Isabela Raygoza

A writing and editing professional in the media and entertainment industry with over four years of experience. Assistant Editor at MTV Iggy; formerly Music Editor at Remezcla. Freelanced at NPR, Noisey MX, Fusion, Austin Vida, Latina Magazine, Bitch Magazine, and Boat-Mag among others. Welcome to my work! (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); ga('create', 'UA-42792604-1', 'isabelaraygoza.com'); ga('send', 'pageview');

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Four years ago today, Geli and I met and have been going strong ever since 💃🏻❤️💃🏻 And in her amazing annual fashion she curates me a Vday-centric playlist. I absolutely love her and every single song in here too, it's a must-listen. Happy Valentine's Day and anniversary, love! NowPlaying Airy Visions & Reflections in Water (4) by Geli Lapel

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The Dø is like pretty surreal right now. (at DOCK DES SUDS OFFICIEL)

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After Benjamin Booker, @gelilapel and I got a couple quick snapshots, right before we darted to MØ's showcase. #GovBallNYC (at The Governors Ball Music Festival)

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My cuz @ayeleexx__ turns 21 today (!) who's visiting NY from SD! We're also here with my cousins @sdny619, @princesskeepitlit and gf @gelilapel grubbing on 🍕🍻 #SD represent (at Pizza Party)

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Isabela Raygoza Editor at MTV Iggy, New York @isabelaraygoza 

Royal Highness - “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” (Selenaville edit)

There probably hasn’t been a better time to revisit the iconic Selena, well, because it’s been 20 years since her passing, and now she’s resurrected as forever resilient. Evidently, more non-Latinos and young Americans are really starting to take notice of her brilliance, and today, The Queen of Tejano is widely recognized as that legend. Regardless of all the festivities surrounding this weekend honoring her life, oeuvre and what would’ve been her 42nd birthday, her music always hits home. 

A couple of years ago, Texas’s DJ/producer group Royal Highness released an impressive EP titled Screwmbia which contains an edit of the seminal “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom.” Beyond all other countless Selena remixes, this one remained a favorite. It shifts the focus of the dance-igniting tune right to her vocals, which are slightly coated with a dreamy opaqueness. Then it goes all trap, chopped and screwed. The duo, King Louie of DJ crew Peligrosa and Príncipe CU (who’s AB Quintanilla’s son, and Selena’s nephew!), brilliantly reworked it. If you’re also strolling down Selenaville, lend your ears to this one.

[soundfriend]

Isabela Raygoza editor at MTV Iggy, New York @isabelaraygoza 

Santa Cruz - “Anthem for the Young n’ Restless”

This past November, I discovered Santa Cruz on my newsfeed, clicking on their latest video/single, “Wasted and Wounded,” a sleazy-yet-savory, hard rock ditty that resurrects the flamboyant vibe of the ‘80s hair metal scene. NYC DJ/promoter Samuel Valentine brought them to the US for the first time from Helsinki, Finland for an end-of-year extravaganza at Webster Hall. And, well, their live, jaw-dropping performance surpassed my already then high expectations.

Santa Cruz’s bottleneck bluesy guitar riffs, glam rock decadence, high pitch screeches à la Axl Rose and potent rhythm section combined to make me a huge fan. They are one of my latest, new musical discoveries, and they will be yours too if you’re too obsessed with Mötley Crëw, Guns N’ Roses, and Van Halen. As its title suggests, this is literally an anthem for the young and restless. I love all the transitions here, the incendiary power chords and the larger-than-life choruses. It gets me pumped for whatever.

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Santa Cruz Kicks off a Permanent Wave of Hair Metal

There was a time about three decades ago when hair metal bands ruled the Earth. They were flamboyant to the core, piled on the Aqua Net, and partied like, well, rock stars. While most metal groups withered during the '90s’ grunge era, the few who survived either matured their act (Bon Jovi), or stayed...

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Un Planeta: Shooting Toward Electro Rock Glory

Argentina is well known for birthing rock icons like Soda Stereo, Babasónicos, and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, and Buenos Aires-based Un Planeta just might be the next Cerati. Although we recently learned about the band's existence, it's obvious they have the potential to become great, as they have already crafted a sophisticated electro rock sound...

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Selector: The 5 Rock Songs that Inspire Banda de Turistas

“We’ve always been very influenced by ‘60s psychedelic music such as West Coast Pop Art Experimental, and the psych rock side of The Beach Boys, The Zombies, and Pink Floyd,” muses Tomás Putruele, guitarist and backup vocalist of Banda de Turistas. ...

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Tunacola’s Hip-Pop is for Girls (and Boys) Who Just Wanna Have Fun

While many of their Chilean comrades like their dance pop with ultra-gloss and vintage synths, Tunacola prefers to create stunning kitsch pop songs with silliness and classic video-game console sounds that still have plenty of dance floor functionality. ...

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Otra Era: Enter the Age of Javiera Mena

“Since forever, humanity has always passed through different eras, and that depends on each civilization of each moment,” Javiera Mena reflects as she explains the title behind her newest album Otra Era, which translates to Another Era....

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Lounging out at #DaytimePat (at Union Pool)

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Chilean Pop Idols Alex & Daniel Join Forces in Debut Album

By now, you’re well aware of the flurry of Chilean pop musicians constantly pushing the vibrant sounds of electropop beyond the southernmost coastal country. From the huddle, two of that scenes most luminous gems unite for an exciting collabo....

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The Wookies Bring Discotecno Back in a Big Way

"We had an incident back in Kashyyyk when we were driving a spaceship under the influence. Some cops stopped us and it didn’t go well," confesses a Wookie....

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ICON: Babasónicos Are Still Reshaping Rock

Babasónicos are one of the last of their black-clad rock 'n' roll breed. The maverick five-piece stays true to their rock-star essence, with a flamboyance that remains untouched by other bands. ...

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Indee Styla Redefines Roots Hip-Hop

“My music permits me to connect with people and to search for ancestral wisdom,” declares Barcelona-based emcee, Indee Styla, during our brief chat at an Astoria coffee shop. Finding inspiration in “roots” cultures and amalgamating that with conscious hip-hop has been a thing for a while. The vibe is generally that of a search...

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Él Mató A Un Policía Motorizado Overcomes Bad Vibes with Rad Noise

As far as experimental indie rock bands go, it’s very refreshing to find those who aren't divas. Better yet, to meet a charming bunch of noise rockers with optimistic vibes. La Plata's Él Mató A Un Policía Motorizado (He Killed A Motorcycle Cop) is one of those pleasant-yet-curious encounters. ...