Fashion and music are two elements of life that can help to define our very soul. In adulthood our sense of style and musical taste is more pronounced and steady. In our younger years, we are more fearless and experimental.
For rising Miami artist Joaquina, her collaboration with JCPenney was a chance to show her younger self heaping amounts of love.
The Venezuelan singer teamed up with the retailer for a limited-edition, back-to-school collection. It’s a capsule collection that embodies the bold, electric, messy, and magical moments of being young and free.
Her Be Electric collection was inspired by her memories and how her inner world has shaped who she has become
At a launch event held in Miami’s Dadeland Mall, she gives Latinidad Collective the scoop on how this collection came to fruition.
“I think my inner world is filled by every experience I’ve ever had with every person I’ve ever crossed paths with,” she begins.
The Latin Grammy winner continues, “But [it’s] also [influenced by] where I come from; being a Venezuelan girl and immigrating to the U.S.”
Joaquina, whose debut album “al romper la burbuja” is currently out, also credits Miami as a huge influence in how she moves through the world (and how that’s influenced her JCPenney collaboration).
“And also growing up in a city like Miami that’s so multicultural, but still keeping my roots very present in my life, I think all of that ‘melting pot’ [mentality] definitely seeps into anything I do in my life,” the Venezuelan crooner adds.
“I think the music I grew up listening to and all of that really influences the style of this collection emotionally and visually,” she claims.
Joaquina notes that the collection is an extension of herself and how her artistic vision can expand
The Venezuelan singer notes that her younger self would be “jumping off the walls” seeing how something she created was at her childhood mall.
“I grew up coming to [Dadeland] Mall every single weekend with my parents and with my friends. Like this was the mall that every Miami kid comes to. So being here, in this JCPenney and [it being] such a staple store, and so accessible to everyone and just so beautiful with everything they do; it’s just an honor to be able to showcase my art in this way,” she explains.
Her ultimate goal with the Be Electric collection is to showcase her art in a new and refreshing way. She admits that this is a new branch of what’s already been established with her music.
Joaquina continues, “I think this is a new branch of my art that I’m having the opportunity to explore, so I’m just really grateful that a brand like JCPenney — that’s so iconic and that has been doing this for so long — gave me a chance.”
Drawing inspiration from her music allowed her to piece together a collection that would allow her younger self to feel seen
“I think that in my songs I do speak to my younger self a lot, and I actually have a song on this album that’s the opening track, and it’s called ‘carta (a mi)’ which is a song that I wrote to like my [15 to 17] year old self,” the singer claims.
With “carta (a mi),” Joaquina explained that she wanted her “mid-high school” self to feel seen and heard. She describes her high school self as someone who “always felt very out of place” and like an “outsider” despite having very clear dreams about her music and career.
This collection is her way of sharing, not only with her inner teenager, but her fans, that there’s no need to feel shame about “being loud and being big and growing up to be the person that you want to be.”
That’s why the reactions from her fans have meant so much to her.
She states, “I think that my fans’ reaction to this collection was so crazy because it was so unexpected. It’s a secret that I’ve been keeping close to my heart for more than a year.”
“So, it coming out was just like very — it seemed random, but so fitting at the same time, and my fans are just super excited. Even the ones that are out of the U.S., they’re like, ‘I want to go to the U.S. just so I can buy the collection,’” Joaquina continues.
The singer concludes, “I think it’s just a chance for me to showcase another branch of my art, and I think they really appreciate [it] and share that with me.”
