The Honduran artist talks about the rise of reggaeton, the dark side of beauty standards and her new album, Vanity.
In the past decade, reggaeton has taken the world by storm, expanding from beyond its origins in Panama and Puerto Rico to become an undeniable global force. Yet, within this massive cultural explosion, few artists are navigating the sound with the distinct, subversive energy of Isabella Lovestory.
Originally from Honduras but shaped by a formative migration to the US and the liminal spaces of the internet, the Montreal-based artist has developed an aesthetic she calls a "plastic fantasy"—a hyper-stylised world of bootleg luxury and cinematic flair.
In this Exchange, she talks to Resident Advisor's Chloe Lula about her new album, Vanity, which she calls a response to her obsession with the "dark side of beauty standards." She also discusses her place within the wider reggaeton landscape; her efforts to reclaim and feminise a historically male-dominated genre; the financial erasure of women in the scene; and how her experimental approach challenges the self-seriousness of electronic music. Listen to the episode in full. -Chloe Lula
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The Honduran artist talks about the rise of reggaeton, the dark side of beauty standards and her new album, Vanity.
In the past decade, reggaeton has taken the world by storm, expanding from beyond its origins in Panama and Puerto Rico to become an undeniable global force. Yet, within this massive cultural explosion, few artists are navigating the sound with the distinct, subversive energy of Isabella Lovestory.
Originally from Honduras but shaped by a formative migration to the US and the liminal spaces of the internet, the Montreal-based artist has developed an aesthetic she calls a "plastic fantasy"—a hyper-stylised world of bootleg luxury and cinematic flair.
In this Exchange, she talks to Resident Advisor's Chloe Lula about her new album, Vanity, which she calls a response to her obsession with the "dark side of beauty standards." She also discusses her place within the wider reggaeton landscape; her efforts to reclaim and feminise a historically male-dominated genre; the financial erasure of women in the scene; and how her experimental approach challenges the self-seriousness of electronic music. Listen to the episode in full. -Chloe Lula
Expansive dub vibrations from the On-U Sound maestro.
Adrian Sherwood has spent nearly five decades reshaping how dub is heard and felt. From absorbing reggae and funk as a teenager at the Newlands Club in High Wycombe to cofounding On-U Sound in 1979, he’s been a restless force in British sound system culture. His debut production, Dub From Creation, signalled his instinct to twist the Jamaican form into bold, experimental directions.
That spirit defined On-U Sound, where reggae collided with post-punk, industrial and synth pop to forge a catalogue still unlike anything else. Sherwood became a crucial bridge, producing for legends like Prince Far I, Bim Sherman and Lee “Scratch” Perry, while also working with Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails and Sinéad O’Connor.
His RA Mix (yes, you read that right) arrives at a moment of renewal—RA.1001 is the first in a new era for the series. (After 1,000 editions of the RA Podcast, we're updating the name to better reflect what it's become.)
Recorded at his Ramsgate studio, the 76-minute mix folds in cuts from The Collapse Of Everything alongside material from across the On-U Sound universe, plus collaborations with Panda Bear, Sonic Boom, Coldcut and Spoon. It's Sherwood doing what he's always done: stretching dub into endless new shapes.
Find the interview and tracklist at ra.co/podcast/1019
RA Podcast
The Honduran artist talks about the rise of reggaeton, the dark side of beauty standards and her new album, Vanity.
In the past decade, reggaeton has taken the world by storm, expanding from beyond its origins in Panama and Puerto Rico to become an undeniable global force. Yet, within this massive cultural explosion, few artists are navigating the sound with the distinct, subversive energy of Isabella Lovestory.
Originally from Honduras but shaped by a formative migration to the US and the liminal spaces of the internet, the Montreal-based artist has developed an aesthetic she calls a "plastic fantasy"—a hyper-stylised world of bootleg luxury and cinematic flair.
In this Exchange, she talks to Resident Advisor's Chloe Lula about her new album, Vanity, which she calls a response to her obsession with the "dark side of beauty standards." She also discusses her place within the wider reggaeton landscape; her efforts to reclaim and feminise a historically male-dominated genre; the financial erasure of women in the scene; and how her experimental approach challenges the self-seriousness of electronic music. Listen to the episode in full. -Chloe Lula
