I was born into a very musical family, there was always music on, cassettes, CDs, mixtapes, radio, or my dad was playing guitar alone or with his friends. We had parties till 6am, lots of musicians and bands in the house. My siblings, cousins and I had a little theatre group and we performed every Sunday in family parties. I played guitar and changed the lyrics to popular songs of the moment. We got dressed, wrote scripts and sold (by force) tickets to our parents and their friends. Some of my favourite memories are road trips with my parents and Sundays at my grandmother´s, playing with my brother and sister.
From my mother I inherited her curiosity, her desire to experience things and spontaneity. They way she organises her drawers. From my dad, his humour and how he likes gatherings and meeting new people. From both, I inherited their love for music, interest in culture and arts and traveling.
When I was scared of ghosts my grandma used to say: “the ghosts are the ones who are scared of strong women like us” and this idea I’ve carried with me. Every time I was scared, I thought about that and it taught me not to be scared of anything. My grandmother reminded me that, no matter how the world treats me, the most important thing is that I like myself.
The hardest thing I’ve had to overcome is being an immigrant far away from everything I knew and took for granted: having to start from zero many times. Feeling not 100% part of Mexico anymore and of course not 100% part of Europe either. I befriended this dark hole already, it makes my life much easier and enjoyable
The band that changed my life as a teenager was Jamiroquai. I could not believe how funky it was…it opened me to new sounds, bands, worlds. It was my personal pleasure, because my friends at that time and family were not so into it as I was.
The last thing that made me laugh was my dad on the phone yesterday afternoon. He is very funny. He told me about an 'unusual' party he attended where he even got offered weed. He changed the topic when I asked if he accepted.
What gives me the most pleasure is the sun, playing music, windows open, sitting in a terrace.
What I find most tedious is visa applications.
What frights me is how all the data being collected through the new requirements and rules that Covid-19 impose will be used in the future...that, and our crazy use of plastic.
When I was a teenager I always felt like an outsider in school. I had friends, but I didn't like what they liked and my classmates thought I was strange. I didn't like Skechers, Britney Spears and Abercrombie and Fitch. Once I arrived at a party with a super funky Y2K collage jacket and everybody laughed. I never wore it again. I spent a few years thinking there was something wrong with me. Now, when I look at photos or I remember these moments: I think I was quite cool! So, I just didn't fit in that Catholic conservative school enviroment. Happily later on, I found other “freaks” like me.
A piece of advice I’d give to my younger self would be: don't follow the crowd, just because...stick to what you like and what makes you feel good.
Coco Maria releases Club Coco, an album of Afro-Latin jams, oddities and future classics. Listen here
