Maria was watching the Benito Bowl when an unexpected artist came on: the one and only Ricky Martin. He sang one of Bad Bunny’s most political, anti-colonial anthems. Maria knew this was a touchstone moment — the artist who most represented the 90’s Latin Boom wasn’t performing to a white audience for recognition or acceptance; he was singing a song of resistance, in Spanish. And then Maria’s 11-year-old son said, “Who’s that???” 

Today, Maria revisits the importance of Ricky Martin’s career and life, and how he had to live “La vida loca” so that Bad Bunny could do “Lo que le da la gana.” 

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The 1960s brings social and political change to the world and to New York City, where a young Johnny Pacheco keeps people dancing with his orchestra and charanga music. The Dominican musician is also going through a divorce and his lawyer, Jerry Masucci, happens to be a fan of Johnny’s music. The two form a music partnership that will forever change music. They call their music label Fania Records.

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Saul Williams is a visionary poet, musician, actor, and filmmaker whose work has long challenged power. He just released his debut graphic novel Martyr Loser King, a cyberpunk fable rooted in Black radical imagination that questions our relationship to technology, capitalism and colonialism. In our season two finale episode, Isa sits down with Saul to discuss poetry, his unwavering solidarity with Palestine, and how he embodies his Scorpio rising and Virgo moon by refusing to look away from injustice.

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Artist and writer Molly Crabapple has covered all facets of human life, from the underground burlesque world to active war zones. Her new book Here Where We Live Is Our Country: The Story of the Jewish Bund, which debuted at #4 on the New York Times bestseller list, dives into the history of the revolutionary socialist Jewish labor movement that fought for anti-Zionist ideals and asserted the right for Jewish people to live with dignity. Isa sits down with Molly to discuss how her Virgo sun and Sagittarius moon have primed her to dig into the historical archives of her Jewish lineage. 

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Kelsey Lu is impossible to confine to just one genre. The singer, cellist, and composer is known for creating sonic landscapes that move fluidly between classical to futuristic, grounded to celestial, and softness to edge. They embody the Taurus and Libra signatures in their chart. In this episode, Isa Nakazawa sits down with Lu to talk about how music has been a throughline in their life, guiding them toward a deeper connection with themselves and their audience. 

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Aquarius rising Lauren Chan was born to challenge the status quo. From becoming the first out lesbian to appear solo on the cover of Sports Illustrated to founding her own size-inclusive fashion brand, Lauren embodies her Leo sun’s need to express herself authentically and her Aries moon’s drive to blaze trails. As a model, writer and entrepreneur, she has consistently pushed against the boundaries of who gets to be seen and celebrated. Isa Nakazawa and Lauren discuss how she has redefined norms around beauty and desire in her work and personal relationships. 

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Best-selling author, activist, poet and astrologer Sonya Renee Taylor is committed to radical self-love and collective liberation. As founder of The Body Is Not An Apology, she has inspired millions to embrace themselves more fully, and return to a self that exists prior to shame and conditioning. Isa and Sonya discuss how Sonya’s Cancer moon fuels her desire to nurture and provide care for others, while her Scorpio stellium pushes her to go even deeper and investigate her desires. They also talk about the role Saturn has played in allowing Sonya to access her full power.

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This week, Isa Nakazawa sits down with Grammy-winning rapper and producer Ishmael Butler. Known for his work with the groundbreaking 90s hip-hop trio Digable Planets and the hip-hop group Shabazz Palaces, Ishmael’s music has always felt like it exists in its own dimension, merging jazz, philosophy and a kind of sonic world-building that feels both deeply rooted and completely otherworldly. In this episode, Isa talks to Ishmael about how his Cancer sun and Pisces moon help him navigate this push and pull in both his music and personal relationships.

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For decades, musician and composer Laraaji has used sound and laughter to help listeners access deeper awareness. A pioneer of ambient music, Laraaji’s use of instruments like the zither and autoharp have opened portals into presence, spaciousness, and what he often calls the cosmic field. With both his sun and moon grounded in Taurus, his work steers listeners toward a deeper connection to both body and the metaphysical. Now in his 80s, Laraaji sits down with Isa Nakazawa to talk about how to access the part of us that exists beyond titles and roles. 

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Diane Guerrero rose to fame in her role as Maritza Ramos in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black. As her platform grew, she sought ways to make an impact for kids like her – with undocumented parents at the whims of the immigration system. With time, Diane realized that telling her story over and over again was retraumatizing rather than healing. After the death of her father, Diane turned inward to focus on transformation. Along the way, she has discovered how much she just wants to be a weirdo – a true Aquarius moon.

This episode originally aired in January 2025.

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