Thalia is taking us back in time to the rock en español era. The Mexican pop icon revisits that important movement in Latin music in her new series Thalia’s Mixtape: El Soundtrack De Mi Vida. Members of legendary rock bands from Soda Stereo, Hombres G, and Aterciopelados help her record their classic hits on her Mixtape album. To bring in a new generation of fans, Thalia also worked on her series and LP with rising Mexican acts, including Kenia Os, Bruses, and León Leiden.
“This show is really exciting because it’s like a multi-platform dream come true,” Thalia tells LATINA. “We’re going to sing, we’re going to perform, and we’re going to talk with and meet our biggest idols. It’s nostalgic. It’s fun. It’s incredible.”
Thalia teamed up with Paramount+ and MTV for the docu-series, Thalia’s Mixtape: El Soundtrack De Mi Vida, which will explore the history of rock en español and feature the acts who defined the era. In the eighties and early nineties, rock music gripped Latin America and Spain thanks to bands such as Soda Stereo, Enanitos Verdes, and Hombre G. At the same time, Thalia was breaking out of Mexican teen group Timbiriche to become one of Latin pop’s biggest stars.
“Rock en español is an era that was so powerful for me growing up,” Thalia recalls. “[Those artists] really gave me strength to find my own voice through their lyrics and through the way they presented themselves. It was very inspiring. I’m just pinching myself to have worked with these incredible artists and to sing those incredible iconic songs with them, and to hear their stories narrated by them.”
On the series and her album, Thalia covers music by the rock en español pioneers. Soda Stereo’s Charly Alberti plays drums on Thalia’s version of the band’s hit “Persiana Americana.” Hombre G’s David Summers rocks out with Thalia in her electrifying rendition of “Devuélveme a Mi Chica.” She also highlights women in the genre; Aterciopelados’ Andrea Echeverri joins Thalia in the psychedelic “Florecita Rockera” alongside León Leiden.
“Andrea filled me with excitement that she could be a part of this series,” Thalia says. “She was one of the first women to fight to enter a world dominated by men. She conquered the genre. I feel like she opened the doors for all the women today, women with that strength and that confidence to be who they are.”
Speaking of Leiden, Thalia is bringing in Gen-Z acts to back her up on a few of her song covers. Mexican pop star Kenia Os features on Thalia’s version of La Mosca Tse-Tse’s “Para No Verte Más.” Mexican alternative Bruses joins Thalia on a hypnotic cover of Enanitos Verdes’ “La Muralla Verde” with Guatemalan singer Ben Carrillo. Thalia notes that these artists are exposing their large followings to rock en español.
“[Kenia] reminds me a lot of myself when I was starting my career and that’s what I love and why I invited her to work with me,” Thalia says. “I loved Bruses since the first time I saw her. She has a very peculiar and tremendous talent. We created a very beautiful friendship. I love that this new generation has come from TikTok and YouTube to amplify these songs through those mediums.”
In addition to starring in Mixtape, Thalia also serves as an executive producer on the show. She has expanded her brand from pop luminary with decades of hits into a business. As an entrepreneur, Thalia continues to inspire women and her massive LGBTQ+ fanbase.
“I want to leave them with a message that everything in life is possible if you prepare for it, if you’re perseverant, and if you fight for your dreams,” Thalia says. “You have to take advantage of this digital life we’re in today. All these tools from social media and Web3. You can be the star of your movie and you can find your audience in whatever it is that you do.”
Thalia promises to releases more original music following last year’s return with the fierce “Psycho B**ch.” With regional Mexican music exploding around the world, could she dabble in corridos tumbados next with the genre’s leader Peso Pluma?
“Yes!” she says with a big smile. “I love it! I’m the number one fan of that genre. As a Mexican, imagine how I feel. Yes! I’m the original and authentic ‘Amor a La Mexicana’!”
As for what she wants to accomplish next, Thalia says, “Everything! I want to do it all and more.”
Thalia’s Mixtape: El Soundtrack De Mi Vida premieres on Paramount+ on May 2.
Lucas Villa is a freelance music contributor for LATINA. His work is also featured in Rolling Stone, Billboard, Teen Vogue, MTV News, and W Magazine.
