Jonathan Islas: Between Stage and Song
Image Credit: fernandofarfan_ Styling: guiodicolombia
1. As an actor you embody characters, and as a singer you share your own voice. In which of these two worlds do you feel your most authentic truth shines through?
As an actor, we’re constantly creating characters—villains, heroes, or something in between—but at the end of the day, they are not us. As a singer, however, I reveal much more of who I really am. Music allows me to tell stories through song, and in that exchange with the audience, my personality and essence come alive. That’s where my truest self exists—within the artistry of music.
2. Do you believe that music and acting can heal, both for the artist and the audience?
Absolutely. Art has the ability to heal wounds. When people hear a song or watch a film, they often see themselves reflected in it. That recognition—connecting with lyrics, a storyline, or a performance—can help them heal. Art is therapy, both for the one creating it and for the one receiving it.
3. What teaches you more about yourself: the applause under the stage lights, or the silence after the cameras and spotlights fade?
Both moments shape me in different ways. Acting allows me to live many lives, and in each role I discover new facets of myself. Music, on the other hand, teaches me to connect emotionally—facing people, exchanging energy, and feeling their love in return. That connection makes me more grounded, humble, and grateful. It softens me, opens me, and reminds me that being loved and giving love is what makes us human.
4. Do you feel you chose art, or that art chose you as its messenger in the world?
I believe we all choose our path. I chose art when I was very young. I loved standing in front of people, making them laugh, telling stories, entertaining. After more than 20 years as an actor and five years as a singer, I understand that art is more than entertainment—it’s about leaving a message in people’s hearts. My mission has always been to touch lives positively. Beyond the followers, beyond the applause, what matters most is being remembered for my heart, humility, humanity, and the messages I leave behind.
5. If someone listens to your music or watches your performance 50 years from now, what emotion or reflection would you like them to experience?
What a powerful question. I’d want to be remembered as the man who never stopped fighting for what he loved. Despite how hard this career can be, I gave it everything—passion, love, and resilience. I hope they see me as someone who turned struggles into something meaningful, who enjoyed every role, every song, every performance, and who shared that joy with the world. Remember me as Jonathan—happy, singing, crying, laughing, fully alive on stage. But also remember that once the cameras stopped and the stage lights dimmed, I was simply a human being with both feet firmly on the ground.
