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Puerto Rican alt-perreo artist RaiNao (born Naomi Ramirez) has been taking off ever since the release of her debut EP, "Ahora A.K.A Nao," in early 2022. That same year, she got a co-sign from Bad Bunny, who not only declared himself a fan but brought her onstage during his "Un Verano Sin Ti" tour in San Juan.
Since her breakout, RaiNao has continued to make waves: performing her first SXSW showcase in 2023, releasing her debut album, "CAPICÚ," earlier this year, taking the stage at Baja Beach Fest in Mexico, and opening for one of her musical heroes, Tainy, in August. She recently released her latest single, "BSUKEO," an experimental perreo track that plays with the concept of self-pleasure.
A quick rise to fame like that could make anyone lose their head. But the 30-year-old artist emphasizes the importance of staying grounded — crediting her commitment to mental health as a key factor in navigating the rapid changes in her life.
"If I'm being sincere, I started searching in my late 20s," she says, referencing her spiritual and mental health journey. "I came from a very Christian household . . . my family was kind of fanatic, in a way. It was always like, you have something; let's pray, and it will be gone. But they would pray, and it wasn't [gone]."
The answers RaiNao wasn't finding in the Christian faith, she started seeking out on her own — particularly when it came to managing stress and anxiety.
"I believe in God, but I also believe in mental health, and for mental health, I need other tools," she says. RaiNao remembers the first time she experienced what she now understands to have been a panic attack. She was around 12 or 13 years old, and was hospitalized for asthma. But she remembers the doctor calling it more like "emotional asthma," and that's when she realized she was dealing with something more mental than physical.
Panic attacks became common for RaiNao. Her mom started to pick up when they were happening, RaiNao says, because she'd often start by getting really pale in the face and hyperventilating. Lots of different things — stress, dopamine hits, claustrophobia — would trigger them. She eventually learned how to self-manage them.
"I started to convince myself that I had a really strong mind," she says. "I would tell myself I have a strong mind. I can control my panic attacks. But I also wasn't searching for help when I needed it."
Like most Latine families, RaiNao's didn't talk much about mental health when she was growing up, and it wasn't even something brought up in school, either. So she had to turn to tools that she taught herself, including meditation, which she's been doing for "connecting with myself" for the past five years. Another way she stays grounded is by spending time in nature, especially when she's home in Puerto Rico.
"Walking on the beach sand heals me a lot," she says.
Despite moving away from the religion she was raised with, she's still very spiritual. She says that God is more "like a beautiful energy" to her, and that she continues to speak to God.
"I don't pray. I don't ask for things," she explains. "I talk. I talk alone [to God] like I'm talking to a person. And when I feel connected to nature, I feel connected to me and God. In Puerto Rico, I have a lot of spots where I can do that."
But in addition to finding all of these solo ways to heal, RaiNao credits therapy as helping her navigate this demanding time in her life. She says she's been in therapy for about a year now, after seeing how therapy helped someone else close to her. She says it especially helped her while she was working on "CAPICÚ."
"There's a lot of things in my daily life that come with me when I'm ready to create. That's good and not good," she says. "I love to take what I can from my day . . . but once my mind gets in the way of me creating, or I can't concentrate, or I'm not grounded, or I don't feel well, I can't create. I'm a human being before being an artist. I have to be stable and balanced."
With the pressure on music artists today to constantly produce hits, many — especially those signed to major labels — face burnout. As an indie artist with a family-based management team, RaiNao values work-life balance, prioritizing her happiness and stability while allowing creativity to flow naturally. Before working on "CAPICÚ," she took a break from writing and producing music to just live life and be inspired.
"I've been taking breaks since the beginning because I recognize I need them. I recognize that I'm still hustling, and I'm always working. But I don't obligate myself to create," she says. "I enjoy my work. I don't take vacations because I do what I love. You understand? But I do need to take breaks to feel good. To be inspired."
Ultimately, RaiNao's approach to work is something we can all learn from.
"I feel like when I'm imbalanced in my life, it's because I'm imbalanced internally," she says. "I feel like all these beautiful opportunities I've had are a result of where I'm at with myself."
Johanna Ferreira is the content director for PS Juntos. With more than 10 years of experience, Johanna focuses on how intersectional identities are a central part of Latine culture. Previously, she spent close to three years as the deputy editor at HipLatina, and she has freelanced for numerous outlets including Refinery29, Oprah magazine, Allure, InStyle, and Well+Good. She has also moderated and spoken on numerous panels on Latine identity.
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