HOLA! USA INTERVIEW
Sofia Reyes petitions to put Spanish word in the dictionary
HOLA! USA chats with the star on her latest flavorful collaboration
Sofia Reyes is bringing the flavor. The 25-year-old Monterrey, Nuevo native has teamed up with legendary Mexican brewery Estrella Jalisco to introduce the brand’s Tropical Chamoy Michelada. Boasting a refreshing fruity taste, the lager is a staple on the Mexican brunch menu. Reyes and the company aim to make chamoy known on a global level. “I grew up in Mexico and chamoy is very important to us there,” the singer-songwriter told us. In fact, the colorful flavor is so infused in the culture that Reyes and Estrella Jalisco cannot believe the word isn’t in the English or Spanish dictionary.
The pair have taken matters into their own hands and launched a petition asking Merriam-Webster to add chamoy - and they want fans to help! Everyone is invited to sign the petition and then submit their best definition of chamoy on social media for a chance to win two Tropical Chamoy swag kits and a year-long supply. Cheers to that!
Ahead of petition day, we chatted with the “1, 2, 3” singer about her tasty teamwork, new music and more.
How did your partnership with Estrella Jalisco come about?
I grew up in Mexico and chamoy is very important to us there, so when I found out Estrella Jalisco was creating a michelada with chamoy, I couldn’t wait to try it and introduce people to the flavor. I mean, when you put a great tasting beer together with a delicious flavor like chamoy, you have to get excited, right?
Definitely! Growing up in Mexico, were you a fan of Chamoy?
Absolutely! I loved putting chamoy on my favorite snacks as a kid, like fruta picada and chips. Now that I’m older, I’ll add it to my micheladas or beers to add a flavorful twist.
What other traditions or flavors did you have growing up that you miss?
There are a lot of traditions that I cherished while growing up in Mexico and that I try to keep with me because they make me feel at home. One of those is getting together with family and friends on the weekends. We’re all very close so we love to catch up over beers and tacos - it’s a good time!
Estrella Jalisco is petitioning to have chamoy added to Merriam-Webster‘s dictionary. If you could add any other word what would it be?
As someone who speaks Spanglish all the time, there are a lot of words I use that deserve recognition because they are part of a larger community. Like “lonche” might be used to say lunch, or “janguear” which means to hang out. You won’t find these words in a dictionary but most Mexican-Americans and Hispanics will know exactly what they mean.
How does it feel to bring authentic Mexican representation to the U.S. with your work?
My Mexican experience is part of who I am and I’m very proud of bringing that representation to projects that I work on, like how I’m helping Estrella Jalisco introduce the flavor of chamoy to wider audiences.
In addition to Estrella Jalisco, you‘ve collaborated with some incredible artists, who’s your next dream collab (artist or company)?
I’m open to different collaborations, and believe every opportunity brings something special to the table. What I love about partnering with Estrella Jalisco is their commitment to bringing color and brightness to communities through various ways like painting murals across the country or introducing new vibrant flavors like chamoy!
Speaking of collaborations, can you tell us anything about “Dancing on Dangerous?”
Imanbek (a Russian Dj who just won a Grammy for his “Roses” remix, which I love by the way) invited Sean Paul and I to the song, which I love! I really feel this will be a summer smash, great EDM song with the urban and latin twist that Sean and I add to it. The song comes out tomorrow Friday the 9th, and watch out for the video on the 22nd, which I co directed with my managers. I can´t wait for everyone to watch it!
Any other upcoming projects you’d like to share?
I’ll be representing Estrella Jalisco at their “Reventón de Verano” – a virtual event designed to celebrate culture, joy, and community airing on Sunday, May 2. I will be singing alongside many great artists. It will be a blast!
