Meet Molly Gallegos | Radio Host and DJ

We had the good fortune of connecting with Molly Gallegos and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Molly, how do you think about risk?
My mom always told me that if something scared me, that was exactly the thing I needed to be doing. I get scared a lot, but I rarely let it stop me. Any big dream is going to involve risks but to me, if I really want the scary thing, then I gotta be vulnerable and go for it. I try and look at it this way, what’s the worst that can happen? Someone says no, or I don’t get the thing I wanted? Ok, well I already don’t have it so I’m no worse off and at least I tried (another bit of mom wisdom). And if you try enough times eventually someone is going to say yes, and when they do I think all the “no”‘s will make sense. I have gone after many things on my journey that I thought would be amazing or that I really really wanted and have been told no, if I was told anything at all. I have been rejected so many times but, like, so what. I always knew what I wanted and so I’m going to pursue any inkling of an opportunity that looks like it could advance my path.

My son came crying to me once, he was upset that he wasn’t brave. I told him, “what do you mean! I’ve watched you scale tall buildings (on the jungle gym) and jump from great heights (on the swings), tell me how that’s not brave!” He said “but I still feel scared”. He thought that bravery meant the absence of fear. I got to clue him in early to the secret that we all feel afraid, but it’s what we do with that fear that makes us brave. Do we let it stop us from the things we want to do, like jumping off that swing, or do we push on and face it so we can have the lives we dream of.

I’ve tried my best to be brave in my life and go with what’s left of my gut. I moved cross country for love, I moved back alone with a baby in tow, I quit a good, secure job because I wanted to live a more creative life and even though some of the risks didn’t feel like it at the time, they all set me on a path that has led me here to this moment where I’m closer than ever to all the things I’ve ever wanted. So just take the risk! Send that email, tell the boy he’s cute, quit that job you hate, what’s the worst that could happen.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I just want the world to know themselves. At it’s core, Super Sonido focuses on the connection of the past to the present. The music I play reaches back into the past for its base rhythms and then brings in elements of today, or the future, to create sounds that are accessible to people coming from any direction. While I play music from the Latin American diaspora I think people from any background can relate to it’s message. Most of us are emotional wanderers. We all have lost something of ourselves, our culture, our homes to time, no matter where your people are from. My hope is, the music of Super Sonido can help you reclaim that in whichever way makes sense to you. I started this journey because I didn’t understand who I was, I made no sense to me and it wasn’t until I heard albums like Julieta Venegas’ Limon Y Sal or Bomba Estereo’s Blow Up that I felt like I made sense. When listeners tell me that they hear themselves in my show, that they turn on the radio and feel validated, that is when I feel the most proud of my work. What I love about the music I play is that it can connect to all of you, the part of you that loves to rave or bob your head to bumpin bass in your car, and the part of you that used to sort beans with your grandma and woke up to mariachi music on Sunday mornings. We get to be in the “in between” and it doesn’t have to be confusing anymore because that is where the beauty lives, the embrace between who we’ve been and who we will become.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would take them to a night of culture and theater at Su Teatro-tamales, wine and Chicano theater, can’t go wrong. Then we would grab drinks at Green Russell because I love the dark mysterious energy and the impeccable bartenders. We’d end the night dancing up a storm at La Rumba and hopefully make it to The Marquis before closing for a slice of pizza. The next day we’d stroll along Santa Fe looking for antiques and art. We’d stop in Museo de las Americas because their exhibits always introduce me to new Latinx art to lust after. We’d stop at Tonantzin Casa de Cafe for an afternoon coffee or atole and empanadas and then I’d convince them to get matching tattoos at Kitchens Ink. We’d stop in at the Co-Op at 1st to grab fresh ingredients to make dinner at home. At night we would hit up Ophelia’s for a performance by Los Mocochetes, because you can’t come to Denver and not catch Los Mocochetes.

The next morning we would hit up Convivio Cafe for a delicious Guatemalan inspired breakfast and coffee before heading up to St Mary’s Glacier. Pancakes are a must after a big hike so we’d head to Marion’s for a fat stack before making our way back down the mountain. We’d have dinner at La Diabla and maybe end the night with a cruise up Lookout Mountain.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would not be where I am today without Yolanda Ortega and Debra Gallegos. I always knew that I wanted to be on KUVO, that was my singular goal and I was lucky that I already knew and loved some of KUVO’s most celebrated hosts. Deb and Yolanda host Cancion Mexicana and they mentored me and advocated for me and even let me learn the ropes live on their shows. Debra got me a post with Joe Contreras and Latin Life Denver (who also deserves much applause) so I could learn a bit about the industry while we waited to hear from KUVO. They pushed and pushed the powers that be and more than that, they really believed in me. They believed in my vision and they believed in me as a person and that is so invaluable. They encouraged me at every turn and they still do. I am in the deepest gratitude to my two dear comadres. Steve Chavis who was the Program Director of KUVO at the time, believed in me enough to take a chance on a show and a host that were a bit different. He listened to my demos and gave me invaluable feedback, he helped me believe in myself by pushing me to do more, dream bigger, and he’s still encouraging me today. And lastly, my brother, Matt. He has always been my biggest cheerleader.|

When I started Super Sonido I didn’t have a mic, I was just hunched over my computer half yelling into the internal microphone. The sound quality of my first few shows were awful. Until my brother stepped in and bought me a quality microphone. His investment was so much bigger than a piece of equipment, it was him telling me I was worth it.

Website: www.supersonidoshow.com

Instagram: @_mollegria

Twitter: @DamitMolly

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/molly.gallegos.96/

Image Credits
Elizabeth Salamanca