Lisa Lisa: The Latina Icon’s Journey from 80s Stardom to Inspiring Generations

Lisa Lisa, the iconic singer who rose to fame in the 1980s with major hits like “Can You Feel the Beat,” “I Wonder If I Take You Home,” and “All Cried Out,” has since that time been an inspiration for Latinos around the world. Now, in 2025, her powerful life story comes to the screen in the Lifetime movie Can You Feel the Beat: The Lisa Lisa Story.

Lisa recently sat down with us to open up about the biopic and how revisiting certain moments was emotionally challenging. One particularly difficult scene involved reliving her experience with an abusive producer. Reflecting on the scene Lisa called it “therapeutic” and emphasized the importance of learning to say no. She recalled the challenges of being a young Latina girl on the road with nine men in the 1980s. “It was difficult,” she said, “but I got through it.”

During that same period, Lisa faced an unexpected battle with cancer. Despite being on tour, she managed to receive treatment by coordinating with nurses in different cities. Juggling her career, health, and the male-dominated music industry, Lisa also learned that her contract was exploitative. Looking back, she wishes she could change that decision, but her love for music kept her going.

Despite the hardships, Lisa reached incredible milestones, including working with her idol, Patti LaBelle. Reflecting on their first meeting, Lisa recalled feeling overwhelmed and running away. “Patti came up to me and said, ‘Little girl, you’re fine. Don’t do that. Take it in.'” Now, Lisa embraces her role as a mentor and acknowledges that she is someone else’s Patti LaBelle, opening doors for Latina artists in the industry.

The most difficult scene for Lisa to watch in the biopic was its opening, which depicts her father abusing her mother. “I can’t believe she survived all of that,” Lisa reflected. She attributes much of her strength to her late mother, who passed away 15 years ago. “My mother was such a strong woman.”

Motherhood is something that Lisa loves and never takes for granted, her greatest pride is fact her children. “My boys are everything to me. Everything I do, I do for them. I want to leave them a legacy,” she shared. Beyond her motherhood and music, Lisa has also left her mark on television with her role in the early 2000s Nickelodeon show Taina, which featured one of the first Latino families on mainstream TV. “It was great, and I wish they had more. It was fun, it was real, and we need more,” she said.

In recent years, Lisa has been re-recording her masters, following the steps of artists like Taylor Swift, since she no longer owns her original recordings. While the use of her samples once bothered her, she now embraces them, especially when Angie Martinez sampled one of her songs and invited Lisa to appear in the music video. Angie was also involved in the biopic, a gesture Lisa deeply appreciated.

Although Lisa knows that her biopic can only cover so much in 90 minutes, she’s currently writing a book to share “everything.” In the meantime, she’s staying busy on tour and re-recording her catalog. Lisa also revealed her dream collaborations with Cardi B and Bad Bunny: “Let’s do a song together.”

With no plans to slow down, Lisa confidently declared, “I plan on being the Puerto Rican Lena Horne. I’ll be on that stage even when I’m 90 years old.”

 Lisa continues to inspire generations of fans with her resilience, talent, and dedication to uplifting women in the music industry. She has advice for those up-and-coming musicians trying to make it in the industry, “Never give up, always believe in yourself and make sure you look at every contract thoroughly and make sure you have a lawyer.” This advice is pivotal information to the many artists who will break into the industry, and getting free advice from a living legend like Lisa Lisa is worth it. You can see Lisa on tour now in a city near you.