Daily Inspiration: Meet Molly Gallegos

Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Gallegos. 

Molly, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up really confused about who I was. My father was Mexican American and my mother is from Kansas, but I didn’t really grow up in a bicultural home. My father assimilated into the dominant culture as a means of survival, so that meant I looked like no one who grew up like me and grew up like no one who looked like me. Navigating my identity was hard, confusing work. As I got into college I noticed a lot of people in very similar situations-we were all trying to figure out how to fit our culture and traditions into a pretty disconnected world. And then, I started to notice a similar exploration happening in music. Groups like Bomba Estereo and Sidestepper were mixing traditional Latin sounds with more modern ones, melding the two worlds in a way that mirrored a lot of the inner work my community and I were doing. Hearing this music made me feel, for the first time, that I existed, it gave me a sense of validation that I have found in few other places. I wanted to give that feeling to other people. I wanted them to turn on the radio and hear themselves. I wanted to talk about histories and traditions and folklore all through the lens of music. In talking about this with a friend one day he said “well, why don’t you start a podcast” and thus was born Super Sonido, a podcast turned KUVO radio show that explores the way traditional Latin sounds are being reimagined and reinterpreted in a modern context.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My dream was always to be on KUVO, its community-driven mission matched my own. I was lucky in that I knew the right people. My adopted aunties Deb and Yolanda host Canción Mexicana on KUVO and they were a tremendous support. They got me into the meetings I needed to be in, they let me shadow them so I could learn how to work the boards at the station and they kept pushing for me to be on air. Even with that though, it felt like it took forever. I chased after the station for a good two years before I finally got an air date and there were many moments in those two years where I almost gave up. It can be a lonely thing making a podcast or radio show. So much of it feels like you’re talking to yourself and often, at first, there was little feedback so it was hard to tell if anyone was even listening. It also brought up some really interesting personal things I had to overcome. If I wanted to help other people feel seen, I had to see myself. I had to practice vulnerability and show up authentically. The show has been a form of therapy for me, forcing me to navigate things I’d sometimes rather ignore.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Music can be good for many things and I think with Super Sonido my hope is that people can really identify with the music I play and the stories I tell. In Colombia they throw parties called “terapia” (therapy), these parties are one of the few places marginalized people can go to be themselves. After carrying the weight of the world around all day, who wouldn’t need a little terapia. In the favelas of Brazil, Samba Funk was born of similar origins during the height of the 70s and the “Black is Beautiful” era. Music can be a place where we can process our emotions. Music can be a safe place for releasing some of the things we may not know how to do on our own. Lofty goals, I know, but I hope that Super Sonido can be a place where all of these things exist for people; a place they can go to feel seen, relieved, and maybe a little lighter. I also hope, of course, to introduce people to really good music. Super Sonido staples include: Chicano Batman, Bomba Estereo, Lido Pimienta, Combo Chimbita and La Santa Cecilia. I also like to highlight lesser-known acts like Maricuir, Hilandera, Morirás Lejos, and La Texana, and local talent (because boy, do we have a lot) like Los Mocochetes, Kiltro, and Verena to name a few. These are all artists that are interpreting their histories in interesting and magical ways. I’m so proud of what this show has accomplished in three short years and I can’t wait to see what comes next!

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I always love to hear from the community, if you know someone I should be playing, if you are someone I should be playing, send the info my way!

Contact Info:

• Email: molly.gallegos@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.supersonidoshow.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/molly.gallegos.96
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DamitMolly
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/super_sonido_sunday
• Other: https://www.kuvo.org/shows/super-sonido-with-la-molly/

Image Credits
Mane Rok
Jose Martin