Little Chi Podcast
Join Fernando as he talks about real-life stories, current events, and impermissible topics that will elicit a wide variety of emotions. Each episode is different, so please grab a drink, kick your feet up, & enjoy Little Chi Podcast.
Little Chi Podcast
EP 10 - Orgullo Mexicano ft. Martha Gallegos
What happens when you combine mariachi music, personal journeys, and unexpected career paths? Martha Gallegos, the "mariachi girl" of Chicago, joins us to celebrate our podcast's 10th episode milestone and share her captivating musical journey. Martha opens up about performing across the city, even sharing the stage with legends like Los Tigres del Norte. Our friendship, which started on social media, has blossomed into a real-life connection, and together, we reminisce about all things music, including her unique quinceañera Waltz song inspired by "Amor Real." Martha's excitement for the future is infectious, and our shared love for artists like Sin Bandera, Camila, and La Oreja de Van Gogh makes for an engaging discussion.
Growing up undocumented in the U.S. brings its challenges and triumphs, and I share my personal experience of this journey, having been brought to the country from Mexico as a child. Working at an immigration law firm, I find fulfillment in helping others navigate their legal battles, drawing from my own story and the limitations of programs like DACA. The emotional and practical struggles of feeling different from peers are highlighted, underscoring the importance of understanding and patience. Through this heartfelt conversation, listeners are invited to reflect on cultural identity and the power of music as a bridge to one’s roots.
The mariachi scene is full of unexpected encounters and exciting opportunities, and I recount my transition from aspiring teacher to political science major, ultimately drawn to the vibrant world of mariachi. Performing as the only woman in a male-dominated group comes with its challenges, but the colorful and sometimes hilarious experiences make it worthwhile. From having an unofficial "fan club" to navigating bizarre gigs, the journey is lively and entertaining. Family support and a shared musical passion have shaped my identity and aspirations for releasing original music. As we wrap up, we reflect on music's profound connection to happiness and fulfillment, inviting you to consider what truly brings you joy.
well even if you're not ready, we gotta start. So before I started this podcast, um, I actually sat down and I made a list of every single person who I would want to have on as a guest, and your name was on that list. So one of the main reasons why your name was on that list was one because I was, like I feel like you're known for like being the mariachi girl. Really, I think so, don't you? Uh?
Speaker 1:I you know, I get really surprised when like people are like oh yeah, like I know marta and I'm like everybody knows you, everybody it is because we've been friends on social media for for quite some time actually but like exactly, but we just met this past year yeah, we just met and actually this is like our first time ever having a real conversation like, not just like on instagram or like hey, how are you?
Speaker 2:you know what I'm saying? Yeah, so I'm super excited that you're here because, like I said, I mean you were on that list.
Speaker 1:So thank you for that. Yeah, thank you for having me.
Speaker 2:so for those of you guys don't know, like mariachi I'm sorry, marta is a mariachi so from performing literally all over the chicago area, opening up at fest of the Lakes and, if I'm not mistaken, even opening up for Los Tigres del Norte, is that?
Speaker 1:correct.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, yes, let's give a huge welcome to our mariachi singer, Marta Gallegos. Thank you for joining us. Thank you so, Marta, first of all, how are you? It's no longer the new year, but what's this new year look like for you so far?
Speaker 1:You know what I'm doing? Good, I I have a lot of plans for the new year, a lot of new things coming that hopefully, you know. Oh, with time, like we'll see what happens, but I'm really like hoping for a really great year and just new things, new beginnings for sure. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And like I, said, I'm excited to have you on this. Not only I'm excited you for that reason, but this is actually my 10th episode. Oh, so most podcasts don't even make it past like three episodes, so for me to make it on 10, I feel like 10 is a little milestone, okay, so thank you for being on here again.
Speaker 1:Um, and like I was saying, um, we've known each other for quite some time, but this I kind of remember how it started.
Speaker 2:So a year ago, you guys were planning your sister's quinceanera.
Speaker 2:Yes, and then I saw you posted on social media, kind of like a little GoFundMe, like hey, we're going to do a little sister's quinceanera. We need some help. And I saw that. And the first time I saw it I was just kind of like you know it's because, like I said, we didn't know'm doing a lot of quinceañeras right now. I was like I think that'd be good if I. So I reached out and I was like, hey, if you guys want, like I'll help you guys out. And then it didn't end up happening. I didn't meet the qualifications to do her sister's quinceañera.
Speaker 1:No, that really was not. It Like by the time, like you had reached out to me and I was like, oh, mom, you know it could be a big help, you know, and by that time she already like had somebody and luckily, like it was a family friend who he did my quinceañera too, really, so, yeah.
Speaker 2:So, speaking about quinceañeras, do you remember what your Waltz song was?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was by Sin Bandera.
Speaker 2:Ooh.
Speaker 1:I love Sin Bandera. Amor Real is the name of the song.
Speaker 2:No, I was going to sing. Hold on. What was it? No, am I singing the right song?
Speaker 1:No, I don't know that one. That one, yeah, that's a good one yeah. I got inspiration because during that time, when I was younger, like novelas were like a hit.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Like ahorita, ya no, but at the time, like novelas were like a hit.
Speaker 1:And um, there's this one novella I think it's called amor real. Okay, I was never a novella guy. If I'm not mistaken, I don't know so um, my mom is a really big fan of that novella. She's watched it like two, three times really, how does she watch it again? Um, I don't know, there's like some app now where you can like vixx it's that one, it's that one. That's where she literally watches all the old novellas but, that one specifically.
Speaker 1:That is like her favorite novella and that's where I got the inspiration from of like oh I wanted. I wanted to be like something different that is really different yeah, because I'm like I don't you know all the like songs that people usually pick. I'm like, no, that's like ninguna me me lleg no that's like, no, like, I just didn't like any of them so I wanted something different that's amazing.
Speaker 2:I love it especially because, like that genre, I love that genre. Look todo lo que es sin bandera. Camila rake. Who else, who else? Who else? That's like the main three um la ropa usini. Yeah, oh my god, I love la ropa usini. That's crazy there's a few, I don't know anybody who likes her, so I'm like yeah, there's a few songs that are pretty good yeah, no, I'll send you some some recommendations.
Speaker 2:I got you okay okay um, so I wasn't able to help you choreograph your sister's quinceanera, but I was still there for like maybe like an hour or two I was. I made a little video for her yeah, so so shout out to her um, what about for your surprise dance? You remember what you had, or no? I know for sure, I had prince royce okay, oh yeah, because you're a big prince royce girl, right yeah?
Speaker 1:but oh no, at that time I uh, I was a big big prince.
Speaker 2:Have you ever met him?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I have.
Speaker 2:I met him once. Twice, I met him twice the first time.
Speaker 1:So when I was 15, I had my quinceanera. It was that same year, I can't remember if it was before. It had to have been before, like my quinceanera, because my birthday is in March, it's coming up.
Speaker 2:It is coming up. Is it March? Don't tell me. Is it the? It's the fourth? How'd you?
Speaker 1:know it's because my cousin's birthday is the same day. Oh, okay, okay, I do my research, so and so my party was in July. I think. June or July. So the first time I met him was I did like the whole meet and greet thing Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah because I was like I love Prince George, Like I begged my parents.
Speaker 1:And thinking back now I'm like begged my parents, and thinking back now I'm like, oh my god, they must have spent a lot of money on those tickets, me and Green. So that was the first time. Oh, two times, right, yeah, yeah, two times. And then the second time uh, una tia. She like called in on the radio because, like I think, he was coming out with a new album or something, and he was in Chicago like at uh one of the radio stations or something like that.
Speaker 1:So it was like a little mini concert series and so I went and it was like the second time and we got to take pictures.
Speaker 2:It was awesome, that's awesome. So I met him once because he came out with an album. I think it was called. I forgot what it's called. It's the one with the. Is it called Five Cinco? I'm totally, I'm probably totally wrong.
Speaker 2:Let me look at it but anyway, when I met him, all I had to do was buy the cd and then the cd came with the ticket to like to like meet him. Yeah, so when I take a picture with it, I'm gonna put it like when I make a clip. I took a picture and I was like super serious and everybody was like, bro, it looks like prince is meeting you.
Speaker 1:It's like, well, maybe you'll have to show me that picture.
Speaker 2:I have to show you the second um, so before I I was, we actually have a lot to talk about. Um, but another reason why I was super excited to have you on here is because, um, right now, like the, the topic of immigration is super hot. So obviously, like, we're gonna have fun on this episode, we're gonna laugh and all that stuff. But I did want to dive deep into the immigration topic first and then after that we can have some fun okay, okay cool.
Speaker 2:So for those of you guys who are listening, um, you guys might know who marta is. You guys might not know who she is. Um, so first of all, tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do like in general who I am and what I do.
Speaker 1:¿Qué?
Speaker 2:haces Y quién eres tú?
Speaker 1:Well, I am a DACA recipient. I was born in Mexico, calvillo Aguascalientes.
Speaker 2:Calvillo, aguascalientes. Yes, we're both from Aguascalientes, by the way.
Speaker 1:Right, and I don't know I was about. I was a baby when I came to the States, so I've practically, like, grew up here my whole life and being undocumented has it's a struggle, you know.
Speaker 2:I have a lot of questions for you. It's a struggle. I have a lot, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So, yeah, I, you know, grew up at a very young age doing music and music was another thing that really connected me to my culture, you know, to the culture. Doing music and music was another thing that really connected me to my culture, you know and you know, like you said, I'm mariachi, I'm undocumented. I currently work at a law firm doing immigration, so that's a little bit.
Speaker 2:I think so when I found that out. I think it's like it's it's, but it's like you are someone who's undocumented and you're fighting for those rights, kind of.
Speaker 1:Yeah, right.
Speaker 2:So it's kind of like you are helping others, so that you yeah, I thought that was crazy.
Speaker 1:Like being part of the process to you know, like help people. You know change their legal status or, you know, to get their papers or just you know whatever it is like. It is like fulfilling is, or you know to get their papers, or just you know whatever it is like. It is like fulfilling and, um, you know me being undocumented like I can really connect with that, so I know what it feels like.
Speaker 1:Right. So you know when I get cases assigned and I'm, you know, working with people and, like you know all these things, it's like I know, I know the fears, right. Cause sometimes a lot of people are like nervous, like oh, and they always have questions right.
Speaker 1:So being part of the process, it's like it's really great and it's really great to see like the outcome, like once their cases are approved, like it's like the most like it like makes me so happy you know to see that and so I know it's like, it's almost like heartwarming too, because it's like man like that feeling that they get in the end like the outcome of like, oh I finally like, have my green card.
Speaker 2:That's amazing papers.
Speaker 1:I know it's like I like aspire I like for me. I'm like I. I can't wait for that to happen to me.
Speaker 2:I just think it's crazy. It's like you're out here helping people get their green cards and it's like, and I'm just chilling. It's like you know that I look at it um and then there's a lot of people like for me, like I personally, like I know of DACA, but like what exactly is it? What does it stand for it?
Speaker 1:stands for. I had to look it up before we started Because I was like I forgot. What is it? What is the exact terms? It means Deferred Action, action for childhood arrivals.
Speaker 1:So anybody that was, you know, brought here, brought here as uh being in school or have graduated um high school and things like that, and I think like I think it was like 50, I think it's at 15, like 15 or 16 years old is when, like you could have like applied for it, and it sucks because there's still a lot of people out there who like meet those requirements and could get it, but at the moment, like they're not accepting new applicants I knew it, I was just, I was thinking about that, I was like it must be so hard right now for people yeah, and I I actually know like a few people that, like you know, like I said, meet those requirements but, like they're not accepting new applicants.
Speaker 1:So it's like see the people who have it like all, like the only thing we can do is just keep renewing yeah, so anybody who has daca daca I'm sorry daca anybody who has?
Speaker 2:daca correct me please correctly. Anybody who has daca is safe, that's correct yes, that's correct, yeah okay, um. So growing up, like, when did you find out that you were undocumented, or how did you find out?
Speaker 1:You know what I think I pretty much knew my whole life.
Speaker 2:You always knew like oh, yo soy de Mexico.
Speaker 1:I was always different.
Speaker 2:But not that you know. Like, how did you know that you were, yeah, that you were different, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, I think once I became of age where, like you know, you start asking questions and you know like yeah, que estas grande, que entras en platica with parents or with adults that, like, you understand things now, and then it's like that's when, that's when I like knew um, I think I was maybe like I'd say, from like maybe 11 years old, 12 years old and on.
Speaker 2:That's when I like knew. I, that's when I like, knew I think before that I was kind of like maybe I, maybe I was told, oh, but it never really like clicked.
Speaker 1:I never comprehended what that meant and what my future would look like you know. So once, like you know, especially once I got to high school, that's when, that's when I knew and that's when I, like, understood my situation and I was always very vocal about it, like I would always tell people like, oh yeah I wasn't afraid.
Speaker 2:Did you feel different than everyone else? Like you know, like how did that make you feel growing up like, for example, like oh, what are you doing for the summer? Like, oh, I'm going to mexico for like two months, dude I know, literally like it.
Speaker 1:Oh, it was always a thing we're like. Oh, okay, like yeah, you know, but people would, people would, would be able to go Y, yo aquí, yo aquí encerrada. But did that ever affect like?
Speaker 2:your decisions for what you wanted to do in the future. I mean, luckily you said that you started your process, but there's a lot of kids and people who they're like oh you know, I want to go to college. And then they're like well, you can't.
Speaker 1:No, literally. That was one of the things that really like encouraged me, if I'm being honest with you. So you know, luckily, like I at, like, I think, when I got back, yeah yeah, I still want like come um and again. I think like the first time that I got it I still didn't understand yeah yeah, um, and I think once I became a junior senior year, that's when I was like oh, you know, because you got to start thinking about college and things like that.
Speaker 1:And so that's when I was really like oh, like, what does this look like for?
Speaker 2:me.
Speaker 1:To the point where I think, when I was in my senior year, like obviously, like I was thinking about it, right. And then also like being undocumented and living in Indiana, even though you have DACAaca, you don't qualify for like no financial aid or nothing like that so like that was like another, like pushback where, like where, like where am I gonna? Get all this money from to like pay for school so you, you weren't able to apply for financial aid no, so you're still required to do fafsa um, which I think is stupid.
Speaker 2:I know it's, so I hated that like I went to college like a little bit, and they're like you have to do FAFSA, like why I'm gonna pay for that pocket right.
Speaker 1:So like I still have to do FAFSA, pero no, I never. I never got any like financial aid from the state, and there are states I think California is probably like one of them that like has a little bit more of like help and aid for like yeah um DACA recipients. But oh, no, yeah, like, come my senior year, I was like dude. I was literally at the point where I was. I was I was gonna go back to Mexico. What? I was gonna go back to Mexico and just go to school out there.
Speaker 1:I mean that's kind of cool, but that was like a topic that, like I had with my parents and there's there's a lot of really good schools in Mexico. Yeah, yeah yeah, I remember at the time like we were talking about monterrey tech yeah, that was one of them, or, and so, um, yeah, like those, those were some of the schools that like I like looked into. I think I even like Googled and like for the one in Aguascalientes. Yeah, I did.
Speaker 2:That's crazy. But then, like what was your? Not that you maybe you didn't have a deep plan, but like si tuvieras ido, like you would have just started a new future.
Speaker 1:I know I, I mean, I think it was like no, like there's no way, right? Um. So I think life just happened, like you know, once I came to it, like I started applying to colleges out here, yeah, it was a point where, like my dad me dijo like oh yo te, ayudo like yo te ayudo a pagar.
Speaker 1:You know, and I know it's still to this day. It kind of like breaks my heart, you know, and um come come senior year. Luckily, like I live in hammond, so the college bound yeah, they help out a lot. Yeah, so you require you were able to do that not my first year not my first year, but the rest of my three years, yeah, so my first year. My dad did have to. He had to help me pay, which was like around 10k that's a lot of pocket dang, yeah, and you had a quinceanera.
Speaker 2:That's great. No te gusta nada, no quiero nada. But you have a lot of pride in into all of this, like I feel like it's I don't mean this in a bad way, but I feel like it's your personality, you know no, again for sure.
Speaker 1:sometimes I feel like I forget about it. You know, and I, you know, you have those days where, like you, you feel this, like disencouraged, and you feel down about, well, what's next in your life, and things like that. But oh, you know, I remember, like being in high school and even throughout, like college, like that was like a thing that, like I always reminded myself of that, like, oh no, you're like, yeah, you know, like this and and even like now, like I'm like, like, despite me having DACA, and I still went to college and I still, you know, I graduated, I got my degree and like I and not to like offend anybody, pero like hay gente que, like nacen aquí, son nacidos aquí y like tienen la oportunidad. And you know they don't do it for whatever, you know, personal reasons, right, so like that was a thing for me that like pushed me, like, oh, like I'm not going to let the fact that I'm undocumented stop me from going to college.
Speaker 2:I love that you said that, because recently somebody asked me the question of. They asked me what keeps me going? And I feel like a lot of time I do take advantage, or maybe that's not the right word, but anyway somebody asked me what, what keeps me going? Um advantage, or maybe that's not the right word, but anyway somebody asked me what, what keeps you going? And recently, not that I never cared or I just never kind of like put it into the thought, but recently immigrants have been motivating me a lot. So I, my parents like they come from mexico, obviously, but now, like you know, they're documented and everything and my dad, my dad has a really good job and they're able to give us.
Speaker 2:You know whatever, we want, um, and I kind of started like thinking about life and I was like, bro, like I, I have, I have, like I'm, I have, like I'm, a good education. You know, I'm documented, I speak english, I speak spanish, I have all these cool things in my portfolio, and I was like, but sometimes I feel like I'm not doing enough. So when I thought about, like, I went to florida in december and there was a cubano who I was talking to and he had just come to the united states, like two years ago. He's like you'll be seeing. Nada, bro, nothing. He's like now I'm living in miami, I'm doing this, I'm doing that and I think about my dad all the time so I used to wear a hat all the time.
Speaker 2:It was a blue la hat and everybody said why do you wear that hat if you're not from la? When my dad came to united states, the first city that he lived in was in la. So for me, like I love that and then also because, like I just think about, like hollywood and all that stuff so it's like a double meaning, you know.
Speaker 2:So I always think about that and it's like, bro, like my dad came with nothing here, like he left his parents back in mexico, he was working in california, he would work in north carolina, he was working for literally all across the country just to work, and I was like, and I'm over here just chilling you know, and I was like bro, like I gotta put me las pilas and do it, and then you gotta do better. I chose for you. You know what I'm saying. Like I didn't like school.
Speaker 1:Like I hated school you know same, despite the fact that I went to college.
Speaker 2:I like no, but like I just couldn't study, like I just wasn't for me, you know. So I did go to college for a little bit and then I was like, yeah, I'm not gonna do this, I'm not gonna waste my money or my parents money. So I just decided not to. But like you, like you struggled and you went through it, but that's because you wanted to you know, and then now you could just be like a good influence on other people and help others.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure yeah, and I mean I and again, I think that's why, like honestly, like I so all throughout college, cuando tenía que hacer tareas and like write papers and stuff like that, I would always talk about my story. I would always talk about being undocumented, or I would talk about daca and like all these statistics and how much we contribute to the economy, just like todo era de eso.
Speaker 2:It's so true though it is it really, really is.
Speaker 1:Pero I like you know afterwards, like I never imagined that I would be working in the immigration field, even though I like, loved it so much I loved talking about it. I loved writing about it. I just never thought I would end up like working in a law firm and you know being part of the process and like you know doing that, um, but, uh, but yeah, so then, when you went to school right away, was that like your first choice right away.
Speaker 2:It was kind of like I want to do this and I'm going to go for it.
Speaker 1:No. So when I, um I think, my first, my first year, my first semester, I was actually going to be an elementary school teacher.
Speaker 2:I used to want to be a teacher.
Speaker 1:No, but I don't have patience.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:I have zero patience, no, I hate, kids I do, I low key do. And so I just decided I'm like no, this is, this isn't for me, and I didn't really know what else. Like, nothing else really like caught my attention, Like, oh, like my parents would tell me like ¿por qué no estudias enfermería?
Speaker 2:No, I know basic.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know for sure. And I don't know like I was always, like I said, I was always into like politics a little bit and stuff like that. So I'm like I'm going to do political science. Wow so that's what I majored in, and so, but again, like, even though immigration is not really like poli sci, you know, I'm like, well, it's kind of like in the field in a way, but yeah, but yeah, up or maybe even now, did you experience kind of like like racism or like just any type of like or anything like that, or no, no, no, you know what did you?
Speaker 2:no, no well I mean like a little bit, because I went to all white school I went to munster.
Speaker 1:Oh did you.
Speaker 2:I did not know that I went to munster so I grew up all over northwest indiana. I uh went. So I was born in chicago. I went to like preschool, like whiting, I went to elementary school in hammond, I went to middle school in merrillville and then I went here oh wow, you were all over the place, yeah, so then, but everywhere was diverse except for here.
Speaker 2:So then, when I came here in high school like I was just like the little brown kid and I did experience like a little bit, but it wasn't like anything crazy, you know, it was just like they would just make fun of me and like call me names here and there. But like I really didn't take it into offense. You know Like I'm a happy dude.
Speaker 1:What would they say?
Speaker 2:So they would just call me, just like literally, just like stupid Mexican or like wetbag or like spick and stuff like that. I'm like, eh, like, no me sea daño, to me you know what I'm saying, like, but maybe it's somebody else it would, you know, because for me, like, I mean, like dude, I don't get offended really like no, like for me, like if somebody's going off on me. I'm just like all right, you know, like no, like no, yo si no, no yo me prendo.
Speaker 2:No, I just like but I like that about myself because so, for example, um, when I'm at work, somebody will be like having a bad day, and then they could just just kind of slightly go off on me and I keep cool Always and they're like why isn't this dude getting mad?
Speaker 1:Or why isn't he talking back Like a co-worker?
Speaker 2:No, like a client or a customer. They're like why isn't this guy talking back? I just cussed his ass out and he's just chilling.
Speaker 1:And I'm like like bro, like it's not gonna do me anything to cuss you out back and that's just gonna make it worse. But yeah, that's just how I am. No, I mean, sometimes I I can keep my cool. But um, so it's been four. I've, I acabo de cumplir cuatro anos of working at my job.
Speaker 2:Damn, and I know it's crazy I've been at my job 10 years no way, I swear what wait?
Speaker 1:what do you do for work continue, and then I'll tell you and um, you know, at first, like, like I said I, I mean I my feelings about immigration like don't change right and and I'm really happy that I get to be a part of the process for a lot of people, or just help people with like different things, um especially people who are undocumented, pero um a veces los clientes se pasan they do yeah una vez.
Speaker 1:I don't know if I should be saying this you don't have to no, no, no, no, una vez, like una señora, I'm not gonna say names obviously una señora. She called me right and I was like helping her and um, she was just kind of like annoying throughout the process, like very persistent, which I, we we have a lot of clients like that. We're like you know, they just want to like rush right or whatever, and it's like, well, you haven't brought me your documents, like I can't do anything, like I can't move your case if you don't bring me what I need.
Speaker 1:So, anyways, like, yeah, like esta señora, like estaba tan así persistent, y me dice over the phone oh, es que usted no sabe lo que se siente, es que usted no sabe lo que es estar aquí sin documentos y que no sé qué. Tanto she like went on a rant and ese día, like me agarró de malas.
Speaker 2:Where you're like oh, really now.
Speaker 1:And like just her tone and her attitude.
Speaker 2:I was like and then you know mexicans no, legit and uh so like what are you trying to say?
Speaker 1:like, like, you know, but I, I think, I think people just don't understand that it's like a process yeah, um, so I have a quick story and then I'll tell you where I work.
Speaker 2:So I work full-time at a credit union. I work at a financial institution.
Speaker 1:Um, I've been there for 10 years that's crazy, that's insane to say that's like that's like a whole bachelor associates bachelor's and master's degree right there like you know what I'm saying?
Speaker 2:like, oh, that's like two and a half high school careers like that's that's crazy to me. Um, so I do with a lot of clients and customer service. So one time somebody came up to me and they wanted to make like some type of payment and they did not have like their account number.
Speaker 2:So then I was like okay, well, unfortunately, I was like I cannot look it up for you. I'm just going to need you to step aside, because there was somebody like behind him. I was like I'm going to do to step aside and then just call this number and when you have it, you can, you can, I can, I can assist you. He was like bro, I'm not moving anywhere. And then I was like sir, all I'm asking for is that you move over here so that I can help the person behind you. I was me right now and I was just like bro. And then he was like just kept like going off on me and I was like I kept my cool the whole time. Wow, yeah, no, but 10 years is a lot then it's a lot.
Speaker 1:How old are you when you started working?
Speaker 2:so I am 29 years old right now, and yeah I really am um and I started there at 20 20 years. I'm gonna complete this okay, yeah, because I turned 30 in june oh wow, yeah it's insane. I feel like I every, every episode wait. Let me ask you this you can say no, okay? Have you ever listened to the podcast I yours.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've seen a few episodes you sure?
Speaker 2:I'm just kidding because I feel like maybe not, maybe not fully right, that's fine that's fine, because sometimes I ask people and they're like I never listened to any one of your episodes.
Speaker 1:I'm like, yeah, that's okay you know, no, like those, the short clips that you post, like, I'll see those, yeah, yeah I mean, it's a lot to ask for someone to listen to a whole ass episode, you know what I'm saying yeah, but I genuinely like it.
Speaker 2:Um. So let me ask you this real quick. So, me being a documented person, and what kind of advice could you give to someone like me to help, especially right now, um, with everything going on, and what kind of advice can you give to someone who is undocumented?
Speaker 1:I'm not sure how to answer that no, you don't have to.
Speaker 2:No, no because like I don't, I don't know really because I think right now there's like I mean, nobody has said anything to me, but I know, like anybody who has like some type of like platform, they're like bro, why haven't you said anything? And I'm like bro, I'm not educated, you know, and that's the main reason why I don't include politics into my social media. It's like, dude, I'm not, I'm not educated. Like I'll share a post here and there, but for me to try to start like a campaign, like I don't think that, I really don't think that's my job no, you know, I I just think that like that's your job.
Speaker 1:Whoever knows. No, neither like I will, not I. I like as much as like I. It is encouraging to see people who do go on social media and like do it like. It's good for them, you know, but like, maybe it's because I'm undocumented so I'm like, no, like no, me quiero meter ahí especially on social media.
Speaker 1:Like no no quiero tocarte más ahí. Like I just I just rather not. You know, like, even though for me like it's behind closed doors, like you hago mi trabajo and I help people like that's the best I could do, or people who know me, or you know, word gets around. Oh, like so-and-so's daughter works at an attorney's office, and like you know where it gets around. And like people, people will message me all the time and ask me like legal questions and I'm like I can't answer that.
Speaker 2:But you can book an appointment.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I get paid for this shit no, I mean, I just think that, like, whatever your platform is or whoever you are, like, you stick to what yeah, you know, stick to who you are, because there's people who love to talk on social media like why did you do this, why do that?
Speaker 2:you know what I'm saying, right?
Speaker 1:no like like you know, unless like something really moves you and you're like it comes out of you to like share something because of whatever it is, that it's whatever it is that is going on, and it doesn't even have to be like related to like immigration. Right, it just can, it can just be anything. Pero I mean I think la gente, like at the end of the day, like everybody does what they want. They share what they want.
Speaker 2:Like a ti que you know. Thank you, I love that. I love that. Um. So thank you for all these amazing topics that we've talked about. I think it's time to begin to like the more fun topics now okay, not that this isn't fun, no, I mean yeah but like I said so, marta, you're known as a mariachi girl all over, all over northwest indiana apparently you didn't know that she's just being humble.
Speaker 1:You know what? No, I'm just kidding.
Speaker 2:Nah, you do that.
Speaker 1:No sabias que I'll share something, but this was like a thing where, like it was like a Chicago-like thing. That's why I'm like shocked and surprised that like, oh, that I'm known in like Northwest Indiana, right, because like I was part of a group that was based out of like Chicago, right I mean, and we did do like, we did Fusil the Lakes here in Hammond.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:So, like you know, people who follow me on media or have me, then like they see that Right, like they see that I'm mariachi, pero I had this thing I already know where you're going. No, you don't.
Speaker 2:Go ahead.
Speaker 1:I had this thing for for a while. This was a little bit back then um where it was like oh, marta's fan club oh what, you have a fan club I have, apparently I have a fan oh, I did not know that.
Speaker 2:That's where this was going. You have a fan apparently that's my dream marta's fan club is crazy. Yeah, where can I follow this?
Speaker 1:no, it doesn't exist oh my god, there's there's no way, there's nowhere to find it. Um, and it actually came out. It came out of the group out of estrellas it came out of the, out of the group, because you know um we go out and gig, right?
Speaker 2:and it's normal and it's normal.
Speaker 1:Sometimes people will try to like talk to you or whatever and like, oh, and honestly, there was like a few situations where, like people were creepy, oh, I bet, Like you know. And yo siempre trato de que, like, if I say something and it's like making me uncomfortable, like I'm like like, oh, let me stay away, but a veces la gente and it's inevitable like you know, we're there, we're performing, we're singing, so la gente se te va a quedar viendo.
Speaker 1:Yeah, of course you know, pero like ya, cuando tu notas que like se te estan viendo de otra manera, it's like oh, you know, but there was like times like that and so like I can't remember, I can't remember what friend member from the group like created it and named oh, marta's fan club that's funny because, yeah, like so.
Speaker 2:Obviously, when you work in that industry, it's inevitable you're gonna have guys that are gonna want to talk to you. They're gonna want to look at you a certain way and even if they say something to you, like you know, brush it off your shoulders here and there. But yeah, when it passes the line, that's when it's like hey yeah, you know, and then you're gonna be around people drinking, partying yeah, obviously you know we get.
Speaker 1:I've seen a lot of crazy stories like tell me a lot of crazy things. I'll tell you one. Um, it was that it was actually last month I went. Last month I went to, I went to go sub with uh, with a group of of viejitos senores to clarify and, um, you know, I I? He calls me up like, hey, can you help me? Okay, yeah, I'm down, I go there right, and I'm the only girl right, and when I go sub for these groups, like siempre soy la única mujer.
Speaker 1:And you're the star, then I am, but usually the main thing, to my understanding, es porque quieren tener una mujer que pueda cantar las canciones de las mujeres Like, so si piden una canción, you know, and I can do it, no que, like obviamente, un hombre la cae.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I get what you're saying, right, yeah.
Speaker 1:So, just so, that's the purpose, right? So you know, we play. It was like for her birthday, we played y ya terminamos la hora y salimos, ¿verdad? Y ya, yo estoy hablando con el señor, con el mero mero, ¿right? Con el jefe, porque ya tenía. Yo creo que como un año que no lo veía.
Speaker 1:So we were just talking right and catching up and he was asking me about the group and stuff like that or what I was doing. Now, y de la nada, we're like not too far away from the door, porque era un salón bien chiquito. Y we're like not too far away from like the door because it was a very small salon and we left and that day it wasn't that cold, so like we were standing outside and he still had to pay us but I was talking to him and so we're like close by the door, kind of close, but not but a little bit like far away, and I'm there talking to the man, and then here are the rest of the men, close but not but a little bit like far away, y estoy yo ahí platicando con el señor, y luego acá están el resto de los señores y luego de la nada este the.
Speaker 1:The door comes like like out of nowhere, like lo primero que se ve, otro señor que también estuvo ahí subbing, I think, like you just see him, like lo aventaron out the door and he just fell on the floor damn, were you playing with some darkos, or what? No, I, he, I don't know. I don't know what he did or what he said, but he was the last one to like leave, like, I think he was probably still inside getting his things or whatever Y este like, lo primero que ves es que poof.
Speaker 2:They just threw his ass out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and the DJ was actually the one who, like, threw his ass out, damn.
Speaker 2:Did you get paid?
Speaker 1:I did get paid. Lo aventó, cayó en el piso y luego le empieza a Empieza a decir el DJ man, I don't remember.
Speaker 2:But he started cursing his ass out, or what.
Speaker 1:He did, he did A una fiesta familiar. No se viene a hacer esto, Que no se que tanto Like. It was just cursing Like bad.
Speaker 2:I'm not even going to repeat the words. Don't say those words. This is a PG podcast. That's crazy.
Speaker 1:Y ya luego me dice el señor Me paga el. And then the man calls me and says we'll talk later.
Speaker 2:Go home and I was like you were trembling.
Speaker 1:I was like, oh shit, what just happened? It was crazy.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You do see a lot of things like that, though.
Speaker 2:You really do. Yeah, I thought that the story you were going to tell was about your famous cardboard cutout. Oh that was crazy too, your famous Corona girl.
Speaker 1:That was all over the world, it was well all over the country, not all all over the country still, that was a really, really cool experience that I like still to this day like no, me la creo so like when you guys obviously you guys had a scheduled photo shoot with corona yeah. So how it happened was that, like they reached out to us via email, via email, via email, I think. I think, o no sé.
Speaker 2:A lo mejor llamaron no sé Either way.
Speaker 1:My friend Gio would know. And right, they reached out to us Y que, oh, you know we're looking to, you know, do some new cutouts for Cinco de Mayo promotion and they wanted to see like potential candidates first, like they wanted to see.
Speaker 2:A ver quién calificaba.
Speaker 1:So ya dice, you know, nos dice mi amigo del grupo like hey, like this and this and that, nos dice mi amigo del grupo like hey, like this and this and that, and you know, whoever wants to, you know, participate, like, send me pictures, like send me your headshots of, like us in our mariachi suits, and so no me acuerdo. Creo que porque querían una mujer y un hombre.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:Okay, entonces creo que de las mujeres nada más, entramos dos Okay, o a lo mejor nada más. No me acuerdo si fue nada más entre ellos o ya, yo. So I think that of the women we only got in two, or maybe I don't remember if it was just between them or me, I don't know.
Speaker 2:No, I think it was me and another girl.
Speaker 1:And of the boys, I think it was four that got in and they got their email and then, after however long, they were like oh, we want so-and-so and Marta.
Speaker 2:You were like oh shit.
Speaker 1:And it was crazy because, like al principio, like oh shit, like for Corona like that's big I didn't know. I did not know how big it was going to get. I like I had no idea.
Speaker 2:Your cardboard cutout was at every supermercado, every carniceria every event gas stations, everything Liquor stores Did you see it personally like a couple times.
Speaker 1:Me going out to the stores no no. I did not, but I do have two of them at home.
Speaker 2:I was going to ask you if you had it. Yeah, yeah, I had to get my hands. How did it go viral though?
Speaker 1:Like was at the fan club? No, not at all. So you know the the year that we like took that, the year that we did the photo shoot. You know like it wasn't going to come out until the following year oh, wow I know they're, so I hate you. Ya mas madura y mas mujer entonces este like we couldn't say anything about it either, like we had to like sign yeah, we had to send some forms and shit and oh and then we had to sign some forms, too, that we wouldn't like.
Speaker 1:Um no, íbamos a demandar that we weren't gonna like sue afterwards, or whatever y ya este the following year um ya empezaron a salir and at first my other friend, um his cutout, was seeing first Like el de él se estaba viendo primero. I'm like, where's me? Like, did they decide not to put me out?
Speaker 2:there too, To like calm down, calm down, Ahorita llega ahorita llega Al rato, entonces este ya.
Speaker 1:ya. You know, during that time frame, because I think desde frame, because I think so, like, so, it'd be like ready for first ink of the mayo I had, like people from florida, people from california.
Speaker 2:They saw me in from California.
Speaker 1:They saw me in Tennessee. They saw me in. Texas, Wisconsin, for sure, Illinois. I never saw the cutout here in Indiana. Actually, no, I lied. I think there was one year where Hammond had this like I think it was for their Cinco de Mayo, like celebration thing. They had the cutouts there actually.
Speaker 2:And that's how I got one of the copies. That's, you were like yo, this is me, can I?
Speaker 1:have it. Yeah, no, literally. Yeah, entonces este. It was crazy because like uh familiares and like uh friends of my dad, especially like out in california, oh mira, I know. And then another story too, a quick side story. I went viral on TikTok for that.
Speaker 2:I saw. That's why I asked how did you go viral Like what's the story?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so what happened was that a girl posted this video she was at the supermarket or whatever and that there's like some cutouts at like some places where, like they would cut out, like take away your face and then, like you, like you could like put your face on there and take a picture, right, pero este cutout had, like my, had my face on there. So el video, like you can see, that like she's like she goes up to the cardboard and just punches my face how did that make you feel like? Were you laughing?
Speaker 2:were you like? What the fuck? She goes up to the cardboard and just punches my face. How did that make you?
Speaker 1:feel Like, were you laughing? Were you like what the fuck? Um, it was funny. I didn't take it offensively, I wasn't offended. Honestly, I was like, okay, this girl just made me even more famous Even more what she's famous.
Speaker 2:She's famous over here. That's amazing. Yeah, over here, that's amazing. Yeah, so it's super cool, yeah, um. So I do want to ask you, like where did this whole mariachi thing come from? Like, is it like, were your parents mariachis? Do you have mariachis in your family? Or like, how did that come a thing?
Speaker 1:no, actually no one.
Speaker 2:Both sides of my parents you're the first of the generation first I'm the first generation.
Speaker 1:Yeah, um, yeah, nobody. My parents are not musics no, not really, I mean yeah, so he's, he's a big like music guy, and so is my mom. But like nothing, crazy like like I said they don't, no, can't and tampoco, pero no, like we came about.
Speaker 2:Because not only like, not only do you sing. Well, you sing and you play an instrument. That's two talents.
Speaker 1:I know Well, you know what I think the singing part came with practice.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for sure, I need to learn how to sing. Toma practica Like it takes mean, I seem like I practice like 15 minutes a day in the shower. Does that count?
Speaker 1:no, no, you gotta go somebody professional okay, I got you, I got you yeah, or like youtube too yeah yeah, so, uh, yeah, it came about. I think I was like 11 or 12 years old when I started like learning how to play the violin, my brothers also. We were learning at the same time your brothers are musicals too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they are both of them, or just one both of them are um.
Speaker 1:My other brother. He's not in a group, he's not really. He loves to play music and he loves music but he doesn't like to play in a group you think he'd be down to be on the podcast? Oh, yeah, for sure I'll hit him up. Yeah, you should.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he just got a new uh. Is it an ep or album?
Speaker 1:it's an album.
Speaker 2:He's got a new album out on uh, on apple and spotify.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, check him out yeah, for sure, like I want to do the same thing yeah, yeah, like I like. I have some original songs.
Speaker 2:Como Angelica Gallegos or what.
Speaker 1:Ah pues, sí, Pero no tanto como ella. Pero I'm like dude, pero I mean I get it, he's in school and then does the whole music stuff, so he's like limited on time.
Speaker 2:But that is actually one of my goals for like this year or next year to like work on and do like a little. Ep thing. Well, if you need some marketing networking, I got you, I got you.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, marketing networking, I got you. I got you. Um, so yeah, keep telling your story. So you started playing at 11.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I started playing, and so my, my brothers, were like a lot younger, uh, which is crazy, sorry, I hate to cut you off, which is crazy because when I saw your brother because you have two of them I know, fernando, what's the other one's name? Mariano when I saw mariano, I thought he was like 35 dude no, no.
Speaker 1:And then I was like I didn't. I was like, oh, I didn't know, you had my sister's genes yeah, I forgot who I.
Speaker 2:Maybe it was. I think I told your sister I was like I didn't know you had an older brother. She was like well, like older than you. She's like no, martha's the oldest and I was like bro. That dude looks like 10 times older than me. I'm over 30 years old.
Speaker 1:It's the beard.
Speaker 2:Yeah, nice ass beard shout out the gallegos family yeah no, for real este.
Speaker 1:No, yeah. So back to the story. My bad um, we so like my brothers, I I say I'm like they got lucky porque like they were a lot younger, like especially. I think that's why fernando is the musico that he is, because he was like eight years old that's amazing. Seven or eight years old when he started playing guitar. So like por eso, like el, like he goes good he's so good like he goes crazy at it.
Speaker 1:So y yo, pues, I think I. So I, when I chose violin, I think I felt like stuck, because I was like, uh, I don't know like what but did you start with violin, as in like classical, or like as in with mariachi? Yeah, yeah, yeah and um. So yeah, like it, just, it just stuck with it, just stuck with um, it just stuck with violin y ya después de tiempo. Like I like, grew to like, love music, because at first I wasn't really a fan of it, to be honest.
Speaker 1:It was more so a thing because, like our parents, like forced us yeah like no tienen que ir, and it was a thing where, like, we had practice once a week for like 2-3 hours and then come summer time, like viene un maestro de Mexico y cuando este maestro esta aqui de Mexico, like he's here for like 2-3 months, entonces el? Like he still does it to this day, pero at that time, when we were in the church group, it was a thing of like monday through thursday, every day.
Speaker 2:We had classes. I mean, that's how you learn when you're dedicated.
Speaker 1:Consistency with anything, and I'm and I'm so grateful for that, because if it wasn't for that, I don't think we would be the the most equals that we are, that's amazing yeah, and so, yeah, this was a tempo like you know.
Speaker 1:Know, we grew out of the church group that's when I joined Estrellas and there was just no room really for like another group for my brother to join. He did join Arencia for a while, okay, but then, like COVID hit, so then things kind of changed Y después de ahí, that's when, like, he started doing the whole sireño thing on his own. That's amazing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's really good.
Speaker 1:Y ya de ahí, pues, like I said, he does the sireño stuff and I like stayed with the mariachi stuff.
Speaker 2:And then, when did the singing come? Like it came at the same time.
Speaker 1:Oh, so yeah, we would perform Like we would do a lot of like church masses and stuff like that. Because, ahí era where we would like practice right.
Speaker 2:I feel like that's where everybody starts. Everybody starts at church.
Speaker 1:Yeah right, entonces este, ya de ahí, like you know, you would get a song, you would get a song assigned y ya, a ti, te tocaba ciertas canciones, or like, again, like we would do a lot of church masses, so like a veces muchos de los cantos eran like oh, todos, todos cantan. Y entonces, entonces, de ahí, con el tiempo, ya, yo practicaba y practicaba más este, las canciones. What is fucked up, though, when I was in that church group I'm not going gonna say names um, I mean, did you earn them?
Speaker 2:maybe I'm just kidding no, it wasn't.
Speaker 1:Maybe you weren't worthy. No, dude, there was. There was another girl in the group that sang worse than me. Yeah, I'm just kidding yes, I guess yeah, no like.
Speaker 2:No, there's a lot of like no, yeah, yeah, no, I get it. Sometimes when it's stuff like that, it's like they pick and choose, or maybe like it's I know this person, that person. It's just how it's like favoritism yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1:I took singing lessons for a while when I was a little bit younger I think I was still in high school. I took some singing lessons for a bit and yeah, this was a temple like once I was in. It was just a matter of like me practicing on my own doing YouTube videos of like vocal exercises and things like that and just doing karaoke, like practicing the song over and over.
Speaker 2:You love karaoke? Right, I do. I've seen you pull some karaoke, yeah I do that's amazing. And then, um, obviously, when you, when you learned how to how to sing, you have to learn like the proper way especially when you're doing mariachi right for sure, because if you're just going to be like, if you want to be like a sing, like regular music, but you have to learn the mariachi style, right?
Speaker 1:I mean, everyone has their own style, you know, like everybody has their own style of singing, but it's it's definitely difficult to, it was definitely difficult to to find, like a vocal coach that would like properly teach me, like mariachi style even even recently, um, or last year actually I took singing lessons lessons again, um, which I really loved because this was like a new, this was a new person and they were really working out for me, because I it was always like self-taught for me and so she was teaching me like new techniques and new things of like bad habits that I was doing that weren't helping me that was like, oh, like I have to do this so that I can sound better like so there was like a lot of things, you know, it's like practica de todo you know, you gotta learn how to do things the right way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah no, because, uh, I'm self-taught too with dancing. I'm actually like, okay, this is kind of crazy to say, but I'm actually not like the best dancer. No, no. So it's weird, I can dance but like, for example, I don't know how to dance cumbia with a partner.
Speaker 1:No, no, I don't know how to dance.
Speaker 2:I don't really like them and I just learned how to dance norteñas last year and then I had someone else teach me how to dance um huapangos, because that's, every quinceanera wanted a huapango.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So I was like, because when I started my quinceaneras I was just doing waltzes and then I would do like small, like simple choreography, but then I started hanging out with all these Mexican kids and all they wanted was huapangos and I was like dude, I don't know how. Norteñas, yeah, norteñas, I was like dude. So I would always dodge them, dodge it, dodge it, dodge it, and then I had to learn. So, like you said, I do want to continue to learn because it's amazing, like if you, if you love it then just keep learning it, and then you love it even more, um so music you, you love it right, it's not just something that you do like.
Speaker 2:Obviously, you do it for fun, but at the same time, I feel like it's it's who you are you know, like for me, I'm the same way Like. I love music, you know. I don't know what I would do without it.
Speaker 1:Like yeah.
Speaker 2:Like music comes with dance music, Like I really if I could sing.
Speaker 1:I love dancing too. Really, I really love to dance. Yeah, last year, and they are fun yeah, they're super fun, especially like las que son mas rapidas. Yeah, las vueltas, yeah, so quick funny story.
Speaker 2:I was at a quinceanera once. It was it was my cousin's quinceanera, so I was just there for the party and I was dancing with the girl and I would never, ever ask girls to dance like I was never the guy to be like hey, que es bailar?
Speaker 1:no, never, because I didn't know how.
Speaker 2:Okay, so I was like, yeah, how could it be just side to side? You know what? I'm saying so, like, how are you a choreographer if you don't know how to dance? And I'm like you know we don't have to dance anymore. Um, besides mariachi, what is some music that that you love? Like, what are your top genres?
Speaker 1:you would say my top genre like to listen to.
Speaker 2:To listen to country yeah, we got that in common. Who's your favorite country singer right now at the moment?
Speaker 1:right now morgan wallen yeah, I like.
Speaker 2:I like john party a lot really yeah, I used to-mm. I just feel like John Party gets me, like he makes me want to put my windows down, right. He makes me want to drive fast on a country road.
Speaker 1:It's like upbeat. Yeah, I love it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I feel like that's like, not that Morgan.
Speaker 1:Wallen's a little bit more like country yeah, yeah like, if that's like you, if that's how you want to.
Speaker 2:Yeah, um. So since your style of singing is mariachi, can you also sing other styles? Or no no, it's like you're saying, like about the whole, like being a choreographer and not being able like to dance other like no, that's crazy, but like, if you can keep a note and get to that note, is it the rhythm or what is it I?
Speaker 1:don't know. I creo que es falta de practica yeah again to what we were saying, because so when I was in high school, I, when I got to high school, I picked up guitar too, so I can also play guitar.
Speaker 2:Guitar, too, Guitar, violin singing. That's it Okay.
Speaker 1:And entonces I actually enjoy guitar more than violin.
Speaker 2:Like if I'm being honest with you sometimes I hate violin.
Speaker 1:Damn I hate playing it.
Speaker 2:Tell us about it more. I'm just kidding. You hate it for real.
Speaker 1:Sometimes I do Wow do.
Speaker 2:I'm not gonna lie like I said, I just feel like I got stuck with it and if I could go back in time and change my instrument, I would definitely do guitar so if you were to with everything that you're doing right now, you would more mainly focus on on guitar and singing. Yes, because I mean like not that there's anything wrong with that, but yeah, I think you're.
Speaker 1:Yeah no, yeah, that's like, oh, what you're gonna do with violin, you know like yeah yeah, um so you really want to?
Speaker 2:uh, I asked you about the whole singing thing. Oh right, yeah, um it's I so like.
Speaker 1:Oh, back to what I was saying. That's why I brought up um. When I was in high school, I picked up guitar and I would do a lot of covers, and I I have.
Speaker 1:I have a few original songs too that I wrote really like I would do a mix of both English and Spanish, like covers, so like. But and it's funny because in ese tiempo, like I, I like I had people tell me like oh, you sound better singing in English, at that time, ahorita, like le calo, y no, I'm like, oh my God, no, pero sabes por qué es? Porque yo me la paso practicando when I do karaoke or when I listen to mariachi music. Obviously, like I try to I to interpret like certain yeah phrasings or whatever you know.
Speaker 1:They got out of the list. You know mariachi or like that, and don't says it's definitely not the same yeah when you try to sing like a different genre. So even if I tried, like yeah, I'm sure I could hit the note and like seeing it perfectly fine, without like not sounding terrible, but like a boy I can that country and I'm gonna sound country, no, no.
Speaker 2:So then if you were to have, like I said, like an ep or a little project, what would it be? Mariachi, or what would it be?
Speaker 1:I have no idea. No, I mean, it's something that comes, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm still figuring it out because, uh, I really I love, I love mexican music me too. So for me Like La cosa, lo moderno, si me gusta, pero it's more for like the beat. But, when it comes to music, I look into the lyrics, I look into the way that it makes me feel. So that's why me gusta Like Lo antiguo. Mas so for me, I love Luis Miguel. Okay, I love Cristiano Dal. I love Cristiano Dal and how he modernized mariachi.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you like that or no? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, my mom's a big fan of Cristiano Dahl songs. Who else do I?
Speaker 2:like Cristiano Dahl, luis Miguel, I just recently got into like the banda stuff recently. Really but like banda, ms La Adictiva, like stuff, like that. I was always into banda, you know.
Speaker 1:So I so, more so recently, I feel like. So I've been like, I think, for like the past, going on to two years now. Maybe, maybe I'm exaggerating. I feel stuck.
Speaker 2:What do you?
Speaker 1:mean Like when it comes to listening to music.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, I feel so stuck. Like, do you feel like you listen to the same?
Speaker 1:music. Like I feel like I feel like I haven't been able to discover new music, or I kind of feel like, like I don't know. I don't know what the vibe is Like. I don't, I don't know.
Speaker 2:No, say no, say I got you, I've been feeling that way for a while now.
Speaker 1:So there's, there's days like, depending on the weather, depending on whatever like. I'll play like I like I'm a little bored, you know. Or then like I'll switch it up like here and there.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But like it doesn't take away the fact that I really love country music.
Speaker 2:No, I get that, so I'm kind of like that. But what I do is I love every single genre, like right now, my top genres at the moment I would say is I love like, kind of like, the Tejano vibe. Okay, okay. So I like into cable I love, and then like all like the other like little cover bands so look like the parranda predilecto.
Speaker 1:I like lemons, a lot like, but like they're like slower two-step I see, yeah, you know what I'm talking about. You're saying yeah, I like that stuff a lot, yeah and I'm big.
Speaker 2:This is before the bad bunny album. I'm big on salsa I really love salsa. I'm not a big fan, no, let me put you on uh, what else, I don't know. I just really like that stuff. You know, predilecto right?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So I messaged the lead singer if he wanted to be on the podcast and then he was like, hey, he's like, yeah, what's your podcast about? He was like I'm not really that interesting, but maybe we can make something work.
Speaker 2:So I'm it in march and I'm hoping that I could get him on it, because predilecto and lemans are kind of the reason why I started to like mexican music because whenever I thought about mexican music, like la banda no me, no me llamaba la atención, especially growing up with like white kids, you know, like no okay so then lemans started with a cover. It was uh, yo siento que you know that one like I was like bro, this song is fucking amazing. And then with pretty delightful too, like I don't know it's like when they grab songs that are like another genre and then you make it into like the mexican style yeah yeah it's like it gives you a different feel I loved it.
Speaker 2:I loved it um. So you being in mariachi, I'm pretty sure you've done like thousands of serenatas oh my god, yeah has anybody ever given you a serenata?
Speaker 1:I think that means no, no I mean no, I mean nobody, no or nobody's like hired a serenata for you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they have. They have okay. Okay, because I was like I wonder what it must feel, like you know right, yeah, I get what you're saying. So no one's ever like uh saying to you, saying no, but I mean like at least hired somebody for you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, I did have that happen once that's amazing it definitely I honestly it felt, uh, it felt really nice because honestly uh, the mariachi that came is son mis favoritos oh really yeah, I used to play with them. I would I still play with them here and there. Um, pero yo tocaba con ellos tambien otro grupo de señores and um, yeah, they're, they are my favorites, and so it it's. It was definitely weird being on the other side like what do you do? You just stand there oh, do you want me to?
Speaker 2:join you guys like yeah, I feel that because, like, I love the podcast and I'm like bro, I want someone to interview me, so bad you know, it's like I want to be interviewed, like I'm getting not that I'm getting tired of interviewing people, but it's like I want to talk to another end right, I want to talk about me exactly you know not that I should always talk about myself but, um but no, yeah, um, it was definitely different, for sure, because it's like like playing for people playing for their weddings and or serenatas, or even like proposals and things like that.
Speaker 1:Oh, you've done proposals, yeah and so and they're serenading you Like that's amazing, it was nice, that's amazing yeah.
Speaker 2:I've I've been into proposals a lot recently. If anybody's going to get engaged they hit me up and I'm not even a professional, you know, but I still I'm not a professional in anything that I do.
Speaker 1:You know, I'm not a professional at this at quinceañ, just do it, just because I love it, you know um. So somebody was, hey bro like oh, it was my cousin, somebody was gonna propose and like hey, let me hit you up.
Speaker 2:And I was like, okay, and then, after that, otro, otro, otro, I was like, damn, like you know. Okay, so, since you sing all the time, what are some of your favorite songs that you love to sing? Is that hard to pick?
Speaker 1:yes, yeah yeah, um, I can give you, like some of my top artists, like mariachi wise, I'm really big. I actually thought about this too. I was like, hmm, let me like think rocio de burcal and she's not even mexican, I know which is crazy right um I I really love like a lot of her songs um cello. I don't know if you've heard or uh, beatriz adriana yeah those are like my top three that I like, really really like.
Speaker 1:When it comes to like the, mariachi music or like inspo, that I get, yeah, but as as far as songs, it always changes, to be honest yeah, it's your mood and the vibe for sure, because it takes time like it took time, like for a while we would always play, like we would always play this song yeah like cualquier, vamos a suponer like, oh, esta canción, like we practiced it, so we would play it over and over every weekend.
Speaker 1:So después de tiempo, at first me aburría, like at first I really loved to sing the song. Yeah, después de tiempo, pues me aburría, yeah, but bored.
Speaker 2:But then comes another song yeah, like that as far as songs no, I have songs that whenever there's a mariachi I have to request it, and I've noticed this Every time I ask them for the song one, it's either hard to sing or they won't sing it because they don't know how. ¿sabes una cosa?
Speaker 1:That one is so hard, is it? It is so. I think I realized it, because I hate playing that song. Okay, I'm glad you said that, because I love.
Speaker 2:Okay, so in may and in september because of cinco de mayo and in september because of the mexican independence okay that whole month I have the luis miguel mariachi album on repeat the whole month so sabes, una cosa is one of my favorites yeah and then I'll ask mariah, she like that was one of those like no la tenemos, no la tenemos. Or like son no la sabemos bro.
Speaker 1:Or then when they sing it, they'll like remix it oh or like it's, like you know it's different, it's not the same. Huh, no, it's not the same. And like man it's case, no, it's, I'd say it's. It's a pretty difficult song really I sing it pretty.
Speaker 2:What would you say, is a song que no te gusta que pidan that one.
Speaker 1:That one for sure. Personally, mariachi Loco gets annoying, dude La gente. Oh toquen Mariachi Loco and then like la piden, pero no se ponen a bailar.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's the worst.
Speaker 1:It's like well then we're. You know we're just playing the freaking song, yeah exactly. Y no hay nadie bailando Esta y la de Amor Eterno.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, I like that one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I like it too. It's just a really sad song Y and since I always have to sing it or I always had to sing it it's a song that everyone asks for.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Eternal love, Especially when you go to parties where they're not very cultured, they ask for the same like five songs. You know what I'm talking about. Since you brought up Rocio Durcal, one of my favorite songs is La Gata Bajo La Lluvia. I love that song so much. So I think we've been talking for like over an hour.
Speaker 1:Did you know that?
Speaker 2:no, it feels like really quick yeah it feels like 20 minutes. It is almost time that the podcast comes to an end, um, but before we end this, do you have any questions for me or anything that you'd like? To ask me or or know about me. You don't have to I'm used to nobody asking me questions I'm sorry, no, okay, well then, let me ask you.
Speaker 2:Let me ask you one thing before we end this podcast. So I want to start this thing where I I want to ask the guest a question for every episode um, what makes you happy? It could be, it could be a physical thing, it could be like a feeling, it could be something that you do, but like what makes you happy interesting.
Speaker 1:Um, I think a lot of things make me happy. I think happiness is a feeling that, uh, a feeling and a emotion that goes up and down, right like, just like when you're sad, sad. Sadness, cousin comes and goes right. Um, but family, my family, makes me really happy. Um, knowing that we're all okay makes me happy. Um, the sky, the sky is like one of my biggest, uh, one of my biggest things, that like si esta el sol, like when the sun is setting I feel like I've noticed that you post like you post the sky, I do.
Speaker 1:I like to post the sky a lot because it's, it's just my favorite thing, like la vida es bonita and it gives me like. It gives me like a sense of hope, like yeah la vida like oh, la vida es bonita. You know porque para mí, like cuando está nublado, like it's a little, it's a little depressing. You know what? I mean, but like um, it really, um, it really makes me happy when it, when there's a pretty sky yeah, especially when it's like pink and like the little cloudy or like stuff like that yeah I love that and I love like being able to see that as I'm driving yeah, and I'm playing music.
Speaker 1:It's like one of the things.
Speaker 2:The vibe right.
Speaker 1:It's definitely the vibe that makes me really happy, nice, I love that.
Speaker 2:I love that. Yeah, and I just been wanting to ask people that because I think sometimes people need to just like stop and think about really what makes them happy.
Speaker 1:You know, yeah, yeah, I think life sometimes you're so caught up with, like your everyday life and work and yes, and things like that that like you don't stop to really like, think like well, what's making me happy now? Yeah, because you know, like what made you happy last year maybe doesn't make you happy?
Speaker 2:no, this year. Yeah, every we're evolving. How old are you? I'll be 26 next month dang, 25 was my was my best year.
Speaker 1:Really, it really was 25 was my best year and then 29 it was like really good but I'm hoping 30 is the best I'm, I'm on the fence, I'm like really yeah, I felt like last year was kind of rough I'd say like, I feel different you do I do like I, I mean, I know, like I'm only um, I'm only gonna be 26, and people tell me all the time like oh, you're still so young you really are you know, but it's like no, but I feel old, I really do.
Speaker 1:I I do say that a lot to people like no me siento, me siento vieja, like aparte de, que I think I've always considered myself and I think people tell me this a lot too Like, oh, you're very mature, I think that, so I was ending the podcast.
Speaker 2:I think I knew of you when you had to have been like a teenager. You had to have been like yeah maybe still in high school. Yeah, I think I was out of high school. You had to been maybe like seven, 16 or 17 years old.
Speaker 1:I think I was 16. Yeah.
Speaker 2:And 16 or 17 years old I think I was 16, yeah, and I.
Speaker 1:And as soon as I knew of you, you, you gave me that mature vibe right away, really yeah, no, yeah, I was like damn yeah no, yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2:So it's like no, but thank you for sharing all that with me. Thank you so much for being on this podcast I loved everything that we talked about, from the immigration to the love of music, all of it yeah um, do you want people to find you on social media or no? Yeah, where can people find you on?
Speaker 1:I loved everything that we talked about, from the immigration to the love of music, all of it. Do you want people to find you on social media or no? Yeah, where can people find you on social media? It's Mar Gallegos underscore.
Speaker 2:All right, cool. And then, guys, you guys can listen to Little Shy Podcast every single Monday on Apple and Spotify. Make sure you guys turn your post notifications on so you guys are alerted every single time we get a brand new episode. Once again, guys, let's give it up for.