Welcome to Industry Standard with Isa Tejera! This week I’m joined by award-winning singer, songwriter and instrumentalist Victoria Canal — an especially meaningful guest because we’ve known each other since third grade, back when we were schoolmates in Madrid (with the same piano teacher… shoutout Daniel!). Over the past two decades, I’ve watched Victoria grow into the extraordinary artist and friend she is today. I’ve seen her get ready for red carpets, lounged with her in New York and London parks contemplating that quintessential, mid-twenties existentialism, and spent countless nights over meals (lovingly cooked by my partner Gwen) talking about the state of the music industry. No matter the city, we always find time for each other — she’s one of those rare long-distance friends who makes it feel like you saw her just yesterday. In this episode, we talk about songwriting as a conduit for connection, her iconic “God vs. Goblin” complex, the hilariously awkward first time she met Ben Howard, and what it was like performing with Coldplay at Glastonbury. We also get personal: mental health, beauty standards in music, and the power of slowing down as an act of self-love. Huge thank you to Victoria for coming on the show. If you enjoy this episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and follow for new conversations every week. Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts.