This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tatiana Bolaños, founder of The Lilac Agency. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Ask any Latina growing up in the 1990s, and she’ll know the variety show “Sábado Gigante.” For me, the show was life-changing. I won the competition when I was only 6 years old. Not long after that, I performed for a room full of Sony Executives in Key West and signed with the label.
I started my singing career as “La Chiquita Divina,” singing traditional Mariachi music. I was born in LA, but learned these songs from my mother, who is Mexican.
Courtesy of Tatiana Bolaños
My singing career took over my childhood. I got to travel the world and even produced a Gold album. I remember being in Colombia, and children chasing after the van I was in, trying to give me gifts. I was only 8, but that is imprinted on my mind.
I felt like my voice was a gift from God, and I was happy to have the chance to share it with the world.
I traded singing for normal life when I was 15
I didn’t have time to enjoy school or make friends because of my career. Kids at my school in LA would make fun of me and bully me. I felt a lot of shame for being different from my American peers.
By the time I was 15, I knew I wanted to end my contract with Sony. I had achieved my dream of being a performer. Now, I wanted a more normal life — to attend homecoming and prom. Luckily, my parents were supportive.
The money I made from singing was never a major factor for my family. My dad still had to work as a mechanic at the garage that he owned. Most of the money was saved for when I was 18, due to California’s child labor laws. That wasn’t a ton, but it was thousands: enough to make a down payment on a house for my parents.
I like being out of the public eye
After I graduated from high school, I moved to Arizona for a few years. I was still toying with the idea of getting back into music, so I returned to LA. I worked in a Verizon store for years, selling phones while pursuing my music career. Ultimately, I had to accept that my music career was over. It just wasn’t meant to be.
I dabbled in marketing and PR, and ultimately opened my own PR agency in 2015. Through that, I met social media influencers. By 2017, I had pivoted to talent management for influencers. Last year, my agency generated just under $4 million in revenue.
Courtesy of Tatiana Bolaños
I love the work that I do today. I lead an all-female team of managers and have created an environment that promotes the work of BIPOC people while prioritizing the mental health of my team. I still get to meet a lot of interesting people and use my bubbly personality, but I don’t have to be in the public eye, which took a lot out of me as a kid.
I’ve learned to always have a backup plan
I’ve learned that change is OK in life. For a while, I loved being a singer, until I didn’t. Working in a cellphone store wasn’t glamorous, but it helped me support myself in LA. And now, I love where I’ve landed.
I don’t regret signing with Sony, nor do I regret ending the contract. I’ve learned you have to be ready for changes. I tell my influencers to diversify their income streams. If this job wasn’t working out for me, I’d consider becoming a property manager — though I don’t see this as a viable option.
