We’re nearing the end of our Drop-In season, and with just 4 more shows to go in our iconic free music series with ACL Radio, we’re seriously looking forward to the rest of the lineup. So we thought it was time to hear from someone ready to storm the stage with sparkles, and that’s Stephanie Bergara of Bidi Bidi Banda. A huge music advocate, a native Austinite, and Selena superfan, Stephanie has worked in virtually all parts of the music industry. Read on to hear how it all began and what’s next for “the Banda” after 10 years of Selena.
MEET STEPHANIE BERGARA OF BIDI BIDI BANDA
Long Center: Welcome to Mid-Week Intermission!
We usually ask people for a song to go with their interview — does anything come to mind?
Stephanie Bergara: Yes! Hit play on Disco Medley, Selena’s iconic opening number from her Houston Astrodome concert. It should be the perfect amount of time for reading this interview.
LC: What’s your story and what originally inspired you to make music? Was it, in fact, Selena?
SB: It was! And Janet Jackson, and Paula Abdul, and all the magical women of freestyle music (Debbie Deb, Lil Suzy, Lisa Lisa) — basically anything my mom was listening to, I was into it.
I am born and raised in Austin and I grew up ALWAYS listening to music. Supporting live music has always just been a part of my life and I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t. I knew I wanted to be a performer after seeing Selena’s look and hearing her voice on the 1993 Tejano Music Awards. This was back when that awards show was broadcast on television in Texas markets.
I remember thinking she was so cool — I remember wanting to be just like her, and from there, I was off to the races. It has always been my dream to perform on big stages and wear sparkly outfits and sing to people. Now that I get to do that, it’s a dream happening in real time.
LC: Your current band, Bidi Bidi Banda, has been performing for 10 years now (congrats!) as a tribute to Selena. How did it start and did you think it would have such a dedicated following 10 years later?
SB: Thank you! Ha, I had NO idea. It was, in all honesty, intended to be a one-night-only event. It all started when I was working on the team for Pachanga Latino Music Festival. We were looking for an idea for an opening night performance to accompany some other bands who were on the bill, and I was just dipping my toe into performing. I’d been struggling with building an audience and was already thinking of songs I could cover. I got the idea for Selena after realizing I could sing the songs in the same key as her — the rest is history.
We’ve gotten to do some incredible things in the last 10 years including shows in New Orleans, Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, Tampa, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and a ton of other Texas markets. It’s been the absolute coolest experience getting to represent Selena’s incredible music to her die-hard fans.
I feel that we have a strong following because we put the music first and foremost. My goal is always an authentic re-creation. There’s an unspoken but important responsibility that comes with being a musician from Austin, it’s an innate and specific want for the music to be of high quality. I think that translates to Selena’s fans. They understand that I take it seriously.
LC: How would you describe Austin’s Latin music scene today?
How has it changed from when Bidi first got together?
SB: I think it’s so robust. Now, there is just such a beautiful collective of players and it’s honestly a special thing to be a part of. There are more Latinos making music in Austin than ever before and I think it’s great.
The demand for the type of skilled music we play is high and I really enjoy seeing everyone, from the Peligrosa DJs to AJ Castillo, growing and gigging. Some of my other favorites right now include: Money Chicha, DJ Gabby Got It, DJ Cortez, DJ Kick It, XB Valentine, Elijah Delgado, and Como Las Movies.
LC: Okay, we have to mention your resumé a little. You’re a native Austinite & performer, you’ve worked for the City of Austin Economic Development Dept.’s Music & Entertainment Division, AND you’ve worked in booking, festivals, and PR.
That’s a serious combo — what have you learned about being a creative in Austin, having seen and worked in all parts of the ecosystem?
SB: Thanks so much for saying that, I’m really proud of my resumé and the majority of my work has always been in an effort to advocate for and support Austin’s music community. I have always believed that musicians deserve respect, and I always wanted to know the ins and outs of every music job. I feel like it has deepened my respect for the community and helped me to understand just how important every job is. For every one person on stage, there are 10 other people working to help get them up there. It’s a special group to be a part of. It’s an important group to advocate for.
LC: With all the other changes the city has experienced, what do you think keeps Austin a hotbed for music-making & creativity?
Is it the venues, the fans, the culture… or something else entirely?
SB: It feels like a little bit of everything to be honest. When we’re on the road and we tell people we’re musicians from Austin, that really means something. The support shown to Austin’s music community by patrons of live music is unparalleled, and for the most part, venues work hard to treat musicians with dignity and respect. It all has to work together for Austin to be Austin.
LC: After honoring Selena for 10 years, what’s next for Bidi and what’s next for you?
Any other projects on the horizon that you’d like to shout out?
SB: I made the very tough decision to have Bidi Bidi Banda retire from regular touring performances at the end of this year. This means we’ll be scaling back the amount of shows we play significantly and opting for only select dates next year. We’re doing this because I have solo music coming out! I’m working on my debut solo effort and I cannot wait to share what I’ve been cooking up.
My six-year-old is also just growing and living his best life right in front of me. Playing 70 shows a year with the Banda, while it has been a dream, is also hard on my schedule. I want to have the flexibility to coach baseball and be there to see my son grow up. He’s my heart and my top priority. So it’s time and I think it’s great — bittersweet, but so much to be proud of.
LC: And because we can’t wait — what can folks look forward to at your Drop-In set? Any teasers you can leave with us?
SB: Oh we’re bringing ALL the Razzle Dazzle on this one. All the hits, all the fun, and I’ll leave you with this: we want every person at The Drop-In to leave feeling like they had, a beautiful night in Austin. It’s an incredibly sentimental show for us and we’re so honored to be a part of this great series. Can’t wait!
Thanks, Stephanie!
Oh, did you think we were going to spill the beans on Bidi Bidi Banda’s Drop-In date?? Nope — keep your eyes on our social media @longcenter or your email inbox to find that out. We promise it’ll be in the next four weeks, though 😉
If you know anything about the Long Center, you know that we’re invested in the future of the Austin arts scene. And that includes the future leaders of our industry! Each semester, we welcome a full cohort of interns to join our team. Under the mentorship of a staff member, these interns get to see how we make the magic happen while cutting their teeth on real life projects. So on that note, tag along with Gracie, our summer Marketing intern, as she shows you a day in her life.
LONG CENTER: Welcome! Just for fun, what song should people listen to when they read this?
GRACIE OLIVER: Happy to be here! If your headphones are handy, you should queue up “I Am Right On Time” by the band Bleachers. I just saw Jack Antonoff and the gang at the Moody Amphitheater the other weekend, and it may have made its way into my top three favorite concerts of all time. I highly recommend, and it would add to the authenticity of this article, given that their new album has been the constant soundtrack of my summer recently.
LC: What’s your story? Why were you interested in interning at the Long Center this summer?
GO: What’s my story? I’m a SENIOR (weird!) at the University of Texas at Austin – which is coincidentally what brought me to Austin. I haven’t found anything yet that I don’t love about this city, and I couldn’t dream up a better place to spend my twenties. I can’t believe I’m almost done with school – I’ve even been eyeing grad school pretty closely recently… maybe they’ll let me Hook ’Em for a couple more years.
I am a native Dallasite (Dallasonian?), where I grew up playing piano and going to dance classes. My family of artists and music-lovers threw me into the deep end of the creative pool, and I’ve loved everything creatively charged for as long as I can remember. In college, I’ve focused on honing my graphic design, photography, and social media skills, which leads me to what attracted me to the Long Center.
I spent almost every day of my childhood and young adult life in a dance studio. There is no feeling like stepping on stage, and there is just a certain magic that floats through the vents in a theater. It’s weird to think I won’t be performing very much in my life from here on out, but I can’t think of a better way to blend my professional journey with my passions than working in marketing at a performing arts center, so I’ve been soaking up every second of this summer at the Long Center.
LC: What does a day in your life look like as a LC Marketing Intern?
GO: Let me take you through my Thursday! Thursdays are, in my opinion, the best day of the week here at the Long Center! The Drop–In, our free outdoor summer concert series, sets up on the lawn every week.
1:30 PM – Since Thursdays are usually late nights at The Drop-In, we get to start the work day a bit later. I hung out around my apartment this morning and got some schoolwork done. At around 1:30, I made myself lunch (Trader Joe’s chicken taquitos with homemade sriracha ranch and a Mediterranean salad!) and got ready for the day.
2:30 PM – I had to stop for a snack on the way to work! I grabbed my latest obsession, a Wildflower smoothie from Mañana – a coffee shop right down the street from the Long Center.
3:00 PM – Lots of exciting things on the agenda for today! We started with an intern focus group that surveyed our 5 summer interns about all things Long Center. We gave our opinions on marketing, sales, and programming – we were able to give our perspectives as a younger Austin-area demographic, and the full-time staff will put all of this info to use in their planning this year.
4:00 PM – Afterwards, the interns made our way to the Dell Hall stage to take some headshots. I’m working on my photography skills, so this was a great way for me to flex my photography muscles and for the interns to commemorate our summer at the Long Center.
5:00 PM – I sat down at my desk to knock some things off my to-do list. Updating social media trackers, helping cultivate Facebook and Instagram story content, and researching target audiences are all part of my responsibilities this summer. I also get to promote the wonderful company culture here at the Long Center by showcasing our intern program – I edited some of our headshots and worked on writing this very article!
6:30 PM – Time for the big event! Members start arriving at The Drop-In at 6:30, so I changed into a Texas-weather-appropriate outfit and headed out to the terrace to start taking pictures. Between the food trucks and drink vendors, the games, the DJ, the attendees (both human AND canine!), and the insane talent performing on our 3D-printed stage, there’s lots to do and lots to capture.
10:00 PM – The Drop-In is done, and I head home to curl up on the couch with some popcorn and an episode of Friends. What a day! Drop by (or Drop-In… see what I did there?) and visit us any time!
LC: Do you have any tips for a future intern?
GO: If we’re being cliché, I would say “ask lots of questions,” but if we’re being adventurous – I would say “ask for OPPORTUNITIES.” Pitch ideas to your supervisor, speak up in meetings, ask to take on responsibilities. Any internship truly is what you make of it. Internships are like a free trial run for your career – this is the time to learn how best to play to your strengths and weaknesses. Set the tone for how you’re going to be successful in the “real world” – not only to your current and future employers, but to yourself!
LC: Why is it important to you to support local arts?
GO: Growing up, music, art, and dance were intertwined in every part of my life. There is no feeling comparable to performing, and there is something magical about live performances that can’t be replicated on any screen. Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World for a reason, and the Long Center provides a home for unique and innovative performers to take their place amongst the renowned performing arts scene in Austin.
Thanks for reading! If you’re less of an article-reader, and more of a TikTok-er, follow along during my Day in the Life on the Long Center TikTok!
At the Long Center, we’ve always got a new partnership or something cool we know you’ll want to check out! Find and follow us @longcenter on your social media platform of choice, and we’ll see you real soon.
