Upamanyu Biswas
Puerto Rican singer Lisa Lisa faced a number of battles, both personal and professional, when rising through the ranks of the 1980s music industry in New York. As explored in the Lifetime biopic ‘Can You Feel the Beat: The Lisa Lisa Story,’ Lisa had to overcome a multitude of challenges, such as racism, sexism, and personal health battles, while trying to make her mark as a pioneering Latina artist. However, she was aided by a solid grounding provided to her by her mother from a very young age. Although her family life is portrayed as stressful owing to the numerous financial burdens, the protagonist finds a way to rise above the adversity in her path while staying true to her identity. The film succinctly captures her profound bond with her mother, who encouraged Lisa to pursue her dreams from a young age.
Lisa Was Raised By a Single Mother Who Encouraged Her to Follow Her Ambitions
Lisa Velez (stage name: Lisa Lisa) was born in 1966 in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. She was raised by a single mother in a family of ten children, with her being the youngest. Lisa’s father was absent in her life, and the burden of caring for the kids fell on the shoulders of her resilient mother, who was also religious by nature. As depicted in the movie, she was incredibly supportive of Lisa’s singing dreams despite working around the clock to manage the situation at home. Watching her toil and labor with dedication was a learning experience for Lisa. In an interview with Remind Magazine, the vocalist said, “(My mother) took care of us alone. She paid every bill by herself. So I was determined to make sure that I helped her in this life of mine, which she gave me, because she busted her ass for me. I needed to bust my ass for her.”
When Lisa received her first large paycheck, the singer immediately invested the money to take care of her mother and to give her things that were always difficult to come across. She bought her a car, a home, and anything else that might have been of need. The film accurately portrays these moments in a poignant and resonant fashion. As mentioned earlier, the challenges Lisa saw her mother overcome made her determined to reward her in some material way. It was a moment of satisfaction for the singer, especially because she saw the joy on her mom’s face when she received all those gifts from her. In her own words, it made her feel like she did the “right thing.” Thus, her drive to keep singing and continue her career was mainly motivated by a desire to give back to her mom and a passion for music in general.
Lisa’s “Hero” Mom Tragically Passed Away Around 2011
During the development of ‘Can You Feel the Beat: The Lisa Lisa Story,’ Lisa Velez had a magical moment when she was asked to portray her own mother in the Lifetime biopic. It was a full-circle moment for the Latina singer and one whose importance was not lost on her. She stated that it was not something she was actively looking for. Instead, her initial idea was for someone else to play the pivotal role. However, in a surreal twist of fate, she went on to play the same person she considers a “hero” in her life. Lisa found the job an enriching experience and rife with emotion. It also allowed her to step back and view her own childhood from her struggling mom’s perspective. She discovered a lot of similarities between their lives, especially as she is a mother herself today.
Around 2011, Lisa’s mom tragically passed away from Alzheimer’s disease. Her passing was an emotional and heartbreaking moment for the Puerto Rican artist. However, she retains a lot of the good parts of their relationship and misses her to this day. “She was always and still is, rest her soul, my hero,” the singer said. Lisa also made an unequivocal statement that who she is today as a mother and a performer is directly linked to her mom and the sacrifices she made toward raising 10 children on her own. Meanwhile, the whereabouts of Lisa’s father remain unclear as he has maintained a low profile through the years.
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