Lele Pons talks musical evolution, social media secrets and what’s next

I think it’s the people I surround myself with. My family has dealt with a celebrity before so they know what to do to block off the personal life. On one side, be professional and the other side be personal. I don’t like to include so much of my personal life with my business. I’m gonna tell you the truth: I wasn’t always humble. When I became famous around 20, I thought because I was famous nothing could touch me. I could do whatever I want. I was treating people bad to be honest, until my family literally came up to me and was like ‘Listen, wake up. You’re this girl. You’re not better than anybody else.’ I lost a lot of people - a lot of friends. That’s what made me click, you know what I mean? It’s important to be humble. The world doesn’t revolve around you. Many things happened that actually made me realize that. I went through some stuff and I behaved in some ways that, right now looking back, I regret so much. I’m gonna be honest, I was at that point in my life where I was like ‘oh no I’m famous’ I didn’t even go to therapy yet - I believed that I was invincible. I wasn’t very humble. Over time, my experience, my family, the people I surrounded myself with - the types of friends, the energy, the positivity that they bring… I think that’s what makes me so authentic now. El piso, my mom says. Also, living with my mom helps me a lot. I didn’t come to L.A. - which is a very toxic place - alone. She is a doctor. She doesn’t care about this world [celebrity], so she sees it from another perspective and that’s what helps me. I don’t take myself seriously, as well, since I was little.

That’s what I’m saying. People want to be perfect or the version that they’re not on Instagram. I’m so tired of that. The more real and relatable you are the more they’re gonna like you. That’s who I would support. I like people like Cardi B. She speaks her mind. She doesn’t care. She eats all the time on her IG live with her hands all oily. I like that because we’re really used to a lot of people being like ‘oh I’m so perfect.’ I’m just like, listen: I have cellulite. I try to explain to people it’s OK. Sometimes people put you on a pedestal. No, I’m exactly the same. I’m no different and that’s very important. And I believe that too. I didn’t a long time ago, but I believe it. I am not famous - I’m just me. And that’s who I am on social media. Sometimes I’m hungry. Sometimes I have a bloated stomach. Sometimes I don’t wear makeup. I show my cellulite.

Since Vine days I’ve been doing a lot of stunts. I think it’s because in middle school I really wanted a lot of friends. My friends were the ‘mean girls.’ They were like, ‘make us laugh, make us laugh.’ I didn‘t really know how to talk in English, so I’d be, like, doing stuff physically. I’d fall… it got stuck to me. I actually became really good. I learned how to do it without getting hurt. I incorporated that in my Vines because it was the only way for me to be like ‘oh they like me when I don’t talk, but I do stuff physically.’ I still do it sometimes, not as much. I do it because I feel like physical comedy is international. You don’t have to know the language to understand it. I don’t know why I haven’t broken a bone. I drink a lot of milk [laughs].

There have been videos that I’ve filmed, I get it, but it cuts too soon. I’ve learned from my mistakes. I usually have two cameras now.

I always say this to my friends: I am the last person to judge. I have done so many dumb things. I’ve done a lot of stuff. I don’t judge anymore - anybody. I think this is a really good place for people to feel open to talk about whatever they want to talk about since I did that on my documentary. I talked about something that was very deep, that I didn’t feel comfortable with and then I didn‘t feel so alone and that’s what I want people to feel. I wanted people to come talk to me so they can feel more relieved.

One of the craziest secrets was this guy who slept with his cousin, but didn’t know she was his cousin, and now she’s pregnant. I’m not a therapist, but I can give advice. I can be like, ‘listen, be with her, stay with her... you guys are all in this together. Go get help. Tell someone!’ I told him that at the end of the day it wasn’t intentional.

Honestly, thank God that I’ve been in therapy for so many years. I have many exposure therapy practices. I know sometimes when I have a problem how to kinda manage it. I drink my pills every day - it’s like a religion. I see my therapist twice a week just to keep up. Even if nothing’s happening, nothing bad, I just want to always catch up, tell them what’s happening. Something that’s helped me a lot has been that I’ve been very active doing exercise, hobbies that I like, watching movies, being with my friends, being in a positive scene… that has helped me a lot especially now in quarantine.

One of my biggest social media tips that I can give is to be consistent. To know that mornings are sometimes the best times to post, according to me. Also, make sure to collab, even with friends. Be authentic, be original. When you post stuff, post stuff you like to post, not stuff just to get likes. You can tell. Do things because you really like to do them, not because you want to be popular or famous or get money. Obviously we all need money. Do it for the right reasons, people will follow you, people will see you for that because if you’re really passionate about something you should go for that.

I’ve always wanted people to ask me… why am I not dating someone? That way I can answer - ‘I don’t know do you know the answer?’ [laughs] Maybe you guys know… I don’t know. Everybody’s questions are great, but if you ask something personal that’s like a new thing for me. Not just business questions.

Music. Music itself. Have you ever had music that you listen to it and you go back in time? When you were little? I wanna be that. I wanna make that music that when people actually grow older, be like: ‘Yo, I remember when I was listening to this song it was so good, it was such a good time. I remember I was in here, Quincinerea, in the car, blah, blah, blah…Music is such a historical thing - it sticks to you. I wanna be a part of that. Music has always lived with me. I loved music since I was little - Shakira! That inspired me. Just knowing that one song is gonna touch someone’s life. If I can at least to one person do that - you made history in their lives. I love to create music. Create or listen to it. I feel like music should inspire everybody to dance, to sing, to create movies. I like movies because sometimes the track in the movies make it even more real. I saw Pearl Harbor yesterday and it was so amazing because I bet I wouldn‘t have cried that much unless the song was in there. That song is so good - the instrumental song. People inspire me as well. People that have admired me, pushed me to become better. My fans, my supporters, my family, my friends, everything.

Daddy Yankee would be amazing one day. I would love it!

What I do is…This is for people who compare themselves a lot. I’m gonna say it for myself: Is there a girl who’s name is Lele Pons? Who has a dad named Luis and has a mom named Anna. Who has started on Vine, and actually got signed by Shots, then after that went to Instagram, then went to YouTube, was born in Venezuela, has family from … I do that. No. There is nobody. That’s it. You can’t compare because you didn’t go through what I went through and you don’t know the people that I know. There’s no comparison. You are your own person. I do too many things to be compared.

Taking breaks when I started feeling like something’s coming. When you’re very high - this is a swing - you’re gonna get to a low. When I see myself very overwhelmed I just come back where I’m stable with my family, I get a break - like a weekend - and I’m good.

I remember when I was Vine - this changed my life forever - Jerome Jarre, I was such a fan of him. I actually was like - ‘hey, hey, hey follow me!’ Then after he followed me, I collabed with him and my life changed. So I know how amazing it is to read comments. These are all lives of people. Random people. So if you can at least like or comment back, you’re making their life. God knows what they’re going through.

My next adventure… I think I want to go to Iceland. I want to see the skies. Maybe at Christmas.