Chateau Bow Wow

The Music Industry Almost Broke Her - Featuring Grizel Del Valle "La Chachi"

Geraldo J. Uscategui Season 1 Episode 7

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0:00 | 51:11

In this emotional and inspiring episode of Chateau Bow Wow Podcast, host Geraldo J. Uscategui sits down with powerhouse vocalist, actress, performer, and independent artist Grisel Del Valle La Chachi for a raw conversation about resilience, artistry, identity, motherhood, and chasing dreams against all odds. From growing up in Newark, New Jersey and being immersed in Puerto Rican culture, to performing internationally, selling out legendary venues, battling body dysmorphia, postpartum struggles, and navigating the brutal realities of the entertainment industry, Grisel shares her truth with honesty and heart. This episode dives deep into independent artistry, self-belief, community support, and the emotional sacrifices behind every performance. 

Episode Highlights

• Growing up in Newark and Puerto Rican culture
• The origin story behind “La Chachi”
• Touring internationally before social media existed
• Overcoming body image struggles in entertainment
• The emotional reality of independent artistry
• Selling out the legendary SOBs venue in NYC
• Battling postpartum while performing live
• How music became therapy and purpose

 Key Takeaways

• Authenticity and resilience create unforgettable artists
• Independent creators survive through community support
• Pain and passion often fuel the greatest performances


SPEAKER_04

Hola mi gente, how goes it? My name is Geraldo Joseos Kiteggi, and I'm here as your host F Chateau Bowell. Today I have a very, very special guest, uh, a good friend, become a family member, uh incredible performer, and just honestly just an all-around talent. Um I have the amazing, amazing talent of Grisel Del Valle, La Chachi. Say hello.

SPEAKER_02

Ah, thank you for having me. Thank you, thank you. I'm happy to be here.

SPEAKER_04

Absolutely. And we've been talking about doing this for a while.

SPEAKER_02

I know.

SPEAKER_04

Um we first met, uh, I think. When did we meet? Wait. 2018 BC, before COVID. And um, and um, I went to see you in a live show.

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

SPEAKER_04

Um, I first I saw you on Instagram, you were performing with I Like It Like That, the traveling show. Yes. And I got to follow you and stuff, and you know, we got sort of friendly. But then um you were doing a live performance at Dwayne Park.

SPEAKER_02

My burlesque show theater.

SPEAKER_04

Correct, correct. And um, I was actually dating someone and I bought tickets to go to the show for Valentine's Day. And between the time that we uh uh I bought the tickets and the show, we actually broke up. So I had the tickets, and again, they were they were you know, they they were you can spend some money when you go see it, you know?

SPEAKER_02

No, it's the quality.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, 100%, 100%. So I wasn't I didn't know what to expect. But I brought uh my friend JD, um, again, worst worst uh Valentine's Day ever. But you came out and you just blew us away. I mean, the power in your voice. And it it's one thing to see you on on the radio and to see you, uh, you know, hear I'm sorry, hear you on the radio or see you on Instagram, but then you're there live, and you just completely, just completely blew it out. And my friend asked me, he was like, Who's this woman? And I said, I don't know. I don't know, but I need to know her. I need to get, you know, and that's what happened. We ended up becoming friends.

SPEAKER_02

Oh I'm so happy you came to that show. Yeah. Because I wasn't there for a really long time. Um, I did a couple of productions there, and then I took the show and the burlesque vibe uptown to like Washington Heights area, and they were really receptive, which was pretty cool. Um, but that that actually that burlesque stuff opened up a whole other world for me when it comes to production and like getting into that whole world.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, it was super cool. And you had like the dances and stuff that was hanging for the ceiling.

SPEAKER_02

Because I wanted to make sure it was authentic. Like, I even though I wasn't willing to strip or or you know, do the whole authentic burlesque stuff where I'm going down to pasty Cynthong, um, I because it was a supper club and because the the place was so dope and known for that, I wanted to be true to the vibe, and um I hired the authentic girls to come and do that.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, they were great. Yeah, they were great.

SPEAKER_02

I'm sure they were.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, they were. They were. Again, it was, you know, again, the food was good, but the sh, you know, the show was incredible. Yeah, honestly, it's you just blew us away. And I was like, holy crap, I need to know this this you know, this woman again. You know, I need to just know more about her.

SPEAKER_02

No, and I'm happy that that became a whole look at us now, we're like family.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, yeah. Um, so I've said too much. Let's talk about you. Let's talk about growing up and where you come from, your roots and school and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_02

So, Grisel Leloyela Chachi. I I am born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. Um, my city definitely molded me and helped me like be who I am today. Um, and I spent a lot of time in Puerto Rico as well with my dance companies and stuff like that. So I have to say that when it comes to the culture of the music, like the bomba, the plena, the salsa, um, that was my time in PR. But I feel like the streets of Norwork were what kind of like molded that eclectic artist who can sing uh Aretha Franklin song, but could also do a Celia Cruz, can sing um, you know, a Sarah Vaughn song or a Edda James song, but can also do a Lady Gaga. Um it was that block, my hood, you know, listening to everybody and their mother on that one street. This side is Fania and this side is Celia, and Stevie Wonder's down the block, and Whitney Houston's coming out the radio in the car. So it was like, it was just my hood molded me. The hood that shaped me into like knowing about street smart and how to be like real, real smart. Like Norc is is, I always try to, I always say that I take it everywhere I go because because it is who I am, it is part of who I am. Sometimes people meet me and they're like, oh, she's intimidating. And I don't think I am, I just think it's probably like the Nork thing in me.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah. I mean walk around different. I mean, you know, you don't have a face that I would like think is a push, like somebody has a pushover. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02

No, no, no, I don't think so. I don't think so. But I I I I will say this, I've gotten it from men and women. They're like, oh, you're intimidating. And I'm like, you're intimidated. I'm not intimidating. It's the you think that's not a me thing, because I think I'm a sweet person and I like to talk to people. People come up to me all the time, and I'm always like, Yes, let's take a picture. Yes, say hello, or yes, don't worry if I'm eating. Don't and maybe it's because it's not at a crazy level, and maybe when it gets to that crazy level, that's a different story. Yeah, it's a different stuff. But for right now, I'm like, you know what? You guys are what make me like make these things and my wild wildest dreams possible. So I feel like I'm indebted to my family. Like, I love y'all. I really do.

SPEAKER_04

We had we had discussed earlier, like your mom put you in everything in all kinds of uh programs.

SPEAKER_02

My mom, my mom raised me with my grandmother and my godmother. So I I come from like three women, let's say. And um, my mom did a really good job in like putting me in a lot of different things. So in elementary school, I played the trumpet for three years, I was part of a dance company, I was singing with the Music Olympic choir, I was um acting, I I I was a baton twirler, I was in beauty pageants. Like my mom basically she was like, All right, I don't want you to become a statistic. Like, I need to keep you occupied, occupied at all times so that you know, pa que no se me pierda. Yeah, yeah. And I thank her for that because after all was said and done, after the years of everything, I look at myself now and I'm like, I'm so happy that my mom let me do those things or that she instilled that in me because that's that's part of my life's purpose. This is where I feel like I'm at home, where I shine the best, where I'm helping people, and and in a weird way, right? But it's it's being able to express myself in music.

SPEAKER_04

It's amazing.

SPEAKER_02

Therapy.

SPEAKER_04

And you always knew you were gonna go like you went to you went to high school in the performing arts, right?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. So our tie is like uh New York's LaGuardia. So like Tisha Campbell came from R Tie, Michael B. Jordan, Frankie Negrong, uh Sarah Vaughn, Grisel Del Valle La Brachita. So, so you know, it's a very um academically, you have to be like, you have to have a good uh GPA, but you you have different majors. And I majored in television production and communications. And that comes from my guidance counselor in eighth grade saying, Hey, you already play the trumpet, you already dance, you already sing, you already act. She was like, Why don't you become well-rounded and do something that you don't know and that you're not good at? And that, and I was like, wait, what? She was like, Yeah, write a commercial. And I'm like, wait, what? I wrote a commercial and I got accepted. So she's like, okay, what can't you do? And I was like, I don't know. Right. So, but I'm grateful that she kind of like um made me look at it like that and kind of like push me to do something that was gonna challenge me, but was also gonna grow me, you know?

SPEAKER_04

And so you always knew you were gonna go into entertainment. Always, always. How did you start out?

SPEAKER_02

Um I started dancing when I was a little girl. That's where chachi comes from. My aunt would always like and you know, put me on top of the table. And I think there's like a salsa song that towards the end it goes, cha chicky, cha cha cha cha, chic, chicki, cha cha cha cha. And La Chachi, Chachita was what it was. So she was also obsessed with happy days, and Chachi was a character in happy days because he died.

SPEAKER_04

Joni loves Chachi. Right.

SPEAKER_02

And ironically, my brother's name is Jonathan, and we call him Joni. So Joni and Chachi. So we still got it. And then I did I named my dog Fonzie.

SPEAKER_04

No.

SPEAKER_02

I did, I did. I'm that person. Um, no, but yeah, they they I don't know where I was. Where were we? Where were we?

SPEAKER_04

Well, you started out with uh with the with dance and choreography, right?

SPEAKER_02

Yes. Um, so dance, and then for my sweet 16, I took it really serious because I asked my mom if my core could do a choreography. So we hired a professional dancer. She came, she taught us, and we did a choreography. It was beautiful. And then she was like, you know what? You're actually really good. Like, why don't you take free lessons on Wednesdays and help me with the beginners? And I'm like, you know what? Let's do that. So I strike I started training under her, and then from there, um, she introduced me to a company that she was part of, Caribbean Soul. And that's how I started traveling internationally all over the world. So at 17, 18, I was already like traveling and touring to Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, London. Um, I I did Australia. I judged for ESPN in Australia. And again, this was all before MySpace, before Facebook, before phones had cameras. So I'm like, you know, I I was I was popular before the wave.

SPEAKER_04

It's cool. You know? Tell me about uh your first gig. So not professional, your first gig, like the first time you're like, you know what? I can do this before somebody writes you a check. Because there's an order, right? It's the first time we realize you're a badass, and then then later on you realize I can make a book.

SPEAKER_02

I mean, vocally, I knew I was a badass in elementary school because I I remember this one time I like filled, they they were doing uh solos. And so he was like, Whoever wants to audition, write your name on the list, and then we'll, you know, we'll audition. And I went, and of course, I wanted to try the solo, so I didn't think I was gonna get it, but I was like, I want to try it. And I wrote it down, my name, and then no one else wrote their name on the list. And I was like, What? So he gave me that solo. So another time comes for another winter recital, whatever, and he's like, Grizel, I want you to audition, but I don't want you to put your name on the paper. I said, Okay, cool, Mr. Manel, I love that man, who actually gave in a good word when I started working with Romeo, small world full circle. Nice. And he's like, Um, I want to see something. And so many people auditioned. And he actually wound up picking a girl named Joanna. And then Joanna had the first solo in the song. It was for Oh Happy Day. And then I had the second solo in the song. Another full circle moment, she was my doula and she helped me breath my son. Look at that. Joanna. So go seeker.

SPEAKER_04

So he did that, you think, because you think that when they saw your name, they were like, I'm not gonna bother. Right. It kind of scared them off on intentionally.

SPEAKER_02

He kind of like peeped the intimidation. Um, and so he was like the next recital, he was like, he already foresaw what was gonna happen, and he was like, Child, don't you're gonna audition, but don't write your name down. I want to see something. And like six, seven girls, six, seven, they auditioned for it, which was kind of cool. Um it's not me. I swear, it's not me.

SPEAKER_04

No, my daughter's gonna be doing that. I can't say those two numbers, and she's like this every time. And then I'm and if I don't do this, I get in trouble.

SPEAKER_02

Right. No, every time my goddaughter is like six, seven, I'm like seven, eight, nine, okay? It ate it. Stop, don't do it.

SPEAKER_04

That's funny. But but that's that's cool, man.

SPEAKER_02

So I know at a young age that I was a little forced to be reckoned with, but um, I think that the dance world kind of like it shaped me on the cattiness and the of the entertainment business, you know, and and that's there's always the two sides, you know, the positive and the negative. And so that also like grew me as an artist because it kind of like showed me a world that I wasn't really ready for either, you know? Intense.

SPEAKER_04

So now you know that you can perform, now you don't know that you that you're a professional, right? Take me from there to your first, like, hey, I can get paid to do this.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, so I was dancing, I remember we were in Germany, and there was a choreography that I would sing a cappella, and one of the dancers would was playing the gongas, and then the other dancer would interpret what I was singing and she was playing. And several people came up to me after that weekend and were like, you know, child, you sing really well. Like, babe, you could dance, because you could dance, but you sing, like people can't really sing the way you do. And they were like, you should really consider like doing something with that. At the time, I was also like 80 pounds heavier than what I am now. So to the public eye, I was overweight, right? So I really didn't see myself like as a singer or anything like that. Um, but I got an audition for uh a Latin review in Atlantic City, and it came through a dancer from another company who was actually choreographing that show. And she was like, hey, you have a really good voice, you should audition. And that's when they they that was my first singing paid gig, which was incredible. I started at like back then it was like $600 a week. And I remember it was also the first time where I was like presented with the opportunity of like, if you lose weight, we will pay you more money. And I was like, What?

SPEAKER_04

That's wild, right?

SPEAKER_02

It was wild. And for an 18, 19-year-old, you know, it's even wilder because you're young. And so I think that's where the whole body dysmorphia and the whole like, oh, I want to lose weight, but not doing it in a healthy or in a healthy manner started. And um, yeah, by the time I left, I was getting paid more money. So then I also knew like the power of like, wait a minute, like you can negotiate, you could do this, you get like there's always room for more. And so even though it triggers me, it triggered me at times looking at it afterwards. Now I'm like, you know what? Everything that happened to me is what made me who I am right this second.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_02

And if I changed any of that, then I probably wouldn't be the same person today. So I wouldn't change none of it.

SPEAKER_04

Nope. None of it. Okay, so now here we are, right? And you're again, you realize that you have this potential and you have this talent. And you want to take this on the road, right? What's the first opportunity where you go, okay, I am I do I want to do this, do I want to go on a road, do I want to leave home, or were you just ready to go? Your first time.

SPEAKER_02

I was ready to go, but I didn't know where I was going.

SPEAKER_04

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

It's like I knew I wanted to be entertaining and I I wanted to be out my house and out of Nork, but I didn't know what I wanted to do. And I didn't know what I liked more. Like it's like when you have three children and people ask you, Well, what do you like to do, or what child do you like best? Or you love them all individually and different. So when it comes to my acting, I love it's it's like another way of expressing and releasing, right? And you get to play as an adult, you get to be a kid and play. Um, which was something that my acting coach was therapeutic and helped me get through some crazy ass shit from like childhood traumas that till this day, I'm like, no one knows how incredible this acting coach was because he tapped into like real life for me. Um, so that's one. Then the vocally, I never trained vocally. Like that's surprising. So if you consider being an elementary school choir training vocally, then I trained. But I never trained vocally. As a dancer, I trained, and as an actress, I trained. I did like a two-year conservative with Anthony Aibson in New York. But as a vocalist, that's my God-given gift. So that there it's like, you know, you asked me, like, when did you know? How did you know? I didn't know. I was just like, I knew that I wanted to be in the public eye. I knew I wanted to perform and entertain, but I didn't know. I I I still didn't have like the specific specificity, like this is what I want to do. And then um, but then things changed because after I noticed like that there's no like real money makers in the dance world. And at that age, I was looking at it like 22 years old, maybe. I was like, there ain't no millionaires here. Like, what am I doing here? And that was the real reason as to why I kind of like pivoted and was like, what's the next step? Because dance isn't it. I haven't met a millionaire dancer yet. I haven't, and not saying that it was money driven, but you know, at that age, you're impressed by shit like that, right? So um I would say that that was uh that was a little moment for me. And then and then when I got accepted to sing in this wedding band, it was called the Rhythm Shop. Um, the rhythm shop changed my life. I worked with them for all of my 20s, and it was a 15-piece orchestra, and I was the only girl for I want to say like five years, I was the only girl. And then later on, they brought somebody else. But I will say that being in that band and being a like as the only female vocalist and them telling me you have to know how to sing Motown, you have to sing disco, you have to sing top 40s, you have to sing American standards, I need you to sing in Latin, I need you to sing in Italian, like that shit challenged me as a vocalist, but it also like like a diamond, all that pressure, it trained me into the vocalist I'm right now.

SPEAKER_04

I was gonna say that right now. That's kind of like your training, you know, the school of life. Yeah, baptism by fire. Oh shit, I I never heard that. Sure, yeah. I mean, I I write sometimes.

SPEAKER_00

Oh shit.

SPEAKER_04

You know, you know what's funny is that like I I you when you said to me, you know, I never was trained, it used natural talent, and I was like surprised, like, wow, it's surprising because again, you know, again, you're great. I never said that before, but you really are. But then I think about it, and I didn't go to school for that neither, you know, and and I didn't go to school for writing, and but I have stories to tell, right? And I learned along the way. And so it's it's actually kind of similar, you know.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I literally learned vocally what I could do, and I actually I would experiment, like I would be like, oh, I want to try a high note. Like I I felt it or I I knew it was there, but I never tried it. And I'm like, you know what? I'm gonna try it tomorrow. And tomorrow I came and I would try it. And so I definitely feel like that whole world molded me into the vocalist. Um, but then even after I would say eight years, nine years of doing that, I just felt like I was like in a box. And even though I was singing and I was making good money and I was doing something that was creative and artistic, and I was still, you know, doing that and entertaining, it wasn't what I wanted because it was, it wasn't my people, it wasn't my community, it wasn't, you know, it was very private. I couldn't talk about it, I couldn't post about it. Or for the most part, you know, you sign in DAs and you, you know, you can't really so I was like, I want to do stuff that that makes me happy. And that's from from the wedding band was that I went to Off Broadway. And that was crazy.

SPEAKER_04

It's it's gotta be tough. Um, you know, we I have friends obviously that are singers and they're from TSO and they they tour, but the former members of uh of TSO, you know, you know some of them. Um it's gotta be tough because you yeah, you're an independent artist, right? So you're responsible for for everything. Yeah, I'm like your marketing, right? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

I'm my label, I'm my publicist, I'm my musical director, I'm my um, I'm my manager. Um, with one of my best friends, you know, we kind of like managed my career for a little bit together. And I thank her, Melee, because thanks to Melissa Marine, I was able to finish my album, Site A. Thanks to you, Heraldo. Like, I don't want to cry on your podcast and shit. But I gotta say, you're like, you became family, and you're like one of those people that like you know when I'm not feeling my best. And it's like you guys like really like catapulted and like really kept me inspired during that time because it was COVID, it was pregnancy, it was a lot.

SPEAKER_04

So funny because you're like that.

SPEAKER_02

And I love y'all.

SPEAKER_04

And I'm like, for what?

SPEAKER_02

Really? Because if it wasn't for the support that I received from people like Melee, from people like you, from people like Jane, from people like Yvette, like as much as I've poured into this vision and this dream, like, you know, you can't do this shit alone.

SPEAKER_04

No, it it's I you know me. I have a very, very uh a big soft spot for independent artists. So I'm always promoting people, I'm always, you know, whatever they they put their cash up at a Zell, it's in a couple, you know, a couple of buffs, some, you know, some change, you know. Yeah, because it's important to just support, support, support independent artists. It, you know, I think that these guys that are selling the arenas, listen, it's nice to buy a you know a nice ticket, right? But they they they got their bag, you know. You know, you go to I go to an event, I buy tickets, I buy drinks, I buy merch, yeah, and all that. Just you know, again, independent artists to me, that's that's my I love that, you know.

SPEAKER_02

Well, we love you and we we're very grateful for people like you. No, for real. We're grateful for people like you because y'all help us um stay on track, you know. It's it's difficult when you gotta you gotta wear all the hats in the book. And and when you're a girl, it's even more difficult sometimes, you know. Um, but to have people that really support you, that they see the vision, that they see the dream, and that they believe in you at times more than you believe in yourself, like you guys are super valuable.

SPEAKER_04

Um you know, again, as a as a fan, right? Again, I'm I'm biased, I know that shit, you know. But you know, I am, I'm totally biased, right? Because again, I you know I'd love to you're act for such a long time. But you know, as as just a fan, it's cool, right? But then as as a human, and we'll go into your humanitarian stuff later, which is incredible.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you.

SPEAKER_04

Um, but as a human, you see your friends or somebody who's putting their heart and soul into you know, into this one show, show up. You know what I'm saying? Show up.

SPEAKER_02

Yo, the least you could do for somebody, even even if you can't show up, post it for you.

SPEAKER_04

Post it.

SPEAKER_02

Post repost it. It takes nothing to share, to repost, to there's been times where Geraldo has not been in New York when I have a show or something, and he's like, Cha, I bought a ticket for my cousin. My sister's gonna go pick up Coquito. Like you, you, you know, like so it's it's about the support, the the word of mouth, the connecting, the putting people on. The that's so important.

SPEAKER_04

Um, my sister, you know, again, she saw I was posted your things and she's like, Oh, I'd like to see her show one day. So I brought her to SOB's. It's the night that you did the when I know your video. My sister was blown away. Oh, you know, and I got her the merch. She was so happy, you know. I don't know if you remember, you know.

SPEAKER_02

I do remember. Um I was nice seeing you like right there, too.

SPEAKER_04

Like yeah, I was right, I was right there, you know, at uh it was great, man. And some of the songs you sang, they were new, right? And that they were part of the album that was not out yet. It was, you know, like some you know, like emotional shit, right?

SPEAKER_02

Like ballads that in Spanish we call cortavenas.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, yeah, the one you'd be like, I love him so much.

SPEAKER_02

Don't do that, girls, don't do that.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, but uh Una Noche was so incredible. And again, a couple of numbers that that you did were just were just just really, really just powerful. Um, but going into SOBs, how was that performance, doing a live thing, putting those pieces together?

SPEAKER_02

So after being away from the stage after giving birth to my son, that was like the real, the first real show I did. And a lot of people didn't know that I was. Dealing with postpartum. So to the public, that was one of my best shows, like by far. And I felt beautiful. I felt like I felt like I looked like myself for the first time in a long time, but I still didn't feel like myself. So even in singing some of those sad songs, they was loaded. There were so many moments where I was just like, wow, not second guessing myself from a place of like I'm insecure and I don't, you know, I don't know what I'm doing because I knew what I was doing. I put the whole show together. The sets, the the musicians, the wardrobe, the visuals in the back, the flyer, the you know, printing tickets out, dropping tickets off in different places so that they could sell tickets for me as well. Like it, you become a promoter, you become everything. It was intense, fucking hard.

SPEAKER_03

That sold out too, right? Because the line without the door.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, that it sold out. It was it was um, I wanted to prove something to myself. SOBs is a super legendary um, you know, venue. And and people like Tito Puente and the Celia Cruises have like sold that place out. So in New York, for an artist, SOBs is a is a stage you wanna have said you stepped on. And so they didn't want to give me like a Friday or a Saturday uh because they didn't know me. And they wound up giving me a Tuesday. And I'm like, fine, I've done things on Tuesdays before. Little did they know they were not expecting the crowd that they had, they weren't prepared for me. And I'll say that today, you know, I was so disappointed with that performance, and I felt like I had to apologize to each and every person that was there that night because I respect the people that come out and spend their hard-earned money to come support me and to come love on me and and you know, pour into me and my vessel. And so I was disappointed that they didn't take me serious, that they didn't prep the bar correctly, that they didn't prep the kitchen correctly, that they lied to me about the amount of people that they could sit there. This is like the first time I really talk about this stuff. And I've been asked to, oh, come back and absolutely, thank you, but never, never again.

SPEAKER_04

You heard it here first at Chateau Bow Wow.

SPEAKER_02

Bro, I'm about to start barking real quick.

SPEAKER_04

Like, wow, I I gotta say, we didn't notice anything.

SPEAKER_02

I was embarrassed. I was embarrassed before I even got on stage. Like the things that happened backstage downstairs, like I was just like, wow, and I have to go on now, and I have to not only record a music video, so I really have to act, but I have to put on a show. And I almost pulled it off without saying anything. But before we finished, I was like, I owe y'all. Each and everybody in here, I'm sorry. And I said it, I was like, I'm gonna make it up to y'all at some point. I will.

SPEAKER_04

We just embarrassed. I gotta be honest with you. The the show was so great, like, you know, and again, if you were feeling some kind of way, you you just put it into the music. Because again, like uh I don't consider myself a very emotional being, but like listen to like uh what's the one? Judas, isn't it? Oof. Oh that's oh I it it was just like you know, like I felt the music and I was like, oh my god, this is so you know what I mean. So whatever you were feeling, you put into the music, and we didn't know the same thing. We didn't know something was wrong.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, good. Um but that was one of the best shows I've ever like.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, no, it was it was it was super emotional, you know. And and I'm in that video, by the way. So I, you know, we'll talk about residuals and folks later on.

SPEAKER_02

Because I think in one- You didn't sign the release and I put your face anyway.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, I'll make this in a video. I look I look like a herb, but I'm not here. Sorry, and at that point it was heavier, I was like 260. So my jacket, my jacket was too tight. I looked like a fat guy in a little suit. It looks terrible. But thanks for those 15 minutes. Um But I one of my favorite videos of yours is uh uh with uh another recording artist, uh Dehate Vel. And I love that video is so cool, you know. Um again, and you fake skating, right? Oh my god, Mel. Once again.

SPEAKER_02

Um I didn't almost kill me. She put me on skates with no brakes.

SPEAKER_04

Oh, yeah. But there was those are older skates too, right? Yeah, yeah. Um what I noticed that about that, like what really got me into that song was how uh seamlessly you went from English and Spanish in the same song. It's kind of dope.

SPEAKER_02

So that was the first song that I recorded. Um Mel, when Mel and I started working together, she introduced me to Gampi, which is right now like still one of my very great friends, and I'm so grateful. Um, unfortunately, he had a bad situation with his manager. So when they broke up, um, the guy like removed all of his music from all platforms. That too. So that's why you can't find Dejate Vera nowhere. No way. The only place you find it is on YouTube because I said I wanted to post the video on my platform. Because if not, that would have been X'd out too. So I'm happy I did that.

SPEAKER_04

It's a good song, too.

SPEAKER_02

Um, but that was the first song that I that okay, so I gotta tell y'all, from 17, I think the last time I wrote a song, I was 19 years old. And I didn't come to write again until De Hatever. And that was like literally like almost 15 years later.

SPEAKER_00

Wow.

SPEAKER_02

And De Hate Ver was the first song that I recorded that I put out as an independent artist. Um it was the first time that I had met Gampi, and it's funny because we went into the studio and I was like, damn, I don't like he was like, Can you sing this hook? And I'm like, Yeah, I could sing it. And then he was like, Do you want to write now? And I'm like, I could try, but I was in my head. I'm like, damn, you haven't done this in a while. Your pen, your game is not sharp. Like, I was like selling myself all these negative things. So he's like, take the song, and if anything, we could come back in two days and then you show me what you got, whatever, whatever. And I remember like years later, he tells me, Cha, I remember thinking, she ain't gonna write shit to that.

SPEAKER_04

Wow.

SPEAKER_02

And he was like, You came back and you wrote a song better than what I had already written, the hook. And now, in what you wrote, you named the song The Hate Raleigh because of what you're saying. And he was like, You wrote half of my verse. He was like, bro, you're incredible. And so it became a super, super dope relationship, friendship that years later, he found himself in a in a grander position financially from when we initially met in 2017-18. And so I recorded all of my album for the most part in his new studio in Broward. And Judas was Judas, Atu Merced, Masoquista, and Una Noche were all recorded on a microphone that only I, like him and I have recorded on. It's a $20,000 microphone. Wow. Gold, beautiful. And so those songs, when they were like, okay, this is a $20,000 microphone, you better sing the shit out of this mama. I was like, okay. Judas was the first one we used on that microphone. That's dope. And he was like, everybody in the room was crying. Like I wrote that song with one of my brothers, uh, Johnny, Johnny the Voice, and another young fellow named Mayimbe. I give credit, even if it's three lines, even if it's two words, even if it's, you know what, if you help the creative, you know, thing, I'm I'm putting putting your name on it. And um, I remember my engineer was crying, the writers, I was choked up. Like, so there's no way I could sing that song even today and not have like that knot in my throat. Like it's that's why you felt damn that song. Yeah, and it's because of the energy and the synergy that we all created and we put into it. So that's why you feel what you feel, and you're not the only one, and you're a guy, which is dope because usually it's the women that are like, oh my god, your music, your music. But when men be like, bro, masoquista, bro, yeah, I'm a masoquista, and I'm like, yes, they feel identified, they feel seen. I love that shit.

SPEAKER_04

I love it. No, it's cool because again, you bring it every single time and it's wonderful. Um, but you have a particular voice, you have a particular style. You know, you you know, you have a particular way, the way you sing it's it's it's incredible. Like even these these mics I got on Timo, they're not $20,000. But I can still sing on it. I can still sing. Yeah, but but you would but you would make it sound like a $20,000. There you go, exactly. Um I love this moment that you had with uh Olga Tanyo. Um I love that moment. And I've watched it probably 20 times. And once in a while, like when I just forget about it, because I'm you know I love Olga Tanyon. But then when you show up, how did how did that happen?

SPEAKER_02

True story.

SPEAKER_04

True story.

SPEAKER_02

What you saw was the second time that happened in my life. Oh, that's cool. So when I turned 17, my friend that also took me into her dance company, Grisel.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_02

She took me to go see Olga Dañon for my birthday gift. And I went and she was like, Cha, I spent a lot of money on these tickets. You better let her know we're here. We were at Apollo Theater in New York. And at one point it got really quiet. Somebody had already told her, Oh, I want to sing with you. So when she sang with her, the girl couldn't really sing. She tried. So it was nice, but she couldn't sing. And so at one point it got really quiet, and I was like, Today's my birthday. It was my birthday. I was not lying. And so she's like, Oh, it's your birthday, come here. And I'm like, fourth row. I'm like, sure, I'm going up there. I'm going up. I went, I went up there. And um, so she's like, Oh, let's, you know, what do you want for your birthday? I was like, come on, let's dance. And she was like, let's sing your let's sing her happy birthday, she says. So she starts singing me happy birthday, but she didn't get my name. So when it gets to the part of happy birthday, dear, I don't know your name, right? She's like, Happy birthday, dear. She was like, wait, nobody sang happy, or nobody's nobody has sang happy birthday for me like this. Like, what the and I told her, I was like, Well, I know your birthday's in April, but I'll sing you happy birthday right now. And that confidence of that little 17-year-old girl made Olga like give me her microphone. So I sang happy birthday for her. She got on her knees and she like bowed down, she took her hat off.

SPEAKER_01

She was like, bro.

SPEAKER_02

And I remember her saying, she was like, Um, there's a lot of people that say I have competition out there. I just want to let y'all know that my only competition is this chick right here. That's my only comp. And I was right, but it was also in a time and in an era where there wasn't like digital cameras the way we have now, unless you was walking around with a big old camcorder, you know, not saying that I'm from the dinosaur era, guys. But unless you, no, with a big old camcorder, like you didn't have access to, so there was no phones, no, no real footage of that.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_02

And I tried, because I know Gordo y La Flaca and a couple people who who were in the room. I tried to get my hands on that footage, couldn't get it. 20 years later, her publicist is a friend of mine. He sees me at a Domal concert. He's like, Cha, come next week. We're gonna be here in Connecticut with Olga. And I'm like, I'm coming. I went, I got a flat tire on my way there. And my friend's like, Cha, should we like just go back home? And we were already like halfway to Connecticut. Right. And I'm she's like, uh, should we go home? I think we should go home. I was like, no, I have a spare and we're gonna get there.

SPEAKER_00

Well, we're going.

SPEAKER_02

And I'm like, usually when things like this happen, it's because something grand is gonna happen. And this is the enemy trying to like not let me get there. But you know what? I'm gonna like I'm gonna go get her and I'm gonna go get it, and I'm gonna go give her these flowers because I took her flowers. So when I get there, the publicist is like, hey, are you here? And I'm like, yeah. But he has sat me like in the 13th row or something. Okay. So he's like, You're here. And I'm like, yeah. But I had gotten there like 15 minutes late too. But he didn't know that. So then he's like, um, come to the front. I want to sit you in the front. And I'm like, What?

SPEAKER_03

What's up?

SPEAKER_02

So I'm like, say less, let's go. So as I'm walking towards the like, towards my chair, she's like, Chachi, yeah, and I was like, No, she really isn't.

SPEAKER_00

She's like, No, bitch, I've been here.

SPEAKER_02

I was up there over there. So I come in, I'm like, no, I wanted to give you these flowers. And then I give her the flowers, and she says, you know, Chachi's touring with Dong Omar, which is my other baby, and da da da. And she was like, This girl is so talented. Uh, you guys have to hear her. So she continues her show and she's about to sing a ballad, and I'm like a little girl, like, and she's like, You know this one? And I'm like, And my friend's like, Ben, da, she's talking to you. And so then I'm like, Yeah, I know it. And I was like, Fuck, do I know it? But I know most of her songs. So I go and I climb on stage, you know, like the girl from Brick City with her heels on, like, bam. And she she literally like gives me the microphone, and only a professional would know this. She gave me the tone because there was no floor monitors.

SPEAKER_04

That's right. She wouldn't eat your ear. I know. She went in my ear.

SPEAKER_02

Sorry. And she's like, so I'm like, okay, I got her tone, and I'm like, I got this. And then she's like, at one point, she's like, wait, this bitch don't need the lyrics. She don't need me in her ear. And she just left.

SPEAKER_04

She walked off stage.

SPEAKER_02

She walked off stage and left me there with her guitars. And I'm like, all right, let me put on a show. Because I'm like, you don't get opportunities like this two times in a lifetime. Right. Like, this is like lightning in a bottle. Like, I have to make the best out of this moment. And guess what? At that time, day and age, cell phones had cameras. So I felt like it was a full circle moment where God's like, nah, you're gonna have your moment, and everybody's gonna see that shit.

SPEAKER_03

Right. And you gotta take two.

SPEAKER_02

It was beautiful to have met her and to have fallen in love with my idol even more because I know so many times people meet their idols and they're so disappointed, or they don't meet, or maybe the person's having a bad day because everyone is human and is entitled to the bad day. But um, she was so beautiful and she spoke to me with words of love and encouragement from day one. Years later, she's she's in my DMs. Like, you need to record a project. You need to, and I swear, like, right, this happened right before Hurricane Maria. And I was like, you know what? The money that I'm getting with Don Woman, I'm gonna, I'm gonna invest. The money that I'm making with Romeo, I'm gonna invest. And that's what I did. That's what I did.

SPEAKER_04

How was touring with those guys? It's gotta be grueling, right? It's fun, right? It's such an experience, but it's but it's gotta be so hard.

SPEAKER_02

It is hard on the body, it takes a toll on the body because there's a lot of like, you know, the late nights, the flights, the the connecting flights, coach, you know, and it's not like we're in first class. Right. Sometimes, you know, the the buses or the transportation, it's like once you land, then you have a five-hour drive to the middle of Carajo Land. And so that's intense. But being on stage with those two kings, because they that is exactly what they are in their fields. Um, Dom Omar is somebody that I respect, I admire, I love, um, who's another one that I've done humanitarian work with. So it's a whole other level. Because it's not just the artistry. It's like on a human level, like we see each other eye to eye. And I swear I was always like in love with his, not with the man, him, but out as a young girl, I was in love with who he was as an artist and what he was doing with the reggaeton music because he really was the first one to make it eclectic and to do the fusion of genres. Like he was singing salsa, he was doing Brazilian sound funk, he was doing like, he was really like taking the lead on the reggaeton world and showing them like, yo, this is a real pioneer in that field. Um, and you know, it was awesome to see myself from that little girl who was just obsessed with this artist, to then saying, I could do that shit, I could be up there with him, and then years later, being up there with him and then seeing him from behind, because I'm like, I got the audience view, but now I'm getting the big the background vocalist where I'm like, he's right there, and it just became a whole other level of respect for his artistry, right? Like for real. And then Romeo, I mean he's a master with a pen. He really is. I don't think there's another like besides Juan Luis Guerra and one of my favorites, right? But Romeo is he has a gift and it's writing, he really does.

SPEAKER_04

My favorite song by uh Juan Luis Guerra is a testimonio. How does it go?

SPEAKER_02

How does it go?

SPEAKER_01

How does it go?

SPEAKER_04

Um I'm not doing it.

SPEAKER_01

That's one of my favorites. No si está desnuda, oh tiene un solo vestido, no no lo sé.

unknown

Wow.

SPEAKER_01

I can keep going. Wow. Ay, ay, ay, ay, amor.

SPEAKER_04

I just fangirled him. I love him. But yeah, he's awesome. You know, um uh I'm not gonna sing, guys, but I'll I'll tell you how later. Uh yeah. No, not on not on the air. I don't want to.

SPEAKER_02

And that wasn't singing, guys. I was drinking coffee. Like I'm not even I'm not well rested.

SPEAKER_04

Um so we cut you kind of got into that the the humanitarian stuff uh with Puerto Rico. Um and again, that iconic photo with the American, I'm sorry, with the Puerto Rican flag. Um, you know, that that photo with the with the Puerto Rican flag and you know it it's incredible. So how how that how'd that come to be? Obviously you were doing uh your your your uh humanitarian work in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.

SPEAKER_02

But before that, so that picture was actually taken the Friday before the hurricane struck. So the hurricane struck uh Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. And Friday, I was in Puerto Rico, the Friday before I was in Puerto Rico with my friends because we were gonna go see a concert. The concert got canceled because before Hurricane Maria, there was another hurricane that caused somewhat of like flooding. And so they canceled it, but they didn't tell us. So all the girls still took the trip to Puerto Rico.

unknown

Right.

SPEAKER_02

And um, I did a photo shoot that Friday with some friends of mine, Elias, who's an incredible photographer and PR. And um, I remember we got to the campo and he forgot his camera. And we got to the campo like around 5:30, 6 o'clock in the morning. And after the swing is up and everything is ready, he's like, Chachi, I have an issue. And I'm like, What happened? He's like, I forgot my camera. So he had a drive like 20 minutes back home and then 20 minutes back. So me and the girls were like, No, we're just gonna stay here, we'll wait for you here. And in that time, it was every time we would talk, the echoes were incredible. The acoustics of that river were just like wow. So at one point I sang campo for the girls, and they were like, Wow, child, this is dope. So when Elias comes, that I we're doing a photo shoot at the very end of the photo shoot. That's why I'm in the Puerto Rican flat, because the photo shoot started with a pink dress. Um, he's the girls are like, Sing for Elias what you sang for us. So that's what you that's what you guys hear of me singing on the on the swing. And I'm like, so that was like at like six, seven in the morning. So think about that. Think about that. Wailing like that that early in the morning.

SPEAKER_03

It's deep and it's dope. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So I told Elias, I was like, hey, um, the other pictures, the pink pictures, we could release those and we could do with those whatever you want. I was like, but the Puerto Rico pictures, let's hold off because I want to pitch that to the Puerto Rican Day Parade, and that's usually in June, and that's gonna be next year. So let's not use those. Right. He said, Okay, not a problem. We find out that there's a hurricane coming. I literally leave on the last flight, leaving Puerto Rico on Tuesday. Like literally, it was the last flight leaving SJU. And when I land in Newark, that I turn on my phone, my phone's like bling, bling, bling, bling, bling, bling, bling, bling. And I'm like, what the fuck is going on? Elias posted my picture of the flag, and he was posting his sentiment on what he was feeling that night.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_02

So all bets were out the door at that point because they didn't know what was gonna happen. They didn't know if they were gonna survive, they didn't know how bad it was gonna be. Right. So he's like, you know, he's like, This picture, as I'm going through all this stuff, he was like, it it just reflects how I feel right now. I feel like I just want to curl up in a ball and da-da-da-da. And he was like, We're gonna go through like possibly the hardest night tonight, Puerto Rico. But I just asked that you hold on and that you have faith and that you, you know, hold tight. So then I saw that and I started bawling, and I'm like, you know what? I'm gonna repost it. I reposted it. Oh my god. The next day we start seeing everything that's happening in the island. And then after Wednesday night, it starts to get like less and less videos because they didn't have no more power. No more power. They didn't have no way to connect, no way to nothing. And then I woke up. I remember I woke up on like Friday and I was like, what the hell? I went to sleep. I probably had around 13,000 people when I fell asleep that night. Like that people that followed me. I woke up and I had like close to 40,000 followers. And I was like, is this a joke? I thought I was being punked. I was like, is this a joke? Like, what's going on? And it was because so many people felt and found solidarity in that photo and felt like it represented exactly how they felt. People got it tattooed, they did it in art classes, they did a mural. They they like it, it became like a sign of hope for the island and something way bigger than me.

SPEAKER_04

TikTok.

SPEAKER_02

And I felt indebted. I felt like, you know what? If I'm getting this opportunity of being blessed with so many people and and this community now and this traffic and this page, how do I use this for the island? Because I don't think God brought me out the island just so I could reap the benefits of a of a picture going viral. And I felt negative deep down inside because I didn't want my community from something so dark and like, you know, it was bad what was happening. It wasn't something light and positive. So, but then I was like, I'm gonna make something light and positive out of it. And I got together with another 12 girls and we created Taina Sunidas, and we were able to take over 250,000 pounds of like relief to the island from um wheelchairs to medications to refrigerators, generators. We fixed ceilings, roofs, we, you know, it was something that changed my life, but it that moment also showed me what my life's purpose is here on earth, and that is to serve. And whether that is serving in humanitarian efforts or serving with therapeutic music, I am here to serve. That's what God, that's all God.

SPEAKER_03

That's all God. That's a beautiful thing. That's a beautiful thing.

SPEAKER_02

And I love it, I love it. Even though sometimes it could take a toll on someone and you get PTSD from stuff, or you, you know, it takes a toll on you. Um I wouldn't change it. I wouldn't change it.

SPEAKER_04

No, it's it's it's an incredible, again, just iconic photo. And um uh you you have also what a mural in in in Newark. In Newark, right?

SPEAKER_02

The mayor gave me the key to the city, and he also um uh he he paid an artist to come and like do a mural of me in Newark. It's on Pennsylvania Avenue. I think it's still there, but I have it on my page on my platform, and it was a beautiful moment. Like it was nice.

SPEAKER_04

I've seen the photo a million times, but I I I well not a million, obviously, but uh uh quite often. And I but I yet I've gone I haven't gone to visit, so I feel like a bad friend. No, don't be 'cause I always wanted to go there and like, you know, who knows?

SPEAKER_02

They probably painted blue over it right now. But you know, it was there for a really long time and it was it was dope.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, it it was dope, but I'm sorry I didn't go out 'cause I want to get like put like put like a guy on just to pretend I'm playing the concept, you know. But um Yeah, you know what what what's funny is that when whenever you and you and I talk, it goes fast.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

We've already been at this almost an hour.

SPEAKER_03

What?

SPEAKER_04

It goes like this, I'm telling you.

SPEAKER_02

I'm like, we didn't even you didn't even ask me questions.

SPEAKER_04

Well I kind of did. But you know what? It just I try to make it as conversational as possible.

SPEAKER_02

And I like that. Keep it organic. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah. And you and I was it was shoot the shit, you know, like we met for lunch a couple years back, whatever. We ended up there for like four hours number. I remember on Ferry Street. I remember.

SPEAKER_02

They closed that place down.

SPEAKER_04

I heard, yeah. Is that an Ironbound? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So actually, my husband and I are opening a restaurant in Ironbound. No shit. Yes, we are. It's um Can you talk about it? I could a little bit. It's a sports bar and lounge, so it's like a two-in-one, and it's called the one. That's dope. Not the two. Not the two, but the one. Nice. Um for those of you who do not know, my husband is an award-winning chef, chef Calvin. You might have seen him on the Food Network. Um but he's my personal chef. No, but he's really talented, and I'm so happy that he's. I feel like the way I was working on my album, and that's my baby, seeing him so like excited and like working on furniture and floor plans and what refrigerators and stoves and burners, and it's it's I'm happy to see him in his element. He's like a big kid in a toy store.

SPEAKER_04

He's so talented. He he's a good dude, and like he's cool. We spoke today. He was like, Yeah, thanks for taking care of my girlfriend. I was like, Yeah, of course, man. You know, I got your family, man.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

Um, I remember the first thing that we spoke. Um I felt like hot shit because you uh he was coming in. Uh, can we talk about his some of his past clients? And I don't know, I don't want to.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I don't care.

SPEAKER_04

Okay. So he was coming in, he was cooking, I think, for the Kardashians. Yeah. Right. So, so you're like, Yeah, my husband's cooking, you know, he went, he's trying to work on the on the uh on the cookbook and everything. So, you know, you write books, you wanted, you know, bend your ears. He's gonna fly in, he's gonna cook with the Kardashians. And I was like, Yes, he's leaving the Kardashians to come speak with me. So I'll try to find in my schedule, you know. But it was so cool. You know, you just did like this guy, you know, again, he's so talented. And I've had his cooking, and it's it's just it's unbelievable. Uh Chef Calvin is incredible. Again, I spoke to him today, I was like, I gotta have you on here. Yeah, he was like, Let's make it happen. You should.

SPEAKER_02

I mean, a lot of people don't know that he like trained in France, that he got a scholarship, that he's been cooking since he was 15. Like, he's like me, he knew he wanted to do this since he was young.

SPEAKER_04

So one day he posted something. I at uh is it is it chicken meatballs that he makes or something like that, or something like that, or something with meatballs. Right now he's doing these spicy turkey meatballs for like a spy that and I'm I'm watching it, oh, and I'm watching it, and I'm I mean, listen, everybody knows I'm a fat kid, right? And your mouth is water, and you're like But I whispered to myself, and I told him I think I I I I sent him a message, I'm watching it and to myself, and before I even realized, I went, spicy meatballs. Like it was porn, right? And I caught myself like, oh Jerry, control yourself here, right? Control yourself, Jesus. But it it again, he's so talented and and and you know and and again, God bless him.

SPEAKER_02

Well, when we do the friends and family, I will extend the invite. I know you're out here, but you have an office in Jersey now, so there's no excuse.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, yeah, we have office in uh at a uh at Smartcaster Cinema now, so it's uh in uh on the Jersey shore. Um but um okay, in closing, and I hate to do it because you know but you know, my we could keep this rolling. Yeah, my producer cries.

SPEAKER_02

Bring me back for a round two.

SPEAKER_04

My my producer is Manny Cabo. Hey, so Manny the voice cabo.

SPEAKER_02

Manny. Yeah, make me look great, Baba.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah. Um in closing, I I I usually give people their final thought. However, I want to do something a little different with you. I want to just uh totally, totally take advantage of your time. Okay. Um if you had one song to sing before you go. You have one song, kind of like what's that? Jack Johnny Cash, where he says if you have one song to sing, what would it be?

SPEAKER_02

Like the the one song I I I'm gonna sing for the rest of my life.

SPEAKER_04

Or the one song. No, no, you have one last song left, right? You have one last song, and he says, This is it. You have one song, that's all you have, and then your voice goes. What would be the one sing that you play with? See how I set that up, Manny? I'm a genius. I'm a genius.

SPEAKER_01

Ignorante my duro, but so pinza senti.

SPEAKER_04

Wow. Oh Wow, wow, wow. I don't think we can I don't think we can close anything better than that. I'm I'm a little flustered right now. I'm a little I'm a little flushed, you know. I'm not gonna lie. Um I dressed up nice for you today, you know. We met. Yeah, yeah. I thought I wore my fancy sweatpants today. Um but I I want to thank you. Thank you. It's incredible.

SPEAKER_02

No, I I I want to thank you and take the opportunity for having me on your podcast, for thinking of me, like I said before, for being a real one, encouraging me, um, and believing in a kid when she, you know, was down and out and could barely find herself. Like you've really made an impact in my life. And I cannot wait to see what you do with the podcast. I can't wait to see what you do with the films. I can't wait to do a film with you. I'm putting that in there.

unknown

Putting that in there.

SPEAKER_02

I can't wait to like continue our work relationship too. And so I'm also proud of you and all the things you're doing. So let's do this.

SPEAKER_04

For sure, for sure. Um, the the the uh pilot that we were gonna do, it's now gonna be a feature.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_04

And you're in it. Okay. You're in it.

SPEAKER_02

And I'll be back, Chateau Bowell.

SPEAKER_04

That's right.

SPEAKER_02

I'll be back.

SPEAKER_04

There you have it. Once again, Grisel Del Valle, La Chachi, singer, songwriter. Um, and before we go, actually, I was about to close out. Give us your handles. Where can we find it?

SPEAKER_02

Oh, um, you can find all my music on any digital music platform under Grisel del Valle. We're gonna show you how to spell that. Because you don't spell it with an S, it's with a Z. And on Instagram, I am Chachi Nation and on TikTok, Grisel del Valle.

SPEAKER_03

Awesome. Yeah, awesome.

SPEAKER_02

And stay tuned because there's a lot coming. Side B, the album, uh, the movies, auditioning for Broadway. People want me to start my own podcast. There's a lot going on, so just you know, stay tuned.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah. We're gonna do a film. It's called House Arrest, and uh Chachi has already been cast. Uh we cast that one uh about a year and a half ago already, right?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I read that a long time ago.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, um, it's gonna be great. But there you have it. Thank you. Grizzel Del Valle, singer, songwriter, dancer, humanitarian, and now actress. Oh, yeah for a while though. Thanks for tuning in, guys. This was awesome having you here again. It's been again one of my uh uh one of my pleasures to just have uh this friend and talented performer here in Douglas. Stay blessed y'all. Thank you for thanks for tuning in.