On today’s episode of Overheard at Chica’s Café,Sonia pulls up a chair (and a warm cup of ginger tea) to talk about something every actor, voiceover artist, and podcaster knows all too well: what happens when you get sick… and everything on your creative plate comes crashing into amessy little pile.

With her voice still not quite back to its usual sound—todaycomes with a complimentary side of rasp—Sonia dives into the hilarious, humbling reality of being a multi-hyphenate creative whose entire job depends on having a functioning throat. From the dreaded “booking-out” email to agents,to the guilt spiral of falling behind on content, to the dramatic inner monologues that only artists understand, this episode is a gentle reminder that being human comes first.

Sonia shares compassion, humor, and honesty about navigating deadlines, expectations, and recovery while sick. She encourages listeners, especially those in creative fields, to release perfection, slow down, and trust that their audience—and opportunities—will still be there.

Whether you’re an actor juggling self-tapes, a podcasterkeeping up with your release schedule, or simply someone who’s been under the weather, this episode is a soothing, funny exhale.

You’re doing enough. You’re allowed to rest. Creativity will wait for you.

In This Episode:

• What really happens when creatives get sick
• The guilt of “booking out” with your agents
• The pressure of staying consistent while healing
• Why raspy-voice episodes should count as a vibe
• Releasing perfection and honoring your humanity
• A gentle reminder that your audience won’t disappear

In this episode of Overheard at Chica’s Café, Sonia Iris Lozada explores the unseen side of acting — the hours of preparation that audiences never witness. From memorizing lines for a single scene, to scrambling with last-minute sides, to navigating the silence that follows auditions, actors carry invisible labor that shapes every performance. Sonia also touches on the growing reality of self-tapes, where actors double as their own crew — a topic she’ll expand on in a future episode.

But invisible work isn’t unique to actors. Parents, teachers, creatives, and caregivers all hold hours of unseen labor that sustain lives and communities. With humor, compassion, and a touch of Los Angeles reality, Sonia reminds us that even the work that goes unrecognized mattersdeeply.

In this episode, I reflect on watching the Bad Bunny concert on Amazon and the pride of seeing Puerto Rican music honored on a global stage. From the African roots of Bomba, to the storytelling voice of Plena, to the worldwide reach of Salsa, I share both personal memories and insights from my background in Ethnomusicology.

These rhythms are more than genres—they are history, resistance, and the heartbeat of Puerto Rico.

References – Further Reading

• Bomba (Puerto Rico). Wikipedia
• Plena: The People’s Newspaper. Smithsonian Folkways → link
• History of Plena. La Casa de la Plena → link
• Music of Puerto Rico. Wikipedia

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• “Bomba Pa’ Siempre” by Jimmy Fontanez

• “Llena de Plena” by Jimmy Fontanez

• Used with appreciation and respect for the traditions of Puerto Rican music.