Natalia Jiménez took the hot seat to talk all about her childhood and Spanish culture for this week’s episode of Billboard’s “Growing Up Latino.”
The Spanish singer, who’s currently promoting her recent single, “Nunca es Tarde” featuring Jesús Navarro, opens up about her background, revealing that the food she misses the most from her country is the paella (Valencian rice dish that can come with vegetables, seafood, or mixed). “Anywhere else it’s just rice with things and it’s just horrible,” she says. On that note, Jiménez also linked her favorite childhood memory to food because in her own words, “We can eat!” She then admits that Spanish parents in the ‘80s were very laid-back and allowed their kids to try beer and wine, “but just a little bit.”
The thing she loves most about her country, however, is the fact that people are unfiltered and television is uncensored. “When I do interviews, I always slip one bad word here and there,” she laughs.
When asked about who her celebrity crush growing up was, she says Laura Pausini. She also gets real about her favorite Spanish phrase and the thing she splurges the most on.
In the new episode, the “Creo en Mi” singer says that her favorite Latin American country to visit is Mexico because she loves everything about the country, including its music and food.
Although she was born in Madrid, Spain, the 37-year-old singer says she can identify with Latinos because she loves Mexico, visiting Puerto Rico, eating Colombian food, and beautiful Argentine men, for example. “There are so many beautiful things about being Latino and I love being a part of this culture. I think we’re the coolest in the world,” she says. “Growing up Latina means to me that I can appreciate my own culture wherever it comes from.”
Watch the new episode above.