Shakira experimented with her looks and participated in MTV Unplugged, which became a successful album. Despite being recognized as a talented artist, Shakira hesitated to cross over into the English market for fear of losing her Colombian fans' respect. She faced her insecurities and achieved success with "Laundry Service." a commercial hit with singles like "Whenever, Wherever" and "La Tortura." Then, the pressure to surpass her previous successes had Shakira in a creative rut. Little did she know that this challenging period would be the catalyst for her most transformative and groundbreaking musical era yet.

Lilliana Vázquez and Joseph Carrillo are the hosts of Becoming an Icon with production support by Juan Carlos Arenado, Josie Meléndez, Daniela Sarquis, and Santiago Sierra of Sonoro Media in partnership with iHeart Radio's My Cultura Podcast network. If you want to support the podcast, please rate and review our show.

Follow Lilliana Vázquez on Instagram and Twitter @lillianavazquez 

Follow Joseph Carrillo on Instagram @josephcarrillo 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before she was the ultra famous pop star from Barranquilla, Shakira started her career as a poet and belly dancer, and she signed a 3-album contract with Sony, but her early albums had limited success. Then, "Pies Descalzos" brought her popularity in Latin America and despite setbacks, she collaborated with Emilio Estefan Jr. to create a unique sound. With Gloria Estefan's support, she successfully transitioned into the English-speaking market. This is Shakira's beginnings.

Lilliana Vázquez and Joseph Carrillo are the hosts of Becoming an Icon with production support by Juan Carlos Arenado, Josie Meléndez, Daniela Sarquis, and Santiago Sierra of Sonoro Media in partnership with iHeart Radio's My Cultura Podcast network. If you want to support the podcast, please rate and review our show.

Follow Lilliana Vázquez on Instagram and Twitter @lillianavazquez 

Follow Joseph Carrillo on Instagram @josephcarrillo 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ricky Martin seeks a deeper connection with fans through an intimate MTV Unplugged performance. Two standout songs, "Tu Recuerdo" and "Pégate," become major hits. Despite professional success, Ricky feels unfulfilled and longs to be a father. Ricky explores his identity, comes out as gay, and becomes an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. He becomes a father to twin boys through surrogacy and eventually finds love in the arms of a succesful architect. Ricky continues to leave his mark by mentoring aspiring musicians on TV shows, forming a boy band and pursuing acting, earning acclaim for his role in The Assassination of Gianni Versace. His journey inspires others and leaves a lasting impact on the music industry and LGBTQ+ empowerment.

Lilliana Vázquez and Joseph Carrillo are the hosts of Becoming an Icon with production support by Juan Carlos Arenado, Josie Meléndez, Daniela Sarquis, and Santiago Sierra of Sonoro Media in partnership with iHeart Radio's My Cultura Podcast network. If you want to support the podcast, please rate and review our show.

Follow Lilliana Vázquez on Instagram and Twitter @lillianavazquez 

Follow Joseph Carrillo on Instagram @josephcarrillo 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ricky Martin stole the spotlight at the 1999 Grammys and made history as the first Latino artist to rock the World Cup stage. With his electrifying performance of "Livin' la Vida Loca," Ricky's fame soared to incredible heights. But as the spotlight intensified, so did the media's scrutiny of his personal life. Feeling overwhelmed, Ricky embarked on a soul-searching journey to India, where he discovered a higher purpose and founded the Ricky Martin Foundation to champion children's rights. His resilience and inspiring story have left an indelible mark on the music industry, influencing the likes of Bad Bunny and Maluma.

Lilliana Vázquez and Joseph Carrillo are the hosts of Becoming an Icon with production support by Juan Carlos Arenado, Josie Meléndez, Daniela Sarquis, and Santiago Sierra of Sonoro Media in partnership with iHeart Radio's My Cultura Podcast network. If you want to support the podcast, please rate and review our show.

Follow Lilliana Vázquez on Instagram and Twitter @lillianavazquez 

Follow Joseph Carrillo on Instagram @josephcarrillo 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The time has come to look back at the career of one of the most important figures of Latinx entertainment history: Ricky Martin! From his beginnings as a young singer in Menudo to taking on soap operas (or as we like to call them, "American novelas"), Ricky has done it all. Lilliana and Joseph are going to journey through la vida loca and the career of the icon that paved the way for it all, including the Latin Explosion.

Lilliana Vázquez and Joseph Carrillo are the hosts of Becoming an Icon with production support by Juan Carlos Arenado, Josie Meléndez, Daniela Sarquis, and Santiago Sierra of Sonoro Media in partnership with iHeart Radio's My Cultura Podcast network. If you want to support the podcast, please rate and review our show.

Follow Lilliana Vázquez on Instagram and Twitter @lillianavazquez 

Follow Joseph Carrillo on Instagram @josephcarrillo 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So long, farewell, Lin-Manuel Miranda! But before we move on from our time with the wunderkind himself, we've invited entertainment journalist from Pop Culture Planet Kristen Maldonado! Join Lilliana, Joseph, and Kristen as they shine a light on everything we weren't able to discuss before and speculate what the future holds for Lin-Manuel. Plus, we dabble in some more fun games and trivia! 

Lilliana Vázquez and Joseph Carrillo are the hosts of Becoming an Icon with production support by Juan Carlos Arenado, Josie Meléndez, Daniela Sarquis, and Santiago Sierra of Sonoro Media in partnership with iHeart Radio's My Cultura Podcast network. If you want to support the podcast, please rate and review our show.

Follow Kristen Maldonado on Twitter @kaymaldo

Follow Lilliana Vázquez on Instagram and Twitter @lillianavazquez 

Follow Joseph Carrillo on Instagram @josephcarrillo 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For today's episode of Becoming an Icon, we're following Lin-Manuel Miranda's journey from the Great White Way to Hollywood. This time around it's all about his history-changing collaborations with Disney, the In the Heights movie, and Miranda's feature-film directorial debut aka Tick Tick Boom!

Lilliana Vázquez and Joseph Carrillo are the hosts of Becoming an Icon with production support by Juan Carlos Arenado, Josie Meléndez, Daniela Sarquis, and Santiago Sierra of Sonoro Media in partnership with iHeart Radio's My Cultura Podcast network. If you want to support the podcast, please rate and review our show.

Follow Lilliana Vázquez on Instagram and Twitter @lillianavazquez 

Follow Joseph Carrillo on Instagram @josephcarrillo

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the moment you've been waiting for! Let's give it up for the musical that revolutionized Broadway forever: Hamilton. The American Musical took the country and the world by storm, and Joseph and Lilliana are ready to discuss it all. From gushing about the musical itself to looking back on how it came to be, they're examining the legacy of Hamilton and how it cemented Lin-Manuel Miranda as one to watch!

Lilliana Vázquez and Joseph Carrillo are the hosts of Becoming an Icon with production support by Juan Carlos Arenado, Josie Meléndez, Daniela Sarquis, and Santiago Sierra of Sonoro Media in partnership with iHeart Radio's My Cultura Podcast network. If you want to support the podcast, please rate and review our show.

Follow Lilliana Vázquez on Instagram and Twitter @lillianavazquez 

Follow Joseph Carrillo on Instagram @josephcarrillo

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's give a big bienvenida to the newest icon on our roster, the one and only Lin-Manuel Miranda! The multi-talented creative who is just one O away from a PEGOT has been changing the way we experience musical theater be it on the stage or on the screen, and Joseph and Lilliana are huge fans! So, today, join us as we kick off our time with Lin-Manuel Miranda by looking back at where it all started, In the Heights, and how it came to be. 

Lilliana Vázquez and Joseph Carrillo are the hosts of Becoming an Icon with production support by Juan Carlos Arenado, Josie Meléndez, Daniela Sarquis, and Santiago Sierra of Sonoro Media in partnership with iHeart Radio's My Cultura Podcast network. If you want to support the podcast, please rate and review our show.

Follow Lilliana Vázquez on Instagram and Twitter @lillianavazquez 

Follow Joseph Carrillo on Instagram @josephcarrillo

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time to say goodbye to lil mamacita Cardi B. We know, we're sad about it too! From the Bronx to the Met Gala, we've seen her through it all, but before we officially close this chapter on the icon that gave us WAP, Lilliana and Joseph are joined once again by Time music writer Moises Mendez II. Join them as they chat about Cardi B as a changemaker, why she's so important for Afro-Latinx representation, and what they think the future holds for her.

Lilliana Vázquez and Joseph Carrillo are the hosts of Becoming an Icon with production support by Juan Carlos Arenado, Josie Meléndez, Daniela Sarquis, and Santiago Sierra of Sonoro Media in partnership with iHeart Radio's My Cultura network. If you want to support the podcast, please rate and review our show.

Follow Moises Mendez II on Instagram and Twitter @moisesfenty

Follow Lilliana Vázquez on Instagram and Twitter @lillianavazquez 

Follow Joseph Carrillo on Instagram @josephcarrillo 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.