In the year of her 50th birthday, the Mexican pop superstar reflects on her ever-changing style throughout her career.
For the past three decades, Latina pop icon Thalía has been helping to put Mexican culture on the map. With every album release, she has reinvented herself and her sound. In August, Thalía reached the milestone birthday of 50 and she's continuing to expand her brand beyond music and acting, building a namesake empire that spans across fashion, beauty, and home products.
A brief primer, for the uninitiated: In the '80s, Thalía became a force in Mexico and Latin America as a member of the teen band Timbiriche. In 1990, she broke out with her first self-titled solo album. Throughout the decade, Thalía solidified herself as a global superstar with hits like Piel Morena" and Amor a La Mexicana that celebrated her Mexican heritage. She also broadened her reach by starring in telenovelas — María Mercedes, Marimar, and María La Del Barrio, to name a few — that are broadcast in more than 180 countries.
These days, Thalía continues to break ground for Latinas in the entertainment industry. In 2013, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Thalía has sold more than 25 million records worldwide. Last year, she became the first Mexican woman artist to cross one billion views on YouTube with her music video No Me Acuerdo featuring Natti Natasha. On her latest album, desAMORfosis, she's sharing her spotlight with more Latina artists like Sofía Reyes and Farina in the girl power anthem Tick Tock.
Thalía has found her groove in the digital era too, as a social media sensation with her candid posts on Instagram and TikTok that often go viral. She's also in the middle of remastering her music videos in HD on YouTube as a gift to her fans. With Allure, Thalía looked back on her legacy and fierce looks and talked about what's next.
Allure: Fifty is such a milestone birthday. How did you feel to be turning 50 this year?
Thalía: Like any other birthday. I'm happy. I'm blessed. I am healthy. I'm celebrating life, my family, and my extended family who are my fans. I'm creating new projects and new music is coming soon. I'm also creating new extensions of my brand, so everything is so exciting.
Allure: What's your beauty routine in the morning?
Thalía: I use a lot of Dr. Dennis Gross products that I wash my face with in the morning. He has an all-in-one cleanser with toner that I like. After that I use a little SeaCreme and I use my sunblock. Usually, I use my SkinCeuticals Daily Brightening UV Defense (US$54). Sometimes I use a brand that I love called Biologique Recherche.
Allure: What was the inspiration for your latest album desAMORfosis?
Thalía: I love music and I love to create different styles. This was a collaboration with different producers from different cities and cultures, and it has a fusion of sounds. It's very powerful. It's about love and heartbreak and passion, and to reinvent yourself through all these love stories. I did a lot of videos and I'm still doing videos to surprise my fans.
Allure: You've collaborated with a lot of female artists in recent years. What do you enjoy about working with other women?
Thalía: I love it! I think there's a different energy, a different strength, a very subtle force when you collaborate with another woman. It's that energy that collides and we tend to be more creative and supportive of each other. I've collaborated a lot throughout my career, but with girls, it has that spicy element. In the case of No Me Acuerdo, we really shared that sexy energy. In the case of Tick Tock, it's that playful energy.
Allure: Your songs have also become anthems for the LGBTQ+ community. Do you have a message for your fans?
Thalía: I loved them! If we can support each other through recognizing our uniqueness, that's what will make the difference. There's just one you out there. Embrace your uniqueness. Embrace that gift that you have. Explore it. Be playful with yourself. Love yourself and fight for yourself. I learned that if I'm not my own cheerleader, nobody is going to do it for me. I suggest that if everyone does that and they don't care about anybody else's opinion, the world will be so free and so different.
Allure: What are some of your favorite looks from your career?
Thalía: All of them because they are an expression and an extension of how I saw the world back in that moment. I have to say the white coat of all the teddy bears is one of my favorites. I performed one time with a skirt and bustier that was made out of CDs. All my flower power era. The 2000s are back right now. I love to be out there and to take risks when I create my outfits.
Allure: Another iconic look that you revisited recently was the bra made out of Spanish guitars.
Thalía: To pack that bra and that skirt that was emulating like a mariachi hat, I had to have a whole suitcase just for that look when I was traveling to Europe back then with that Amor a La Mexicana song. I was always nervous that it was going to get stuck in customs because it was a big suitcase. It's been great to be fortunate enough to bring my music, my voice, and my presence as a Mexican into different spaces.
Allure: You're a hit on social media. How do you come up with the ideas of what to post?
Thalía: What happens is I'm always by myself with my phone and my camera. I'm not a person with a big entourage. I don't like that. I like to be in charge of myself. I have fun and I think that's why people relate to my Instagram, my Facebook, or my TikTok, because I just think I have to have fun and see the lighter side of life.
Allure: What can we expect from you next year?
Thalía: Everything! We're working on so much music right now. We're working on so many projects. I'm really happy because these projects are so different from one another. There's a lot of things happening. I always want to surprise my fans.
