Podcast Title: Very Caliente

Hosts: Pablo Alsina & Jennie López

Episode Title:

E016 - After 30 & Unapologetic - Music, Authenticity & Life Without a Filter with Raquel Sofía

Summary:

In this bilingual and soul-stirring episode of Very Caliente, Pablo and Jennie welcome Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Raquel Sofía — a Grammy and Latin Grammy-nominated artist who has shared stages with Juanes and Shakira. Raquel opens up about her journey from writing dramatic love poems at age seven in Mayagüez to becoming one of the most authentic voices in Latin music today. She talks about her album Después de los Treinta, the art of writing from personal truth, navigating the music industry's "no" culture, and why she stopped outsourcing her opinions. Plus, she closes the episode with a live performance of her fan-favorite "Tenemos Historia." This one hits different. 🔥

Main Topics:

Intriguing Quotes:

"The artist's vocation is like a necessity — I never had that doubt about what I wanted to be." – Raquel Sofía

"When I'm honest, people connect even more — because at the end of the day, we all have very similar feelings." – Raquel Sofía

"I stopped outsourcing opinions. In almost everything." – Raquel Sofía

"You have to cry it all out and then move on. Everyone is told no." – Raquel Sofía

Key Moments:

[00:00:31] – Pablo and Jennie welcome Raquel Sofía to Very Caliente

[00:01:30] – Raquel on writing poems at seven and the pull toward music from childhood

[00:02:14] – Puerto Rican pride: music everywhere, always, and being from Mayagüez

[00:03:53] – Jennie's fan moment — connecting with Raquel through "Tenemos Historia"

[00:04:25] – How Raquel writes: untying emotional knots and the story behind "Tenemos Historia"

[00:05:30] – Pablo on AI vs. real human artistry — and Raquel's nuanced take

[00:06:17] – AI as a tool, not a replacement: Raquel's honest and grounded perspective

[00:08:56] – Protecting authenticity after 30: stopping social media trend-chasing

[00:09:26] – Why she stopped outsourcing opinions — from outfits to Grammy red carpets

[00:11:48] – The album Después de los Treinta: making content for her generation

[00:12:02] – Record labels vs. independence: the beauty of uploading music today

[00:15:22] – Handling rejection: confirmed for tours and duets — then dropped

[00:16:56] – Jennie asks: how do you keep going after the no? Raquel's real answer

[00:17:34] – Raquel closes with a live performance of "Tenemos Historia" 🎤🔥

Notable Guests/Resources:

Raquel Sofía – Singer-songwriter, Grammy & Latin Grammy-nominated artist from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico

📱 Instagram/TikTok: @RaquelSofía | YouTube: @RaquelSofiamusica

🎵 Music on all platforms: Spotify, Apple Music, and more

🎙️ Podcast: After 30 (available now — more episodes coming)

Special Announcements:

🎤 Raquel's album Después de los Treinta is out now — made for everyone who's living their best life after 30

🎙️ Check out her new podcast After 30 — real conversations for real women.

🎧 Connect with the Hosts
Follow Jennie (@IntentionalUnicorn) and Pablo (@PabloAlsina) on Instagram for behind-the-scenes moments, bonus wisdom, and pure good vibes.

🛍️ Support the Show
Love what we’re doing? Share the show, leave a review.

🔥 Hashtags to Follow & Share

#VeryCaliente #LatinxPodcast #BilingualPodcast #MindsetShift

#AuthenticityMatters #PositiveEnergy #CourageCultureConversation #PodcastLaunch2026