We had the pleasure of sitting down to talk with Latin songsters TROPIC ZONE, check out what these three talented individuals had to say when FANVASION caught up with them!
Hey!
All: Hi! How are you?
I’m fine, thank you. You?
All: Great! Thank you!
So, how did you guys get together?
Maria: Well, first of all I met Joseph through a family engagement, and we started working together with the producers. He was a dancer, singer so our producer had this idea to put a group together. So, we started working together, and Gustavo just recently…we worked on the Grammy’s together. We were dancing for Alicia Keys, and at the time we were looking for another member. So, I asked him ‘Hey, ya know you should come down and check it out’. He was perfect, he fit the bill perfectly with all his experience.
Where did the name Tropic Zone come from?
Maria: Well, our producers gave us a different amount of tracks, and we were trying to come up with a name. One of the tracks was called ‘Tropic Zone’, and it was about this place taking you to like a fantasy island to get away from like everyday problems. Just to go and have a good time, without having to worry about anything. We just thought that was really cool. Like ya know you wanna go to the Tropic Zone.
When did you know you all wanted to be entertainers?
Joseph: I’ve always… I’ve been dancing since I was eight years old, so I’ve always just been involved and I just love to entertain. It’s just a part of my life, it’s in my blood. I’ve always known I guess you could say. It’s worked out this way…it’s great!
Gustavo: Yea, and with me just growing up, ya know with dancers in my family. ‘Cause my family’s from Mexico ya know? Then I would always act silly growing up so, many people would laugh and I would entertain them stuff like that. Then later in life I was like ya know what? I should probably take this seriously. [All Laugh] So, then I came to LA.
Maria: My mom said that, like since I came out of her tummy [Laughs] I was like dancing and singing. Like on the airplanes I would entertain the people, and run around the plane. So, she was like ‘I need to put her in singing and dancing classes’. So, I’ve just been like training ever since.
You’ve all appeared in television, and danced…why did you choose singing?
Maria: I’ve always been doing it, singing with dancing. I first wanted to explore my dancing when I came out to LA, and then I decided to be in like different singing groups and I did some performances…took vocal lessons. I kinda trained at the same time, but ya know I really wanted to focus it on dance at first, and now like I’ve done all I can do in dance. So, I wanted to move on to my singing and stuff like that.
So, would you say you like singing or acting more?
Maria: Which one do I like more?
Yeah.
Maria: Umm, It’s kinda hard to say. I love singing, I would have to say singing because it brings all the elements to the stage. Because I can be acting when I’m singing, ya know the way I like sing a song. Also, dancing so it’s like the best of all three worlds for me. I would have to say performing on stage singing.
Gustavo: Yea with me, I don’t think I have a favorite. I think they’re all my favorite. ‘Cause I just love doing all kinds of stuff, crazy stuff. Dancing, acting, singing, um whatever the opportunity is that comes. Ya know if they want me to sing I’ll sing, if they want me to dance I’ll dance, if they want me to act I’ll act. [Laughs] Just performing really.
Joseph: I have to agree with both Maria and Gustavo that, is that all three of them have something to offer singing, dancing, and acting. I think with singing, you get the best of all three worlds on-stage. You get to sing, you get to dance, and you get to act, cause you get to act out the songs. And um, that’s what so wonderful about the group is that the three of us get to experience that together. So, that’s pretty cool.
Yea, that’s gotta be a lot of fun.
Gustavo: Yea, and with our dance background, and acting stuff. Just being on stage, the energy is just so positive and it just brings the whole performance to a whole different level.
Who are some of your musical influences?
Joseph: With me I like Marc Anthony, Julio Iglesias, ‘N Sync, Alicia Keys. Just like a lot of people [Laughs] Stevie Wonder, a lot of different artist.
Gustavo: For me Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, and growin’ up in a Mexican family of course I have to join my legendary Gusentes Hernandez. Ya know basically what Joseph said, ‘N Sync those guys are just performers. They make me just wanna get up and perform.
Maria: I’d have to say I grew up listening to like Donna Summer, Gloria Estefan, Selena, Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson [All Laugh] I got a lot.
Gustavo: The Jackson 5 [Laughs]
Maria: The Jackson 5, I love Alicia Keys too, and um I like Shakira too she’s cool.
Gustavo & Joseph: Yea.
Joseph: And Paulino Rubio I like her too. But I like, ya know who I like too? I like No Doubt, I dunno I always have, cause I’ve grown up under them a lot so I’ve just love them.
I got a chance to listen to some of your songs, and I really like “Just Say Goodbye”, can you tell us what that’s about?
Maria: Yea, it’s actually, well um I’ll tell you about the part I sing about. It’s um about ya know this girl who’s dating this guy, and he still has this girlfriend that he’s been with for like a long time. Ya know, but he started dating me and he’s really like into me, but he can’t let go of that girl. Ya know he tells me oh I wanna be with you, but I’ve been with this girl for so long and it’s hard for me to make a change and blah, blah, blah. I’m like just say goodbye, just say goodbye to her ya know then you could have something great with me, why are you holding on to something that’s over. That ya know you’ve got problems with this girl. So, then the story goes from the guys point of view which is…
Joseph: Which is um [Laughs], ya know kinda the same thing. He’s interested in this girl that can’t let go of this other guy. And um she’s trying to let go and be with him. It’s just a lot of fun, a lot of flirting, and just cheating basically.
Yea, it’s a great song.
All: Thank you!
Any plans to do some shows over here on the East Coast?
Gustavo: We hope to do a lot of show son the East Coast! [All Laugh]
Maria: Yea, we’re looking hopefully to come out to Orlando soon. And maybe do some um, what is it Treasure Island there or Disney? We’re getting ready to cut some new tracks right now. Hopefully when those are done we’re gonna send out our packages and stuff.
(Note: TZ’s manager cuts in to say right now most of the shows are on the West Coast.)
Maria: Yea, we’re doing mostly West Coast shows right now.
Yea, can’t wait to see you guys perform live.
Maria: Aw, thank you. Spread the word! [Laughs]
Joseph: You gotta come backstage and everything!
Gustavo: You guys want it we’ll be there. [Laughs]
You mentioned you were recording two new tracks. So, any other exciting recording or summer plans?
Maria: Oh yea, they’re a surprise though. All I can tell you is that they’re really fun and they’re cool.
Joseph & Gustavo: They’re really fun!
Maria: It’s something that…they’re mostly re-makes of songs that you’ve probably heard, but ya know we do it Tropic Zone style. [All Laugh] They’re
really hot, you’re gonna love ’em.
Joseph: Very like summer, and fun!
Gustavo: It’ll make you wanna dance.
Joseph: Exactly! It’s very sexy too.
If you could pick anyone to record a song with, who would it be and why?
Joseph: Pick anyone to record a song with?
FV: Yea.
Joseph: As a group or individually?
FV: Either or.
Joseph: Ya know who’s really talented, that I’ve always liked? Stevie Wonder. I mean he’s awesome and it would be an honor to be up on stage, singing with him. You know what I mean?
Gustavo: With me there’s tons of people. I actually would like to perform with ‘N Sync, they’re energy is so positive, and they just have so much energy. Also, I would love, I would have loved to perform with Michael Jackson. The legend back in the day, and um Marvin Gaye. [Laughs]
Joseph: Cause he is smooth. [Laughs]
Maria: If we had a chance to record with anybody or perform with them, I’d have to say um…I just had somebody in my head an I lost it…ah wait um…it was a guy. Oh, Brian McKnight! [Laughs]
Joseph: Ya know what would be fun…to perform with another group. It would be No Doubt, I think ’cause they rock out, it would just be fun with Gwen Stefani and all them. It would be kinda cool as two groups or ‘N Sync. As a group that would be kinda cool.Yea, that would be kinda interesting ’cause they sing a different type of music.
Maria: Exactly.
Joseph: Yea, but that’s what’s cool. Is to combined something like that, the No Doubt kinda feel with the Tropic Zone kinda feel.
Gustavo: Rock and pop! [All Laugh]
Joseph: It would just be fun to be up there with Gwen Stefani, that’s for sure.
What do you guys think of the artist and music out right now?
Gustavo: I definitely think that like ‘N Sync and Britney…I think they’ve taken pop to a different level. Performance wise and show wise, but to me the king of pop is always going to be Michael Jackson. ‘Cause to me he’s like the one person back in his day that I think could do a whole concert just by himself. I like the pop music nowadays. I think they definitely…I’m talking about Britney and ‘N Sync, they’ve definitely taken it to a different level.
Maria: Yea, and I’d have to say that I like all the Latin music that’s out right now. Like the Shakira, and Enrique Iglesias, Marc Anthony’s new track, and Paulino Rubio. I really like how that whole Latin thing is really starting to evolve again. And also ya know the Alicia Keys, like I love that type of music. Ashanti, the whole Usher with P. Diddy I love that. I think it’s great, I think the music right now there’s a bit of everything for everybody. It’s not just like it’s one thing.
Gustavo: It’s not like it use to be, let’s say just one thing like grunge. It was one person, now it’s like featuring so and so, so and so.
Joseph: It’s all different types and I like how it’s all different types of music out there right now for everybody. There’s rock, there’s alternative, there’s hip-hop, there’s pop, ya know and everybody has something that they can listen to.
Gustavo: And of course Salsa. [Laughs]
So, then is that the kind of music you would say is in your CD players right now?
Joseph: Um I have writing. I like alternative, I like hip-hop, and I like pop.
Maria: Yea, but she means what’s in there right now. For me it’s Craig David, J.Lo, Tropic Zone [Laughs], and I have Alicia Keys too.
Gustavo: Yea, I have Tropic Zone in there, cause I’ve been listening to that. I have some salsa CDs, actually that’s mostly of my CDs. I use to do a lot of salsa, and I love salsa so…
I actually have your CD in mine right now.
ALL: [Laugh and clap] Yeaaaa!
Maria: We’ll have to send you some new tracks once we get them done.
Joseph: Yea, that’s cool that’s awesome!
Have you had any help in the creation of your songs?
Maria: Well, actually right now our producer he works really close with us, and he kinda. I mean we spend so much time together that ya know he knows what we go through, and he kinda writes about what we’re going through in our lives. Like “Just Say Goodbye”, since I’ve been in the group I’ve probably went through that two times. (laughs) I come to the recording session and I’m like Andrew guess what happened. [Laughs] Ya know so when we go in the studio we have a lot of freedom for like improves, or be like oh can we change this up a little bit or something. Especially, for like dance breaks and stuff, they really like take our input on what we think would be hot. Stuff like that, so…
Do you think you might get into writing your own songs in the future?
Joseph: Totally, yea for sure. As an artist I wanna make sure that I do my best, when I write songs. So, for right now, I’m just learning a lot about writing music. Totally, really it’s an awesome thing to be creative like that, and write such awesome music. Have people relate to your music, I can’t wait for that day to come.
Gustavo: I wanna write songs in Spanish, and mix it with English or course.
Maria: Spanglish [All Laugh]
When your fans here your music what message do you hope they take from it?
Maria: Just to have fun and I mean most of our songs are uplifting songs that are just to like have a good time. Like I said before to take people away, from the stresses of life and stuff. And then there’s some songs we do that are serious, like I said what we go through, and that people can relate to. Just a message that we’re just like them, I mean we might be singing and dancing, and seen on TV whatever, but when it comes down to it…we’re all the same person. We have our struggles, but all in all we’re artist to express that and be able to communicate that to everybody.
Joseph: Especially when we come over to the East Coast and you watch us, we just want you to have fun. Enjoy yourselves, enjoy our music. Just have fun, basically it’s just to have fun…that’s what music is all about.
Have you had any crazy experiences with your fans yet?
Maria: Oh yeaaaa [Laughs], well last summer we did two performances at Sea World. It was our second performance, and we had just finished. This girl, I didn’t see here, but all I saw was like a double D size bra thrown on the stage. I like picked it up and I was like ‘ohh’, and I put it on Joseph’s head and he started laughing it was so funny.
Joseph: It was funny, even though we were so tired.
Maria: I thought that was hilarious that one of the fans did that. Was there any other fan…I mean they’ve just been really supportive. They’re always out there with there signs, and stuff. We always have stuff that happens to us, like my pants ripping or Joseph cutting the cord of the head set. (laughing starts)
Joseph: We had a show in Virginia, and there was tape on it. I was trying to cut off the tape, and it was six minutes before we had to go on-stage. I cut the cord (laughter), and I didn’t wanna tell our producer. So, I went to our assistant and was like ‘I don’t know what to do’. (laughs) Because it was just six minutes before we had to go on-stage.
Maria: And he cut his mike. [Laughs]
Joseph: There was my mike…gone. So they had to get me a new one. A new headset. We just have a lot of funny experiences. It’s just laughable, scary time but hey..
Gustavo: I haven’t had moment on-stage yet, not since I’ve joined the group.
Maria: You will.
Gustavo: I’m sure I will. [Laughs]
How would you describe each member of the group?
Joseph: Maria is beautiful, talented, hard working, fun, just takes care of all of us. Kinda ya know gets us in order.
Gustavo: She’s the organizer.
Joseph: Yea! [All Laugh]
Maria: Gustavo is very like peaceful spirit, sexy, talented, hard working, um just has a great personality and is very suave with the women. [All Laugh] We call him Gusuavo [All Laugh]. Oh and he’s also the promoter of the group.
Gustavo: Joseph for like as long as I’ve known him he’s a really really awesome guy. Nice guy, great voice, um very positive, energetic, and ya know I guess that’s it about Joseph.
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Joseph: Oh that’s it? [All Laugh]
Gustavo: No, I mean team player definitely, and with Joseph, Maria, and Gustavo combined it’s just one big part of solid energy.
Joseph: We’re on big family! [All Laugh]
Maria, is it hard being the only girl in the group?
(Note: Manager cuts in): She loves it! [All Laugh]
Maria: Actually no, I get along really good with them. They’re like brothers to me, and we have a good time. I guess it’s maybe harder for them because they always have to like wait a little bit extra longer, ’cause I have to go through make-up and hair. Maybe, for them it might be frustrating.
(Manager): She has me on the road so…
Joseph: Is it hard for the guys you mean, no I’m joking. [All Laugh]
Gustavo, was it hard for you to come in and learn everything that Maria and Joseph already knew?
Gustavo: Ya know it was a great learning challenge and experience because I know, they’ve done a couple of these numbers before. So, I had to play catch up, with learning the songs, and where I have to be stuff like that. That actually was the hard part for me, the dance part of it wasn’t, because we changed all the numbers completely to hold different choreography.
Maria: Yea, he actually I have to say he choreographed…re-choreographed our whole show. In less than like two weeks, and we have like five or six numbers. I mean he is amazing, amazing, took our performance to like another level. With all his experience with dancing from J.Lo to Enrique to Alicia. the list goes on and on.
What would guys say is your most prized possession?
All: [Laugh] that’s a good question.
Maria: Prized possession? Ya know, I really don’t have something like material value that if I lost in a fire or something. I guess it would have to be my friends and my family, and just the relationships that I have with people. ‘Cause I think that to me is more important, I mean I really don’t have anything…yea I have like my Gucci watch or something. [Laughs] Honestly that’s not like something, if I lost it or ya know?
Joseph: Yea everything Maria said is true. I don’t think that there’s something that if I don’t have I’m gonna like freak out. Having G_d in my life that’s important to me, so that’s like a prized possession. That’s what keeps me going and that’s what keeps me strong.
Gustavo: I agree with what Maria said, and I agree with what Joseph said. Also, to me I think my heart, my soul, and my legs [All Laugh], and the voice of course.
Are you all single?
Gustavo & Joseph: Yes!
Maria: We’re all available.
Are any of you still in school?
Maria: I’ve been taking classes part time, but I get really busy. Ya know working a lot, and so I have to like drop out. [All Laugh] I know that sound kinda bad, but no I go back and fourth. I try to at least get a few course done every year. I’m going back this summer, possibly taking one course. I heard they have like on-line courses, I think that might work better for me because I work so much. Gustavo didn’t you graduate?
Gustavo: Yea, I’m done with school thank G_d. (laughs)
If you were stuck on a desert island for the rest of your life, with one person who would it be?
Gustavo: Ohhhh that’s another great question. Ummm…
(Note: Someone yells ‘for how long?’ everyone laughs.)
Maria: For the rest of your life! [Laughs]
Gustavo: For me I’d have to say one, beautiful, hot, Latin women. [All Laugh] That way we could like start from scratch and have a whole new generation. [All Laugh]
Maria: I would have to say..for the rest of my life? Ohhh… hold up…
Joseph: Wow, I dunno. That like makes my heart pound [Laughs]… umm …
Panellapi Cruise? [All Laugh] That’s good I wouldn’t mind that.
Maria: Ummm..
Joseph: Gettin’ a little tongue tied there (all laugh)
Maria: This is hard for me, Chanelle.
Joseph: Ya know what, Chanelle? It would be with you. (all laugh)
FV: Aww, that’s so sweet.
Do you guys mind if I ask you ‘Either or Questions’?
All: Aw no, go ahead.
Backstreet or ‘N Sync?
All: ‘N Sync!
FV: [sniffle] No, Backstreet, okay.
[All Laugh]
Britney or Christina?
All: Britney!
Shakira or Gloria?
All: Oooooh
Gustavo: I would have to say Gloria.
Maria: Me to.
Joseph: Gloria’s been around for awhile so she’s proven herself. She’s talented.
Gustavo: She’s started so many peoples careers so…
Maria: Yea, Gloria!
Enrique or Ricky?
All: Enrique
Joseph: Ricky Martin’s so cool. [Laughs]
Green or Blue?
Joseph: Blue
Gustavo: Dream or Blue? I’d have to go with Dream.
Joseph: Oh I thought you meant green or blue.
Maria: The colors?
FV: Yea.
All: Ooh the colors he though you meant Dream or blue.
Maria: There’s a group named blue? [All Laugh]
Gustavo: I take blue.
Maria: I take blue too.
McDonald’s or Burger King?
All: McDonald’s!!!! [All Laugh]
VH1or MTV?
Maria & Joseph: MTV!
Gustavo: For me it depends, because MTV doesn’t show as much videos like they use to, VH1 does show a little bit more. I’ll go 50/50 on that.
Joseph: VH1 has behind the…
Maria: Yea, but MTV has the…
Gustavo: MTV
Joseph: MTV has the Ozzy show which is hilarious.
Gustavo: I’ll have to go with MTV then.
Joseph: Do you like the Ozzy show?
Yea, I love that show!
Joseph: Isn’t that hilarious? [Laughs]
FV: That’s so funny.
(Note: We all talk about the show ‘The Osbournes’, and the kids for a bit.)
Where do you guys hope to see yourselves in the next five years?
Maria: I see us touring with other artist. Hopefully, maybe having our own tour, recording our second album, traveling, working on a Spanish album. Maybe
traveling to South America, and doing maybe some acting on the side. Just growing as artist.
Joseph: Grammy’s. [Laughs]
Maria: Performing at some award shows. Ya know wherever G_d’s leading us. It’s all about having a good time, and just enjoying the process of the whole thing.
Joseph: It’s just cool having fun.
Well, thank you guys so much for doing this we really appreciate it. It was great talking to you and we can’t wait to see you live, maybe do another interview.
All: Yea!
Maria: Hey, where are you from?
FV: New Jersey.
All: Oh, Jersey. (Note: We talk about basketball, NJ Nets and who we’re rooting for.)
Joseph: You were awesome so, thank you.
Maria: Thank you so much.
Well, like I said all three of us hope to see ya soon.
Joseph: Yea, you have to come out and see a show soon.
Maria: Keep checking the website, we’ll be put there real soon.
FV: Okay, will do thank you. Bye bye!
All: Take care, bye!