Life in Spanglish

José Alberto “El Canario” joins Honey German on Gracias, Come Again for a funny, heartfelt conversation about his life, his legendary salsa career and the stories behind the music. 🇩🇴🎶🎙️ Loved by generations of Latinos, the Dominican salsa icon takes us from his childhood in the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico at just seven years old, then to New York City in the ’70s, where he built the foundation for an extraordinary career. We revisit his early band days, his journey to becoming a solo artist, his Latin GRAMMY wins and 50 years in music, celebrated in 2025. From “Sueño Contigo” and “Discúlpeme Señora” to “Bailemos Otra Vez,” we’re talking about the songs that became part of our lives. ❤️ El Canario also shares how he earned his nickname, which means “the canary,” and the story behind his signature imaginary flute, including whether he actually practices it! 😂🪈 Plus, we get into love, marriage, his wife’s occasional jealousy, his skills in the kitchen and life in Florida. He’s so busy touring the world that he’s only used his pool once, for about 15 minutes! We also discuss the New Jersey street named in his honor, his upcoming October concert in Florida and the wisdom he shares in our Life Advice segment. Stories, laughs and lessons from one of salsa’s GOATs. Listen to Gracias, Come Again on iHeartRadio and watch the full José Alberto “El Canario” interview on YouTube. 🔥See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dominican-Italian artist YEИDRY joins us for a powerful conversation about her debut album, Como Agua, her Afro-Latina identity and the experiences that shaped her life and music. Raised in a small town in Italy, YEИDRY opens up about staying connected to her Dominican roots while navigating life in Italy’s countryside as a brown girl experiencing racism and colorism. She shares how feeling different influenced her identity, artistry and decision to create music in Spanish, Italian and English. YEИDRY also reveals that she has felt like an adult since she was only 9 years old. Because her Italian was stronger than her mother’s, she often helped her mom communicate and navigate life in their new country. Her family’s immigrant experience shared many similarities with the stories we often hear in the United States, except theirs unfolded in Italy. That responsibility helped shape the fearless woman she is today. As YEИDRY says during the interview, “I’m not afraid of anything.” Music also became one of her greatest teachers. YEИDRY learned English by translating songs from Jay-Z, Rihanna, Beyoncé and Nelly Furtado. Before having internet access at home, she would visit an internet café, print out the lyrics and study them. After building her life and career across Europe, YEИDRY moved to the United States in 2023 and now lives in Los Angeles. The conversation gets deeply personal as YEИDRY discusses reconnecting with her father after he moved to New York when she was young. That experience inspired “Espejo,” meaning “mirror” in Spanish, a song about seeing herself reflected in her father and rebuilding their relationship. Plus, YEИDRY reveals how COLORS unexpectedly reached out to her ad blew her up, reflects on how she landed NPR Tiny Desk and talks about her growing presence in music and fashion. This episode is a heartfelt and fun conversation between two Dominicanas connecting through culture, family, identity and their shared love for the Dominican Republic. 'Como Agua' by YEИDRY is available now on all major streaming platforms. Her NPR Tiny Desk performance is also available to watch now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author Cleyvis Natera joins Gracias, Come Again to talk about her second novel, The Grand Paloma Resort, a gripping story set in the Dominican Republic that explores sisterhood, class, tourism, labor, exploitation, poverty, and the hidden cost of luxury. Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York City, Cleyvis takes us inside the world of The Grand Paloma Resort, where tourists come for paradise, but the Dominican workers behind the scenes are the ones keeping that paradise alive. The conversation also goes deeper into some of the book’s most uncomfortable and important themes, including crimes connected to tourism, tourists who travel to exploit vulnerable children, sex work surrounding hotels, poverty, and the circumstances that can push workers into degrading or dangerous situations simply to survive. Cleyvis and I also discuss the hotel workers and laborers across the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean whose work keeps the tourism industry thriving, even when they rarely get to experience the luxury they help create. This is a conversation about far more than a book. It’s about Dominican identity, sisterhood, tourism, working-class women, exploitation, family, survival, and what really exists behind the beautiful resorts so many travelers never think twice about. We also get into Cleyvis Natera’s journey as an author, her Dominican roots, her life in New York, and how her own perspective helped shape this powerful story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.