HOLA! USA celebrates the end of one year and the beginning of another with the magnificent double cover featuring Natti Natasha and Eva Mendes, two Latinas who are setting trends in their respective fields.
The Dominican songstress, who covers the East Coast issue, candidly shares how she went from being undocumented to one of the most in demand artists. The star of our West Coast cover, Eva Mendes, lets us in on the secret to her success and how she keeps her Cuban culture alive for her daughters with Ryan Gosling.
Natti Natasha and Eva Mendes both cover HOLA! USA’s December/January issue – Photographer: Gio Alma
On being undocumented when first moving to the States: “Yes, I was undocumented. It really wasn’t planned because I arrived with a visa, and it expired while I was in the U.S. Obviously, nobody wants to be an undocumented immigrant because it is extremely difficult and even a little abusive—they put you to work for hours that you didn’t expect, and you have to do it.
I cleaned the house where I stayed; that was how I paid my way, by cleaning. [I also worked] in a factory, and I remember that they had me do different things. One day, I was on the cosmetics production line; another day, I was wrapping packages.”
On all her musical collaborations: “It’s difficult to decide. Every collaboration I’ve done has been with an artist that I admire. For me, Daddy Yankee was a dream since childhood. I thought, ‘My god, one can never imagine that someone so admired can be so humble.’ Daddy Yankee marked a before and after in my career. Another collaboration I loved was with Thalía.
Natti Natasha and Eva Mendes both cover HOLA! USA’s December/January issue – Photographer: Gio Alma
Who wouldn’t love to collaborate with that spectacular woman! Ozuna has also been a boom. When one of his first songs came out, I said, ‘I want to record with him because of his voice.’ I participated in the writing of the song “Criminal.” Now the remix of “La mejor versión de mí” with Romeo [Santos] has just come out. Romeo is a source of pride for the Dominican Republic, and doing a bachata with him, from a song of mine… I’m going to tell you the truth; I still don’t believe it.”
Natti Natasha and Eva Mendes both cover HOLA! USA’s December/January issue
On love: “No, not yet. I’m in love with music, with my career. It’s been so much work to get to where I am. I still have a long way to go. I love what I’m doing, and I feel that everything has a moment and a place. And everything will come, but first the man has to arrive, and the stability has to arrive.”
Photographer: Gio Alma
