La India Looks Back on Her Trailblazing Career

For decades, la princesa de la salsa, La India, has been a voice not only for women in Latin music but also for women worldwide. With ballads of love, anguish, and optimism, it's no wonder that the 55-year-old salsa icon was given the Pioneer Award at the Billboard Latin Women in Music in Miami over the weekend.

La India's illustrious career includes hits like "Vivir Lo Nuestro," "Mi Mayor Venganza," and "Ese Hombre" and collaborations with legends such as Marc Anthony and Gloria Estefan, this year's Legend Award honoree. For more than three decades, she has continually pushed the boundaries and transformed the Latin music scene with her feminine energy and authenticity.

"I feel very proud to pave the way for a new generation," La India, born Linda Viera Caballero, tells New Times. "Just like Celia Cruz paved the way for me, I am paving the way for other sisters. I wish and pray that they have their own identity and realize that they have a long road to cross. In a male-dominated genre, they have to be strong. If they have spirituality, faith in themselves, and the confidence to know that they got this, no matter what happens, good or bad, the music is what speaks."

The Puerto Rican artist's dedication to remaining true to herself has made her a trailblazer for women across all genres of music.

"What's made my music authentic is my dedication to every message, every song, whether I write it or not," she explains. "If you write me a song and I believe I could take it to number one, I'm not going to steal your publishing. I'm going to give you your publishing."

That includes her hit "Mi Mayor Venganza," which continues to appeal to listeners since its release in 1997.

"Rodolfo Barrera, a half-Cuban, half-Boricua songwriter, brought me 'Mi Mayor Venganza,'" she recalls. "'My worst vengeance is for you to keep on/To cry and go through all the pain that I went through/You can have them/My worst vengeance is for you to keep them.' That became an anthem. During every concert, when women cry and identify with the song, I become the voice of a new generation of women who see me as their voice."
La India empowers listeners, particularly women, through honest emotion and passionate delivery.

"What's made my music stand the test of time is my vision, passion, and love for my music," she explains. "I don't put out albums every year; it's something I have to feel inspired by. But I'm an artist who loves traveling the world. I wasn't born to stay home and collect royalties. I live my life like a rock star."

There's certainly no argument that La India is a rock star. She has been a leading figure not only in salsa and tropical music but also in house music, having been once married to legendary DJ Louie Vega early in her career.

"Getting together with Masters at Work, Little Louie Vega, and Kenny 'Dope' Gonzalez, and having me as a vocalist, we knew we were starting something brand new," she says. "We went number one on Billboard's Dance charts, which opened up a lot of doors for house music. Louie Vega and Kenny Gonzalez are very beloved and respected."

Although Louie introduced her to dance music, her vocal talent quickly made her a fixture in the dance scene. She witnessed the transition from freestyle music to more house and club-based sounds. Not only was she able to attract a new audience, but she also grabbed the attention of Tito Puente, who hopped on "Love & Happiness" with her.

"We were able to get together and have him play on 'Love & Happiness,' and so it's just something very Yoruba because it's his Afro-Cuban beliefs," La India adds. "It was interesting how he went in and collaborated with us. We were the new generation coming in with dance music. It was one of the projects Tito Puente was very proud of because it brought him to the new generation. He proved that he's an innovator as well."

As a trailblazer, La India has also helped crack through the Latin music industry's glass ceiling. Fiercely independent, she has a disdain for the machismo mindset that plagues the Latin community.

"I never saw myself as handicapped. I said, 'I can do my job. I'm good.' And I don't see myself as a girl — I see myself as a great artist. And through all my hard work, I've gained a lot of respect from the men."

La India credits Celia Cruz with helping her gain the confidence to keep moving forward and pushing boundaries.

Still, despite her strong demeanor, she's honest about the low points in her life, especially her divorce from Vega.

"The saddest moment of my life was when I had to say goodbye to the relationship with Louie Vega because he was the person who was my best friend," she says. "When fame came, he went and stayed with dance music, and I went with salsa tropical. We grew apart."

Nevertheless, La India appreciates everyone who has helped her career prosper over the decades and is looking to pay it forward.

"From the new generation, I would have to say that I love Karol G — I love her. She reminds me so much of me, and what she's doing with a new generation that's what I've done with salsa tropical. Maybe one day I can meet and work with her."