dímelo @jesustalks
In "Dimelo @," La Nueva Link speaks with different Latinx creatives / professionals to highlight their contributions, work and get them on your radar. Up next, LNL is honored to have a conversation with Latino pop-culture and media legend, Jesús Triviño.
Jesús Triviño is an authority on Latino pop culture. He is a Webby-nominated content creator, who has covered music, TV, film, and more for over 15 years as a reporter, editor, producer and curator. His work has been featured in People.com, Latina, Vibe, Apple Music, New York Daily News, SLAM, XXL, The Source, Essence.com, and BET.com. Currently he is pushing la cultura forward as the Senior Director of Global Latin at TIDAL.
Name: Jesús Triviño Alarcón
Job Title: Senior Director, Global Latin
Company: TIDAL
Side Hustle: Podcaster, writer
Location: NYC
Social handles: IG - @jesustalks | TW - @jesustalkz
LNL: You’re an icon in the industry and we’re honored to have you in LNL. What has been the biggest change in the industry you’ve noticed?
J.T: I was lucky enough to be one of the first journalists to cover reggaeton in mainstream English language media. I believe I was one of five reporters covering the genre in the 2000s in the U.S.. Today it absolutely warms my heart to see our género being covered by almost every major outlet by talented Latinx scribes. I always knew reggaeton would take it this far. I’m just glad I’m still part of the movement.
LNL: How has being Latinx given you edge in a music space?
J.T: I’m a Brooklyn born Ecuadorian kid raised alongside Puerto Ricans and Dominicans surrounded by hip-hop, reggaeton, cumbia, salsa, freestyle and so much more. Unbeknownst to me, my diverse upbringing produced my fruitful career right before my eyes. I am as much of a A Tribe Called Quest head as I am a J Balvin expert. I come off as authentic in my dealings with artists because, well, I am. I’m not faking the funk. Also, speaking Spanish has been a huge advantage in interviewing Latinx artists as well as developing relationships with management teams. You’re always going to elicit the best answers from artists in their native language.
LNL: In your career -- what has been your biggest achievement so far?
J.T: Gracias a Dios, I’ve had plenty but one of my biggest was getting Bruno Mars on the cover of Latina Magazine. It took me almost three years to get it but I did it. And it’s all about relationships. L.A. breakfasts with his publicist (who I knew from my hip-hop mag days) to meetings with his girlfriend (who I knew when I worked at a cable network where she was a reality TV cast member). He’s one of our generation’s greatest performers and is super elusive when it comes to interviews, which is why it was such a big deal to get him to sit down with me. It was one of my best interviews and best cover stories I ever wrote.
LNL: What’s the one bit of wisdom you can share for rising professionals?
J.T: Be nice. It’s super easy to say but not as easy to put into action. You’d be surprised how much more you can get by just answering back an email or putting a smile on your face when you meet people. It’s just common manners. Remember what your mami said!
LNL: Tell us about your first job, what did it teach you about yourself?
J.T: My first job in the industry was as a freelance fact checker at VIBE Magazine. But my first real job was at 11 with my dad at the butcher store where he worked for over 30 years. At a young age it taught me the value of a dollar and being a hard worker in everything I do. Thankfully I’ve been a full time creative my entire media career but I absolutely never take it for granted.
Learn more about Jesús and his work aqui.