Meet Stephani Candelaria | Band Leader, Manager, and Lead Vocalist

We had the good fortune of connecting with stephani candelaria and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi stephani, how has your background shaped the person you are today?

I grew up in San Juan Bautista, California in the 90s. At the time, the town population was only around 1,200, and was very much an out-of-way, blink-and-you-miss-it farm town. Though my mom raised me by herself, I was always surrounded by a big, very artistic, political, Xicano family. I grew up with teatro and music from the time I could walk, and when I was around 9, my mom started gigging with a salsa group. Rehearsals, studio sessions, and stages were very much a part of my daily experience, so when I made the decision to pursue a career as a musician, my family was very supportive. It just made sense for me, and still is the only thing I can see myself doing with my life.

As a musician, I carry my upbringing with me. The fierce authenticity of my mother has inspired me to always stay true to my creative vision of voicing feminist, queer-centered, decolonial values in an industry that does not always welcome them. The work ethic of my campesino family has kept me on my path, even when the hurdles and injustices seem too great to cross. And the rich indigenous history and spirit of my hometown has kept my spirit grounded in this big city of dreams, siguiendo adelante.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

My name is stephani candelaria (she/they), but in this scene I’m better known as La Mera Candelaria. I’m a queer Xicana musician, educator and activist from San Juan Bautista, California (Amah Mutsun tribal land), now based in the occupied Tongva territory of Los Angeles. As a proud Latina and fierce feminist, abolitionist, and anti-racist, and just overall authentic AF person, what sets me apart is that I utilize the irresistibly sensual cumbia, salsa, and son rhythms of Latinoamérica– themselves rooted in centuries of ancestral indigenous, African, and Spanish creativity– to turn a world of misogyny and power structures on its own head… all while making you dance. I firmly believe that dance is a radical and revolutionary act, particularly when dancing to these unique rhythms that we have inherited from our ancestors. Throw in some powerful messaging in the lyrics, bam. We out here changing narratives. Whether it’s my 2021 release, “Florecer,” (“Flourish”) a musical odyssey that celebrates survivors, uplifts trans visibility, and calls out cat-calling culture, or my upcoming album “Di su nombre” (“Say her name”), in which fans can expect content about the Land Back movement, the crucial battle against anti-blackness, the struggle for bodily autonomy, and gender-based violence, I’m here not only to keep folks dancing, but also to challenge them to stay woke without being performative, and to educate themselves and commit to cultural change.

And the thing is, I know that it’s my unique combination of traditional Caribbean musicality with unapologetically critical lyrics that sets me apart, that lends me a very specific kind of aura in this scene, one that LA Weekly once described as, “Candelaria is a badass. A passionate and ‘sassy’ (her word) performer with biting wit and no-nonsense feminism in the lyrics. She mashes the traditional and contemporary together, resulting in music that crosses the generational gap.” Sorry not sorry.

It hella hasn’t been easy. I’ve been asked so many times why I didn’t choose a different genre of music as my platform, one that already had some leeway for “fringe” content and topics. There’ve been times when I’ve doubted my choices to stick to a more “traditional” sound, and just go with the overproduced “radio-quality” vibe that sells. I just can’t do it. That’s not what I’m here for. As a survivor of childhood sexual assault, I’ve also really struggled with the toxic misogyny of the music industry as a whole, and the Latine music industry specifically. Traditionally this has not been a safe space for queer brown femmes or other-gendered folks, and there is yet a long way to go. Part of my journey in overcoming these challenges is to open up more and more to my community and my fans about my story. “Florecer” was part of that, and “Di su nombre” is the next chapter.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

One of my favorite afternoon adventures with folks, whether they’re from LA or not, is the Echo Park area, or specifically a two-block section of Echo Park, centered around the Lake. First stop would be to Echo Park lake while it’s still early afternoon, to check out the gorgeous plant life (and the lotuses if it’s July!), as well as the colony of turtles that run the waters there. Maybe we’ll grab some paletas from a street vendor to cool off, and of course some tasty chicarrones de harina to feed the turtle friends! From there, we’d walk a block up to Sunset to visit the Time Travel Mart, which is a dope spot because you can find all the cool novelty time travel gear you never knew you needed, while also supporting 826LA’s incredible creative writing program for LA students. To wrap up the day, we’d visit Latina-owned Bar Flores a block down for fabulous cocktails, delicious grub from LowBoy downstairs, and vibe to the beautiful selection of live music they bring in every Tuesday night 🙂

If they feel like dancing, there’s some great free, outdoor programming throughout the summer– in Lincoln Park, the Music Center and Grand Park to name just a few! It’s a great way to flex some moves in the sun with the homies. After that winds down, I’d take them to La Descarga for their live salsa music and burlesque show. Of course you have to let the bouncer know that it’s somebody’s first time, so you can experience the unforgettable entrance through a secret doorway into the balcony above the club. I like to go Tuesdays and Wednesdays, because the bands are amazing, the burlesque dancers are captivating, and there’s still room to dance on the dancefloor– it can get pretty packed on weekends. But if they don’t mind the crowd and want to try to see a Latine celebrity on a night out, gotta do Floridita on Mondays for salsa!

A more touristy adventure might be to Hollywood Forever Cemetary to get our spooky vibes on and catch an outdoor flick, preferably an older classic. And if they happen to be around on a Monday night, we’re headed straight to the Short Stop to get our groove on for Motown Mondays!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
One of my very first gigs in LA was not one of my own, but rather as a guest vocalist for another group at the famous La Cita back in 2015. After the show, I was approached by David Cardena of La Junta, and we’ve been solid homies ever since! La Junta is a family, and once you’re in, you’re in for life. They supported my project from the get-go, and actually my first EP for La Mera Candelaria was recorded in David’s kitchen! Since then, we have supported each other in our growth in the LA music community– whether it’s helping out recording sessions and production, or performing at each other’s events. They’ve been a constant in my life since I landed here, and their support has always made me feel at home in Los Angeles.

Website: www.lameracandelaria.com

Instagram: instagram.com/la.mera.candelaria

Facebook: facebook.com/lameracandelaria

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyHkv3v_1ydyuZVxFaCjrDA

Image Credits
Jessica Magaña Daniel Mendez