Before signing on for the role as Marisol "Flaca" Gonzales in Jenji Kohan's hit Netflix series Orange is the New Black, actress Jackie Cruz tried pursuing a career in the music industry, crediting it as her first desired career track. Heavily known for her sassy OITNB persona, Cruz still finds time to create music, having recently unveiled a music video for her cover of Selena Quintanilla's "Como La Flor."
"Music was my first love," Cruz explained in an interview with Billboard. The signer turned actress initially moved to New York to pursue her music career, releasing an EP in 2010. During her time in New York, she acquired the role of Flaca, a character known for her thick eyeliner, love of The Smiths and odd mentalities. Flaca's role in OITNB increases with each passing season and in the midst of filming season 4, Cruz has also spent time with her band, Crosby Street, crafting new material for their "bluesy, Chicago vibe."
While recording new material with her group, the singer decided to tackle an acoustic rendition of Selena Quintanilla's 1992 smash hit "Como la Flor," which now boasts an intimate, Sebastian Sdaigui-directed music video.
"She's one of my biggest idols," Cruz admitted to Billboard of the deceased Mexican-American singer. "And her music still lives on. I picked that song because it just reminds me a lot of a relationship I had in the past and it's something I really connect to. The song is about losing a love and you're still happy for him even though he found happiness with someone else."
As Entertainment Weekly reports, the video incorporates much of Cruz's life into the music video including the love interest which is her real-life, acting, painting and bartending boyfriend, Fernando Garcia.
It remains unknown if Cruz will be able to delight OITNB viewers with her version of "Como la Flor" but what's for sure is that Flaca is more of an '80s rock kind of girl, while Cruz is more in touch with Janis Joplin and Elvis Costello.
Cruz explained to Billboard that the show's script writers "write as they go. Maybe one day I'll get to sing in the show and it would be amazing. Flaca has ambitions."
