Seen as the world’s first mainstream Latin bilingual girl group, Bella Dose has come to the music scene in a way that shows they didn’t come to play but instead take on the industry as a focused and united front.
Made up of Jenni Hernadez, Melany Rivera, Thais Rodriguez, & Brianna Leah, the girls want the world to know that they’re here to stay and want to make audiences from their countries of origin proud.
The combined representation of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic within the group is a big part of their core and a gateway to creating music that speaks to audiences globally.
Our interview dives into their work ethic and explains why Bella Dose is a group that will be around for a long time.
Let’s start from the very beginning. How did the group come together?
Jenni: Our manager, Vicki Curiel, had this idea of creating the world’s first Latin bilingual girl group, so she held auditions in Los Angeles, Orlando, New York, and Miami, where she found us. From there, she flew us to LA and put us through a training program where we learned music theory, piano, guitar – We even learned how to engineer our sessions. Vicky wanted us to be very well-rounded artists and really be in tune with the music and be part of the creative process when making all of our songs. We write our own music and work with the producers to make beats.
Tell us about the process of putting the group together.
Melany: For the audition process, we had to sing a song in English and a song in Spanish, then learn a dance and perform it. The first members of the group were Jenni and me. We were initially going to be a trio, and Thais became our third member when a vocal coach brought her in. We really wanted to be a four-girl group, and initially, Brianna was just filling in the fourth spot during rehearsals and training.
Brianna: At first, I was filling in because I was writing the music for the group and helping them with harmonies. I was younger, in age, so I didn’t know if I would have fit in.
Melany: We eventually just agreed that her dynamic worked with us and just made her a member because it made sense. The vibe was right with the four of us.
JENNI – Bella Dose
What does music mean to you?
Thais: Music is a judgment-free zone – it’s so personal, and you can pour all of your feelings into music and into your creativity. Whatever you might be feeling in that moment can be expressed without feeling judged and without feeling any pressure. Music is a form of love and a form of self-care.
Brianna: Music, for all of us, is like a therapy session.
Regarding the bilingual dynamics of writing music, what is the difference between writing in English and Spanish or combining the two?
Jenni: English is a lot easier to write songs in because it’s more familiar since we went to school in America, so it’s just easier to use American slang. We speak Spanish, but since we’re not in our countries of origin, like the Dominican Republic, the slang comes out a little more complex. Regardless, though, both are great to write in.
Thais: I prefer to sing in Spanish, but I like writing music in English. Spanish is just a little bit more complicated. You have to think more about a story and turn it into a beautiful masterpiece, whereas English is more about saying what I feel.
How do your different cultural backgrounds influence your music?
Melany: We all have different cultures from different countries. Yes, it’s Latin culture, and we share similar things, but we have differences in foods and music. It’s really cool when we come together because we’re a melting pot of Latin cultures. We want to represent our countries and have different audiences feel like they can relate to us.
Additionally, we’re also part of American culture, and we want American fans to be able to connect to us as well. We can mix it and share all of that with everyone.
Brianna: It’s always so funny because we learn new things about our culture through each other because of the differences. We all look different, and we want to showcase that and celebrate different hair types, styles, body shapes, and faces because they are all beautiful in their own way.
MELANY – Bella Dose
Let’s talk about your EP, “Suelta”. You completed that project in the middle of the pandemic. What does that mean, and how did that come about?
Thais: We worked on this EP for about two years, and we actually shot the videos before COVID had even happened. It was a very intense and intricate process. We wanted it to be perfect – from the mixes to each lyric and every melody. We kept rearranging things to see what fit best. The songs ended up being the perfect combination of what we wanted. It’s super diverse and expresses how we felt in the moment in the studio. Suelta is also our first Latin project, so we were super excited.
Genre-wise, you seem to blend a variety of influences. Tell us why that’s important for you as recording artists?
Brianna: Individually, we all have certain types of music that we like. That’s what we bring into the group as a collective. We want our music to cater to everyone. One audience might fall in love with a song like “Suelta,” while another audience might be more drawn to our song, “Si Me Llamas.” We want to capture different people and different vibes because we don’t stick ourselves in a box when it comes to music. The same way we switch up our style is the same way we want to showcase our music too. I think as an artist, it all connects.
What genre would you like to experiment with in the future?
Thais: I’d like us to try out some underground indie styles of music – something that gives serotonin vibes.
Brianna: I would really like us to tap into either old school R&B or new age R&B, maybe something super-futuristic while playing with harmonies.
You’re dropping a new English track titled “She” this month, and we’d love to know everything about it.
Brianna: This song is the most personal song we’ve ever written. For me, it’s literally how I feel inside but written down in a song. “She” is about how people struggle with anxiety. It gets terrifying sometimes to talk about it in the public eye because of stigmas. People associate it with mental illness negatively, and that it’s something we have to hide. In this generation and this day and age, we have to talk about it to help people who are going through it. Many artists experience anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia, but a lot of them don’t talk about it. I respect artists like Billie Eilish because she talks about how she feels. This song, for me, is how I feel. I wanted to express a different side of me through “She.” I think I’m so lucky to be in a girl group with a genuine love for me because I know I can talk to them. Anytime I feel alone, the first people I go to are them. I hope when people hear “She,” they know that it’s a song for them to really listen to.
THAIS – Bella Dose
Describe your personal styles.
Melany: We take our personalities and put them into what we wear. I’d say my style is soft, grungy, and angelic.
Brianna: Y2K influenced my style. I also love girly and sexy vibes.
Jenni: I’ve been into dance ever since I was little, so I love baggy clothes, but I also like to be sexy. So it’s kind of like a hip hop, sexy type of vibe.
Thais: I love the 90s styles like cropped-up tops but with baggy jeans, so sensual but still casual.
What challenges come up for you as a girl group?
Brianna: There definitely are challenges, but I feel like we’ve been very blessed to have many people supporting us as a group. People love our music and the things we do, so it’s honestly hard to point out the challenges right now.
Thais: Remaining hopeful is hard in this industry, even as an individual artist, but especially as a girl group. We lean on each other through it all. You also have to consider that there are four different families that are impacted by our success. That can feel like added pressure because we want to live up to the legends we aspire to be, and that’s scary. We just wish people could see how talented we are and see how hard we work.
Melany: And it’s a lot of work. We style ourselves; we do our own makeup; we put together our own treatments, etc., and we want to share that with the world. We’re also away from home a lot, which most artists go through – but we make that sacrifice and go for our dreams because this is what we love.
BRIANNA– Bella Dose
What are the biggest lessons you have learned so far in this industry?
Melanie: To stay together and stay strong. We want to keep the dream alive because, yes, it gets hard, and you may want to give up at times. That’s natural and human, but it’s really about sticking together and going for what we love.
Brianna: Groups are not an overnight thing. We’ve learned that it’s a much longer process because there are four outfits, four scenes, four parts for everything to consider. So patience is a great word for our group – just learning how to be patient and know that it will come with time.
Jenni: Another big lesson we’ve learned all together is never to say you can’t do something. There are moments when we think we can’t sing or dance a particular routine. We constantly push each other to be the best that we can be. There’s nothing we can’t do as long as we put our minds to it.
Thais: Nobody can take away what’s meant for you. No matter how many doors people try to close on you, one is always going to stay open because it’s destined for you.
Unity is so essential in the entertainment industry. The public eye looks at girl groups and immediately wants to know about drama or assume the group will break up. How do you handle that type of scrutiny?
Brianna: That’s the worst comment people can leave on our pages. It’s like they’re already preying on our downfall. Our group is about equality. Bella Dose has no lead singer, no lead dancer, and no lead face. We each have a part in every song and a dance in every video. If there’s going to be a girl in front, each of us will have that moment. We film our TikTok videos in a circle because we each get our parts. We want people to realize that there can be four faces and that we all lead. We’re going to last because we’re a unified force.
What are you looking forward to in the future? What do you want to really see come out of Bella Dose’s career?
Melany: I hope Bella Dose can one day be seen as one of the most prominent, most successful girl groups in the world.
Jenni: I want people to think of girl groups and see Bella Dose in the same category as the Spice Girls and Destiny’s Child. – legendary icons.
Stay Social With Bella Dose
Instagram @belladose
Group Individual IG Pages
@iambriannaleah
@iamjennihernandez
@thais_rodriguez
@melanyrivera_
Clothing Credits
(Feature Image: Sportswear)
Brianna
White Romper Muse NYC
Sneakers Nike
Jenni
White 2 Piece Muse NYC
Sneakers Adidas
Melany
Blue 2 Piece Muse NYC
Sneakers Converse
Thais
Blue Boxer 2 Piece Muse NYC
Sneakers Nike
(70s Look)
Bria
Pants/Headband Satinior
Turtleneck Heart Hips
Vest Willbond
Boots Forever 21
Jenni
Turtleneck Ambiance
Skirt Forever 21
Headband Willbond
Boots Ellie
Melany
Shirt Farktop
Jumpsuit Jasmine
Shoes Forever 21
Headpiece Away TR
Thais
Top SheIn
Skirt Persun
Boots Ellie
Headband Bee Little
Bella Dose Cover
Photography Joshua Dwain
Wardrobe Stylist/Creative Director Syeidah McBride
Photo Assistants Francis Ayisi & Matt Ellis
Assistant Wardrobe Stylist Elizabeth Marie
Makeup Aracely Arocho
Nails Shabria Whitaker
Hair Stephen Hudson
Set Design Ke-Myra V.L. McCann
Bria
Tunic Top TR Brown
Jewelry Bejeweled
Sandals Qupid
Jenni
Button Up Dress Pavlina Jauss
Body Jewelry Sultry Affair Style
Jewelry Bejeweled
Sandals Kayleen
Melany
Duster TR Brown
Top Haute Monde
Shorts Toxic 3
Necklace Siama Chaudhry
Shoes Aldo
Thais
Top Natasha
Skirt Heike
Jewelry Bejeweled
Shoes Nature Breeze
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