Introducing: The De Los Podcast
The Delos Podcast launches with a bold declaration: Latinidad is not a niche—it's central to the American mainstream. Hosts Fidel Martinez and Susie Exposito welcome Dominican-American artist Leslie Grace, whose journey from a Christian music closet recording at 14 to a Latin Grammy-nominated global star reveals a deeper truth about creative identity in the digital age. Grace unpacks the tension between artistic sanctity and social media demands, describing her evolution from a young artist navigating a male-dominated genre to a self-aware creator who now balances privacy with audience connection. Her candid admission—'I'm an introvert... I create a lot of what I create from getting that time alone'—cuts through the noise of influencer culture, exposing the emotional toll of constant visibility. The episode reframes the modern artist not as a performer for public consumption, but as a guardian of a sacred creative space, forced to learn new skills—marketing, self-promotion, content creation—just to survive. What emerges is a powerful argument: authenticity isn’t lost in the algorithm; it’s preserved by protecting the private moments that birth the public work.
Protect your creative space like a sacred ritual—especially when the industry demands constant visibility.
The rise of streaming and social media didn’t just change music distribution—they redefined the artist’s role as both creator and influencer.
Introverted artists can thrive by creating in solitude and sharing only after the work is complete.
Learning to accept feedback and delegate non-creative tasks is essential for modern artists to avoid burnout.
Audiences now crave access to the creative process, but the artist must control the timing and depth of that access.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Launching The Delos Podcast
The podcast introduces itself as a platform for Latinidad, positioning Latinos as central to American culture. Hosts Fidel Martinez and Susie Exposito set the tone with a mix of California cool and New York energy.
Welcome to Leslie Grace
“A banger. Which I do believe is one of the best Carole King songs of all time.”
From Closet Recordings to Global Breakout
Grace recounts her early days recording in her family’s closet at 14, working with Dominican merengue legend Richard Cepeda, and transitioning into mainstream bachata during the genre’s global rise.
Navigating a Male-Dominated Genre
“I had to learn how to create room for me to find my own way of doing things, you know, just protect a certain space.”
The Artist in the Age of Social Media
“I'm an introvert... I create a lot of what I create from getting that time alone.”
“But I recharge in alone time and I create a lot of what I create. from getting that time alone.”
“And still, there were so many things that I had to grow through personally. Mainly learning how to create room for me to find my own way of doing things, you know, just protect a certain space.”
“A banger. Which I do believe is one of the best Carole King songs of all time.”
Hosts
Guest
Leslie Grace
person
Susie Exposito
person
Fidel Martinez
person
Prince Royce
person
Carole King
person
Richard Cepeda
person
Romeo Santos
person
Bonnie Cepeda
person
Shirelles
other
Aventura
other
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