Accordion 2 Me

On this week’s episode we celebrate our SEASON 2 FINALE at Marina del Ray in California sitting down with Yvette Montoya owner of The Bratty Brujita Botanica.

Montoya is a bruja, a medium, and healer born and raised in SoCal. Montoya has been featured on Refinery29, Allure, Cosmopolitan, and HipLatina writing on the topic of brujeria, spiritual hygiene, and ancestral veneration and we dig in on these topics and what our rating on OnlyFeet would be.

Photo cred to Zuly Garcia

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) On this week’s episode we get to chat with actor and director Kevin Alejandro. From San Antonio to the big screen, you may know Alejandro from his prolific imprint on pop culture with his roles on Lucifer True Blood, CW’s Arrow, Ugly Betty and many more. We catch up with the Alejandro to talk about his current role on the hit CBS show Fire Country, and delve into his artistic journey of authenticity and creative living.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) On this week’s episode we get to chat with the MEME king of the Rio  Grande Valley Gene de La Garza, born and raised in Welcaso. The Educator, Writer and Filmmaker spreads the gospel of the Puro 956 all over the world quite literally and today we talk about the joy of living creatively and the power of the almighty meme.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) On this week’s episode we get to chat with Multi-Grammy Award winning producer and activist Wil-Dog Abers. The bassist and founder of LA based band Ozomatli, and member of Los Super Seven, has produced music featured in iconic film, tv and games like: Never Been Kissed,Sex and the City, Tony Hawk Pro Skater and Flamin Hot. He talks to us about the truth in his Wikipedia page, the creation of Ozomatli and imparts wisdom through highs and lows of his career. This is a MUST LISTEN interview with an icon of the California music scene.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) On this week’s episode we chat with filmmaker and entrepreneur Adrian Arredondo. This South Texas artist and filmmaker  has worked alongside well known artists such as Zoey Saldana, Maluma, Anita,and Ivy Queen; as well as lead to Global Music Programs at Spotify the programs that you may know such as "Viva Latino!" and Loud: The History of Reggaeton podcast. He joins us today to talk about his artistic life, working at Spotify and his newest directorial project "Take it Away" a documentary about Tejano and Mexican Regional music icon Johnny Canales.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) On this week’s episode we talk with the multi-hyphenated entertainment force in Los Angeles, LABellatini who works within music and film from DJ to Film/TV Casting and more. We talk about her journey of self-love and self-empowerment, the power of community in the entertainment industry, as well as her no holds bar truths on how she casts shows giving us insight into her time casting The Bachelor, and La Firma; and how important it is to choose the right fit for a project. On top of her work in the industry, she also talks about finding herself on the other side of the camera with a surprise appearance on ROKU Reality TV show, Un Millón de Gracias.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) On this week’s episode we drive up to the northern California mountains, to chat with owner and farmer of Ranchera Familia, Sue Carlton. This third generation female farmer is one of a handful of Latinas in Cannabis leading the way in its production and education. With almost a decade worth of experience she talks to us about the influence of her family's farming and ranching roots, the business of cannabis, and how her farm has allowed her to develop a safe and healing space for her and her girl friends.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) Accordion 2 Mi esta semana es en Español y continuamos nuestros aventuras en Los Angeles, California. Hablamos con actor, director y productor Raul Gonzalez. Gonzalez es conocido por su proyectos Las Dos Caras de la Ley (2015), Texas, Huele a Sangre, Mujeres de la Noche y De la misma sangre (2020). Hablamos con Raul sobre su carrera pde actor, y como ha crecido su carrera artistico independiente.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) Accordion 2 Mi esta semana en Español desde Los Angeles, California. Hablamos con actor de novelas, cine y teatro: FERNANDO BANDA. El actor mexicano nos acompaña para hablar sobre sus extraños comienzos en la actuación, y sus actuaciones destacadas en El Señor de los Cielos (2013)como Vitaminas, Dodo (2014) y trabajando con Patrick Stewart en 2002 en King of Texas; tambien vamos a  hablar sobre la escena artística en México.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) Jennifer Peña is the interviewer on this Season 2 Mid Season BONUS episode of the Accordion 2 Me podcast. This spontaneous role reversal took place after we finished Jennifer's Episode (Ep.24), and we talk about my career in the music industry, how I came up with the podcast, my petition to get Freddy Fender inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and so much more. Show some love to our guest host and we will see you all next week when we return from the West Coast and countdown to the final episodes of Season 2 of Accordion 2 Me.

On this week’s episode we chat with singer/songwriter and radio personality Beatriz Gonzalez.  This talented South Texas business woman talks to us about her start in mariachi, her skyrocketing career after her viral video success in 2018, and how she has grown from music to radio personality and balancing that to grow her art empire.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) On this week's episode, we chat with the NEW King of the Carne Asada, the RGV's very own Arnie Segovia, a.k.a. Arnie Tex. With close to half a million subscribers on YouTube; The barbecue enthusiast, competitor and mentor is spreading the gospel of Mexican grilling and cooking and has recently been featured on the Joe Rogan podcast for the company he founded American Pitmaster Company, or APC, a line of barbecue and grilling seasonings that are specifically made for fire. So let's get to grilling on this week's episode of Accordion 2 Me.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) Accordion 2 Mi esta semana en Español. Hablamos con creador de contenido digital, y locutor Jorge Escobedo. Hablamos con Jorge de su carera Mexico y como cambio su vida en el brusco nacimiento de sus hijas gemelas, el dolor de perder un hijo y cómo vive su vida como un aguacate.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) On this week’s episode we get to chat with South Texas entrepreneur Fatima Gamez (@FatimaFlawless). This multi-hyphenated entrepreneur is an esthetician, promotional model, and  freelance journalist and host on the late-night talk show La Comidilla. Fatima has built herself an empire alongside her family and now is embarking on continuing her journey into TV and Radio.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) On this week’s episode we chat with Sailor Tortilla (aka Aije) one of the top Latina content creators for the beloved 90's manga & anime Sailor Moon.  Whether it's reviewing the latest merch and toy releases for Sailor Moon or traveling out to Japan Otaku's a up close look into the sights and the culture of the country that created our favorite animated shows, Sailor Tortilla has shows the joys that come from Otaku fandom. Sailor Tortilla and I go through our histories of watching anime in English and Spanish, the many different iterations of Sailor Moon from the Manga to the 90's Anime, the Live Action Show, and the divisive Sailor MoonCrystal; as well as geeking out over our shared Otakuness.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) On this week’s episode we chat with International Tejano and Latin Pop star from Corpus Christi T, Jennifer Peña. Peña has cemented herself as the top entertainer in Latin music from accolades by the Latin Grammy's, Premios Los Nuestro and the Billboard Latin Music Awards just to name a few. Now making her much anticipated return to music, after stints on Telemundo’s reality programs  "Asi Se Baila" and Top Chef VIP, we get to chat with Jennifer Peña on life Accordion to her. Going over her rise to fame after her performance in the 1995 Selena Tribute Concert at the Astrodome , to leaving the music industry for a deep life change that brings her back to creating art...creating music.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) 

DISCLAIMER: This week’s Episode discusses topics that could be sensitive to viewers. Please be advised.

On this week’s Episode we sit and chat with content creator and radio host of the #1 Spanish Morning Show in South Texas Denise Garcia aka La Ronca. We get into Denise’s upbringing as a migrant, and how working in Radio saved her life and led her to be one of the few women in Radio making an impact in California, Texas and Illinois media space.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) On this week’s episode we get to chat with Corpus Christi National Award Winning Food Blogger and Chef, Vianney Rodriguez also known as SweetLifeBake. Rodriguez is the author of two books: The Tex-Mex Slow Cooker and Latin Twist; as well as being featured on the Oprah,Food Network, LA Times and Southern Living. The recently named Food Editor for Texas Co-op Power Magazine, sits down to chat with us about her start in the culinary arts, the power of food in conjuring memories and so much more Accordion...to her.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) On this week’s episode we get to chat with man, the myth, the legend…Tim Smith. As both a Chief Meteorologist for KRGV Channel 5, and a Philanthropist, Smith has cemented himself as a staple of the Rio Grande Valley and invested in its future not just in the sciences but also in the arts. We get to have an intimate conversation with Smith, about what brought him to the RGV from Indiana, dispelling the myths surrounding him, and how he keeps art alive in the community and in his own life.

(Video podcast available on Spotify & Youtube) 

On this week’s episode of the Accordion 2 Me podcast we start our FIRST EVER Solo Episode...with ME, Veronique. Get yourself settled in and comfy cause we're gonna chat about: the way I started my podcast and then had to start it over after episode one, my takeaways from our Season One Guests, what it was like auditioning for a Broadway musical in New York, and the way my life was changed by having a strong artistic community, and so much more. This Video/Audio Pod is the first of many. Make sure to follow the pods YOUTUBE page for more: https://youtube.com/@accordion2mepodcast

Welcome to our NEW Sponsor: Cricket Wireless

On this week's episode we have Corpus Christi’s very own, El Dusty, on the pod. We chat with Dusty on the many hats he wears in the music industry as a producer, DJ, and nu-cumbia pioneer; breaking down his brief stint with the OG 90’s Kumbia Kings and how Suzette Quintanilla played a part in him meeting his wife, and his transition into opening new businesses and investing into the Corpus Christi art's scene; You won't want to miss this intimate conversation with one of the rising icons of Corpus Christi.

This week we chat w/Derick Garcia, the Rio Grande Valley native turned local CBS/NBC News Anchor/Journalist and Navy Veteran.  about what led him to joining the military, his experiences as a journalist,  as well as digging further into what lead him to 11 years of sobriety.