Written by: Vanessa Castelan
Ambar Navarro shares her vision and sentiments on the Latinx Indie music scene in her newest collaboration with Dr. Martens. Her film features Doris Anahi, Danie, Inner Wave, Neon Indian’s Alan Palomo, Selena Ruiz, Avalon Lurks, Harmless, and Orale Mag’s very own, Michael Martinez. Latinx cultural influences on the ever-growing genre, take center stage as the driving force for artistic visions for prominent figures in the Latinx Indie music scene. In collaboration with a staple brand, Ambar brings light to a pivotal cultural shift that will be very well documented, here on Orale Mag, and in Ambar’s films.
Photos by: Kelsey Hart
Watch the full film here: https://www.drmartens.com/us/en/dm-presents-latinx-indie-la
LA’s Latinx Indie Community has been part of your career for some time now – what was the editing process like for you to work on a project like this?
I wanted to specify what was happening and show that all of us grew up listening to older Spanish music because of our parents, and how indie rock has formed what is now Latinx indie. Even if we all grew up in different parts, it’s all very similar upbringings.
Was there a point in the editing process where you realized that you needed to change the structure of how it looked?
No, we all have that in common. We can all say that music was an important part of our upbringing. Even just waking up to music from the kitchen, you know?
Why is it important for you to handle all aspects of the film?
I try to give each person their visual world. With Doris, for example, I see her as the only child born in the U.S. who had the responsibility of taking care of her family at a very young age. So when I wanted to represent Doris, I wanted to uplift her and make her heroic cause I feel she held a lot of responsibilities when she was little. I kept envisioning her with giant roses and blue skies. Roses for me are very Mexican, and I wanted her to feel like an “American Dream” set.
What was the best part of filming this documentary for you?
Being able to create a world where I control everything is the best part. I get to have the privilege to step into your guys’ world and also make it my world for this project. There is no other time to do this.
How do you go about gaining the trust of the artists or subjects of your films?
When people ask me to direct their videos they are inviting me into their world. That’s why I feel it’s a privilege and I’m very thankful. And once I’m in their world, I can help navigate the organization part of it, make it come to life.
Where do you see the Latinx music scene in the future?
At some point, it’s going to become normalized. And I believe that’s what people want, I don’t think they’ll want to be separated. People want to be cross-over artists. I picture it being a more common thing. It’ll become so crossover that people will have different cultures in their life naturally and more integrated. If somebody asked me 5 years who are my favorite musicians were, they would’ve all been white.
What was it like being a doc martens project?
I know a lot of people that grew up wanting doc martens but couldn’t afford them. It’s important to grow up admiring an iconic brand and not being able to attain it, then growing up and being a part of a project like this. It feels like an accomplishment, and it’s more than fashion, it’s more of a feeling.