For years, Dania Ramírez was the Dominican artist who shone in Hollywood without breaking a sweat: X-Men: The Last Stand, Devious Maids, Once Upon a Time, and Sweet Tooth . But behind that solid trajectory, there was a moment when everything faltered. The result of the crisis is musical, Caribbean, and very Dominican and is called Respira: El Hechizo de la Diosa.
However, it wasn't easy getting there. Ramírez was devastated not only emotionally but also physically. "I was going through a really bad time at work," she confesses with disarming honesty in an interview with ENSTARZ and The Latin Times. "And I don't know, I just felt at that moment that it was time to do something different."
Intimate, powerful, and therapeutic,Respira is a track in which Ramírez blends Spanish rap with healing vibes. And although she never thought her voice could make so much noise off the set, today the song is featured on one of the most coveted playlists on the continent: La Bichota 's.
"They told me a couple of days ago that they'd put me on Karol G's playlist," says Dania with a smile that transcends the screen. "And I went all out because you have to enjoy every moment."
A verse between tears
The song was born in a makeshift studio, almost by accident, while talking to Damon Elliott, producer and son of Dionne Warwick . "He was like, 'I heard you like to rap.' And I was... I'm telling you, I'm confiding this in you... I was doing a job that was really painful. I felt bad. And I started rapping on the bus. I was like, 'I'm not the one dominating you.'"
In two hours, she had the first verse finished. But there was one condition: if they were going to produce it, she wanted something more. "I told her, 'I want you to set a manifestation frequency.' Because I believe that vibes are a gift from God. And if we stay in good vibes, we can get rid of anything ugly."
That search for peace stemmed from a deep sense of urgency. Dania had just gone through a serious health episode: "I had a chemical imbalance after surgery," she says. "And that gave me the opportunity to look at my life through different eyes. Now I see myself more as a victor than a victim."
A song to turn off the mind
In her new role as a singer, songwriter, and director, Dania didn't seek out record labels or production companies. She made Respira with the tools she had: her family. "I directed the video. My husband was in the back with the smoke machine. My kids dimmed the lights and jumped in the pool. We did it out of love. It was a family craft."
And that spirit is what you feel from the first beat: the song is an invitation to slow down, to connect with the present. "In this world that is so complicated, where we have so many complaints, sometimes you have to turn off your mind and just feel. Breathe is that: a totally different vibe."
Water, present in the video, is also a symbol. "There's nothing that heals one's soul more—I don't know about everyone, but at least for Caribbean people—than water," he says. "Between water and fire. That's how we live."
Spanish rap, deep roots
Although she's performed in English throughout her career, Dania chose Spanish as the language for her musical debut. "I started my career in the United States , and everything I've done has been in English. But I wanted to take a little time for my people and return to my roots," she explains. "And honestly, rapping in Spanish is easier for me."
Of course, not everyone agrees. "Some say it's harder," he jokes. "Because English has easier endings to rhyme. Spanish is softer, not as direct with the beat. But I flow better in my language."
Next up: movies, music, and a book
Respira isn't a one-off experiment. Dania is already working on a comic character who also raps, is producing her next song, and has just finished filming a film titled Otra , a bilingual drama about migration, music, and dance.
"The entire cast is Latino: people from Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. The director is also Dominican," he says proudly. "It's not a musical, but it's a dance cycle. We dance to songs we all know, traveling back in time from Puerto Rico to the Bronx. It has a lot of flavor. I did it for my people."
She's also writing a self-help book based on her experience with mental health. "Many people have the tools, but they don't share them," she says. "And I feel like the world needs that too."
An artist without a plan B
Dania doesn't do things for marketing. Or for branding. She makes it clear time and again: "I didn't do it to hurt her. I did it because I needed to. Because I wanted to heal. Because I wanted to leave the audience with something wise."
And although she never dreamed of awards, the signs have already arrived: "I don't know if I'm going to win a Grammy, but they put me on Karol G's playlist. And with that, I'm already grateful."
Her mantra is clear: "Do whatever you want, whenever you want, if you're passionate about what you do." In her case, Respira isn't just a song. It's a testimony. A declaration. An offering.
