happened is people just make money or make music and make lots of it and dilute it because, like, even, like, there's some art.
Speaker B:I don't want to say names, but some artists now in their.
Speaker B:Their releases, they're putting out like 20, 30 songs.
Speaker B:You're like, why are you putting this many?
Speaker B:But it's a numbers game to them, and it's sad that it's come to that.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:If you want to help, do a tally.
Speaker C:Whenever it is you're listening to this, see which streaming service that you can tolerate.
Speaker C:I think we stand for them.
Speaker C:Could be titled Apple is actually pretty.
Speaker B:Good right now, really.
Speaker C:But that might change and go for that one.
Speaker C:And if you really want to help.
Speaker C:We talked about this too.
Speaker C:Buy an album every now and then, go on itunes, go on bandcamp.
Speaker C:Even if you can stream it, just.
Speaker C:Just buy it.
Speaker C:Just help them out.
Speaker C:And if enough of us do that, we'll notice music becoming more for the music than anything else.
Speaker B:That's a great point.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Let's do a social experiment here.
Speaker A:No, that's amazing.
Speaker A:But I think there are so many things around.
Speaker A:And for example, when you start in a label, what happened there?
Speaker A:Do you have the freedom to be yourself?
Speaker A:And I would like to finish your thought that.
Speaker A:I love it.
Speaker A:Please do, Anthony.
Speaker A:I would say, you know, there is something that I always try to keep with myself and is be loyal to yourself.
Speaker A:There is no price that can compensate that.
Speaker A:And that happened with, you know, we are seeing the same artist with the same labels doing the same thing.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:With the same.
Speaker A:You know, I don't know how to say this.
Speaker A:Like, the fixings around, the voices, the melodies, everything the same.
Speaker A:It's so difficult even recognize who artist is in the same type of music.
Speaker A:So I think it is kind of like a revolution by us, by the singers, by the musicians saying, like, you know, yes, we need to live, but also we need to.
Speaker A:To be happy.
Speaker A:And even if we want to follow the system, the system is not putting us there yet.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:Unless you.
Speaker A:You are.
Speaker A:Let's one say names, but you are.
Speaker A:Who knows?
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And then you need to follow the same system of dressing and do the same videos.
Speaker A:So I think the point is try to be loyal to yourself and.
Speaker A:And just find your own niche.
Speaker A:There is people for everything and for everyone.
Speaker A:Like Master Ace.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:That guy from here.
Speaker A:From Toronto.
Speaker A:No, New York.
Speaker A:Sorry, New York.
Speaker A:You know, like old guys that have been doing the best.
Speaker A:People respect them, follow them.
Speaker A:And they are not Shakira.
Speaker A:Not everyone knows about them, but they have their own followers.
Speaker A:So that's my point, you know, like, when I decided to start my music, I knew that I don't know if I will get the same fame or recognition that I got in my acting, but I'm sure that I want to do with the music is give a message, express what I'm feeling.
Speaker A:And I won't be fake on that.
Speaker A:I can't because it's my own voice.
Speaker A:It's my name.
Speaker A:Right, right.
Speaker D:And I think there's a lot to gain potentially with music.
Speaker D:Trying to get the quick hit, making a lot of money.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:But I think that there's a lot more to lose.
Speaker D:Like, there's a high cost if you're selling yourself out.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:So then it's like, what do you really want?
Speaker D:Do you want to be true to yourself, or do you want to take a big chance of losing yourself and gaining nothing?
Speaker B:So.
Speaker C:And I don't mean to take this to a dark place, but I always like to remind myself that I'm gonna die one day, and on my deathbed, I don't want to listen to what I've worked on and go, yeah, sell out.
Speaker B:Yeah, true.
Speaker B:You're absolutely right.
Speaker C:I was just gonna say that.
Speaker C:I think people want to know what you've acted in so they can look it up.
Speaker C:If you could let us know about that, where people could find you.
Speaker C:Your Instagram handles your website, names of your songs, anything you want our listeners to know.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:So people can follow me in at Lopez Carupe.
Speaker A:L, O, P. If you can help me.
Speaker A:L, O, P, E, C. Right.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Set.
Speaker D:Yep.
Speaker C:C, A, R, O, P. Oh, caro P. Okay.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker A:Lopez Carol.
Speaker D:It'll be in the description.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Thank you.
Speaker A:And then people can.
Speaker A:Can find my music as a Caro Lopez on Spotify, all platforms.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:Yeah, you too, have to.
Speaker B:What are you currently working on?
Speaker B:Just out of curiosity, before we let you go, is there any new music coming?
Speaker A:Yes, new music.
Speaker A:There is a new fusion that I'm so excited working on.
Speaker A:It's some variations about indigenous flus.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And there are so many things that are coming.
Speaker A:It's a powerful women's song and.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Working in a couple of songs that are coming.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:With some English.
Speaker A:I promise we're gonna do.
Speaker C:Only if you want to do it in English.
Speaker C:Yeah, not for us.
Speaker C:We'll learn Spanish.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Next time, the interviews in Spanish.
Speaker C:You know what?
Speaker C:You know what?
Speaker C:Spanish.
Speaker C:Because people say, keep saying Spanish is a fairly easy language to learn.
Speaker C:And the other day I put on a Spanish show with English subtitles, and I was like, I understand everything.
Speaker C:So I'm just going to keep doing that until I learn Spanish.
Speaker C:That's how I learned English.
Speaker A:Yeah, it helps, you know, it doesn't hurt to get another language.
Speaker A:It's amazing to.
Speaker A:To say whatever word you know.
Speaker A:It just helps you to communicate better with the person.
Speaker D:Accepted.
Speaker C:Guys, Guys, do we all want to learn Spanish?
Speaker B:I was supposed to.
Speaker D:Ten years ago, I downloaded Duolingo a few times, and I try.
Speaker B:I still have Duolingo.
Speaker D:Let's do it.
Speaker D:We're going to figure this out.
Speaker B:I'll get better.
Speaker B:I know better.
Speaker C:Throw some Spanish in there.
Speaker A:Well, you.
Speaker B:You have a. I have a Spanish wife.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:I have a.
Speaker C:And she cusses you out, and you're.
Speaker A:Like, I don't know.
Speaker C:I love you, too.
Speaker A:It's not impossible.
Speaker A:You know, guys, when I came here, I came just saying like, hey, where is the washer?
Speaker A:Thank you so much, really.
Speaker A:I was asking for a soap in a restaurant, so that happened to me.
Speaker A:So, yeah, yeah, be free.
Speaker A:Just do it.
Speaker D:You know, thanks so much for joining us.
Speaker B:Really appreciate it.
Speaker D:We'll definitely have you back because I think the conversation has just started.
Speaker D:We want to follow up with your journey through music in Toronto.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker D:We want to talk about your live shows and everything else that's going to come, but we support you in what you're doing, so keep doing it.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker A:Thank you so much.
Speaker A:Thank you so much.
Speaker A:It was amazing to have this time with you guys.
Speaker D:Yeah, it's been great.
Speaker B:Stay safe.
Speaker D:Sing us off next time.
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