The Strength of Being Thalía
As she approaches nearly five decades in the spotlight, Thalía is entering a stage of her life where reinvention is no longer driven by the need to stay relevant, but by a deep connection to who she truly is. Between the release of Todo Suena Mejor En Cumbia (2006), a project that takes her back to the emotions, sounds, and memories that shaped her story, and a career that has made her one of the most influential figures in Latin culture, the artist graces our cover in collaboration with Jacob & Co., a brand that, like her, understands the value of time, evolution, and lasting legacy. We spoke with a woman who has learned to transform every setback into momentum, every chapter into growth, and every dream into a new possibility. Far from the pursuit of perfection and closer than ever to her true essence, Thalía reflects on authenticity, resilience, faith, fashion, freedom, and the strength to keep believing in herself after having lived through it all.
Right - Jewelry: Jacob & Co., Dress: Givenchy, Shoes: Saint Laurent, Cap: Iván Ávalos
by Emilio Gala
There are artists who build a career. There are others who define an era. And then there is Thalía. To speak of her is to journey through decades of music, television, fashion, pop culture, and moments that have become part of the collective memory of millions. But behind the records, the telenovelas, the stages, and the accolades, there is a woman who continues to ask herself questions. A woman who keeps exploring herself, observing herself, and discovering new ways of existing. Perhaps that is why one of the first things she talks about is not success, but mirrors. Not the ones that reflect her public image. The other ones. The private ones. The ones that compel her to face herself.
Becoming Her Own Cheerleader
For years, the world watched Thalía. They admired her, criticized her, celebrated her, and judged her, as what happens with anyone who reaches an extraordinary level of public exposure. Yet her most important battle did not take place in front of an audience. It took place within herself. "I've learned to be my own cheerleader. Because many times, I was the one who sabotaged myself the most in my life, the one who made myself feel the worst. The obstacle in my own path. And then I learned to change the narrative, to tell myself: you did a great job, you can do it, you'll do even better next time. I started being more generous and more loving toward myself." Her reflection comes with the serenity of someone who has already lived several lives within a single lifetime. Because if there is one thing that becomes clear during our conversation, it is that Thalía is not speaking from theory. She is speaking from experience. She began working when she was just a child. She grew up in front of the cameras. She lived through adolescence under public scrutiny. She reached levels of popularity that are difficult to comprehend and experienced every possible stage of the entertainment industry. And even so, today she seems to have found something more important than external approval: inner peace.
True Beauty
When people talk about Thalía, it is almost inevitable to think of glamour, fashion, and spectacle. Yet her definition of beauty runs far deeper than one might imagine. "From a very young age, I understood that the masks society wears are not real. What we see on social media are carefully planned fragments, moments designed to showcase the best parts of someone's life. But that's not life. A person's true beauty comes from within. It's your essence. It's your soul. It's the heart you put into every project." Perhaps that perspective explains why she has remained relevant for so long. While many public figures chase trends, Thalía seems to be pursuing something different: authenticity. And that authenticity is reflected in every new chapter she chooses to explore.
Returning To Her Essence
Her new project, Todo Suena Mejor En Cumbia (2006), was born from exactly that. Not as an exercise in nostalgia. Nor as a strategy to revisit the past. Rather, as a reunion with an essential part of herself. Music has a unique ability to transport us. A song can instantly take us back to a person, a place, or an emotion. For Thalía, cumbia did exactly that. "When I was recording with Los Ángeles Azules, I began to feel my body vibrating differently. It felt expansive, light, free. I felt something very special. My body was telling me something. My essence felt at ease. And I thought: I have to listen to myself. I have to do something with this. And that's how Todo Suena Mejor En Cumbia (2006) came to be." What's interesting is that she isn't talking about returning to the past. She is talking about returning to an emotional state. To a feeling of freedom. To that place where the ability to enjoy life without fear still existed. "I think it's important to return to the moments that made you feel free, that filled you with joy, that made you feel anything was possible. Anything that brings you back to that feeling is worthwhile."
Redefining Success
A few weeks ago, Billboard honored Thalía with the Icon Award. A title that seems inevitable for someone who has left such a profound mark on Latin culture. Yet when asked how she defines success today, her answer has nothing to do with awards or recognition. "Today, success for me is having emotional stability. It's having a routine rooted in faith. It's having good health. You can have everything, but if you don't have your health, you have nothing. For me, success is being healthy mentally, emotionally, and physically." It is an answer that perfectly captures the stage of life she is in. There is no longer a need to prove anything. There is no longer an urgency to achieve more. Instead, there is something far more complex: learning to fully inhabit everything she has already built. And to do so with a sense of fulfillment.
Fashion As Self-Discovery
Talking with Thalía also means talking about fashion. Not only because she has been a style icon for decades, but because she understands clothing as an emotional extension of herself. "Fashion, for me, is freedom. There are times when I need a simple dress, natural hair, and a little lip gloss. And there are times when I need platforms, a corset, hair extensions, sparkle, and giant eyelashes. It all depends on my emotional state. After every look, I ask myself: Why did I choose this? What am I feeling? Fashion is an opportunity for self-discovery." Her relationship with style has never been superficial. It is introspective. Every garment serves as a reflection of who she is at that moment in her life. Like a language of her own. Like another form of artistic expression.
The Survivor
There is one word that comes up repeatedly throughout our conversation. Survive. Thalía says it over and over again. Survive her surroundings. Survive bullying. Survive criticism. Survive public exposure. Survive expectations. And perhaps that is where the true strength that has sustained her throughout her career lies. "From a very young age, I learned to survive. I survived so many things. And I think that's something that would make the little girl I once was proud. To know that I'm still here. To know that I'm still a warrior. That I neither gave up nor will I ever give up, for anything or anyone." Her words resonate because they are not just about an artist. They are about a woman. A woman who has chosen to keep moving forward, again and again.
If there is one thing that becomes clear after talking with Thalía, it is that her greatest achievement is not the records, the albums sold, or the decades of success. Her greatest achievement is having preserved her ability to believe. To believe in herself. To believe in her dreams. To believe in the possibility of reinventing herself once again. Before we say goodbye, she remembers the seven-year-old girl who dreamed of a future beyond imagination. And she shares a reflection that sums up her entire story. "Dreams, no matter how big, unattainable, or impossible they may seem, are possible. Anything is possible. You have to connect with the frequency where your dream lives and believe with all your heart that, when the right moment comes, it will come true."
Right - Jewelry: Jacob & Co., Feather: Roberto Jiménez, Gloves: Monizen
Right - Jewelry: Jacob & Co., Eyewear: Carolina Herrera
Right - Jewelry: Jacob & Co., Top: Gucci, Corset: Fendi, Skirt: Lorena Saravia
Right - Jewelry: Jacob & Co., Feather: Roberto Jiménez, Gloves: Monizen
Right - Jewelry: Jacob & Co., Feather: Roberto Jiménez, Gloves: Monizen
Photography Assistant: Jhonathan David Correa Rios
Videographer: Jorge Jaramillo
Styling Assistants: Kishandi Peters, Justina del Campo, Melina Cantero, Ana Kovalchuk
Executive Producer: Ana Carolina Gonzalez Bortot
Line Producer: Carlos Ramirez
Junior Producer: Regina Vincent
Production Assistant: Natalie Alvarenga
Production House: ESYN Studios
Video Coordinator: Valdemar Tarin
CREDITS:
Editorial Director & Creative Direction: @gerardangulo
Photography: @carlos_ruizc
Makeup: @betancurclaudia
Hair: @vcglam
Representation: @peechygroup
Fashion Assistants: @justinadelcampo, @adhiikns, @melinacantero, @aleynikovaa
Executive Producer: @008anadmoda800
Line Producer: @carlosramirez.iii
Junior Producer: @reginaavincent
Production Assistant: @natalie.Iva
Production Company: @esynstudios
Photography Assistant: @obymz
Interview: @e.gala_
Video: @jjxfile
Studio: @acepropsmiami
