Episode 7: Surprise, Shawty! We’re NOT Nurses
In episode 7 of “CRACKING THE COCONUT” we decided to switch up the tempo with a topic that’s near and dear to our hearts, and a whole lot of fun! With over 13 years combined working in the entertainment industry, we’ve attained priceless experience, learned many lessons and gained countless memories. The entertainment industry is cutthroat and not for the faint of heart, but these two Filipino-American girls were able to overcome and achieve success in a space where Filipinos are few and far between.
Carla shares not one but two encounters working with the talented Selena Gomez, someone that she’s been a fan of for years. In the episode she can’t help but to “kilig” (to be giddy in terms of romance) while reminiscing about the experience. She also shares her full circle moment with the Jonas Brothers, from being a fan girl as a teen, to industry professional as she takes part in shooting their interviews for 97.1 AMP Radio.
While Carla and Jasmine talk about the music industry, they give insight on what it’s like to work with on a day-to-day with the artists, and how sometimes it’s the artists’ teams that make the job a little more challenging than the artists themselves. Carla tells us about the time she was a camera operator for an interview with the biggest K-pop group out there, BTS. As she was putting her talents to work, catching all the dynamic shots, one of the group’s team members had other ideas for the shot. Nonetheless, the boys were great to work with and the interview was a success.
Jasmine’s favorite industry experience to date was the opportunity to coordinate a Sound Stage (a private radio performance), with H.E.R. at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood. She shares about the challenges of having to constantly prove her capabilities and execution to a male boss, and how much of an accomplishment it was working with H.E.R. and her amazing team.
The events they've both worked at doesn’t just include small venues like the Hotel Cafe. Sometimes they’re at huge and iconic arenas like The Forum in Inglewood, which was the site for KROQ Almost Acoustic Xmas 2018. Jasmine had the responsibility of being the talent escort for Billie Eilish, who at the time was on the cusp of global superstardom. She mentions how, despite her star status, Billie appeared nervous or maybe that she felt “out of place,” at the weekend festival.
Carla corroborates the story by sharing a Vanity Fair interview where Billie talks about feeling nervous before a radio show. Although it’s not confirmed that Billie is talking about KROQ Almost Acoustic Xmas 2018 specifically, the correlation seems to be not coincidental.
This is the Vanity Fair interview Carla mentions in the episode. The radio show reference starts at the 8:50 mark.
If Carla and Jasmine decided to follow the hopes, dreams and wishes of their families by entering career choices that didn’t make their hearts sing, they would not have been able to share so many great memories and earned their successes and achievements. Hopefully these stories inspire you to create your own path and write your story the way you want to.
Cracking the Coconut is available on the following platforms:
FOLLOW US:
FOLLOW CARLA JAY:
FOLLOW JASMINE:
