Stars and Stars with Isa

The 1960s brings social and political change to the world and to New York City, where a young Johnny Pacheco keeps people dancing with his orchestra and charanga music. The Dominican musician is also going through a divorce and his lawyer, Jerry Masucci, happens to be a fan of Johnny’s music. The two form a music partnership that will forever change music. They call their music label Fania Records...

Saul Williams is a visionary poet, musician, actor, and filmmaker whose work has long challenged power. He just released his debut graphic novel Martyr Loser King, a cyberpunk fable rooted in Black radical imagination that questions our relationship to technology, capitalism and colonialism. In our season two finale episode, Isa sits down with Saul to discuss poetry, his unwavering solidarity with...

Artist and writer Molly Crabapple has covered all facets of human life, from the underground burlesque world to active war zones. Her new book Here Where We Live Is Our Country: The Story of the Jewish Bund, which debuted at #4 on the New York Times bestseller list, dives into the history of the revolutionary socialist Jewish labor movement that fought for anti-Zionist ideals and asserted the righ...

Kelsey Lu is impossible to confine to just one genre. The singer, cellist, and composer is known for creating sonic landscapes that move fluidly between classical to futuristic, grounded to celestial, and softness to edge. They embody the Taurus and Libra signatures in their chart. In this episode, Isa Nakazawa sits down with Lu to talk about how music has been a throughline in their life, guiding...

Aquarius rising Lauren Chan was born to challenge the status quo. From becoming the first out lesbian to appear solo on the cover of Sports Illustrated to founding her own size-inclusive fashion brand, Lauren embodies her Leo sun’s need to express herself authentically and her Aries moon’s drive to blaze trails. As a model, writer and entrepreneur, she has consistently pushed against the boundarie...

Best-selling author, activist, poet and astrologer Sonya Renee Taylor is committed to radical self-love and collective liberation. As founder of The Body Is Not An Apology, she has inspired millions to embrace themselves more fully, and return to a self that exists prior to shame and conditioning. Isa and Sonya discuss how Sonya’s Cancer moon fuels her desire to nurture and provide care for others...

This week, Isa Nakazawa sits down with Grammy-winning rapper and producer Ishmael Butler. Known for his work with the groundbreaking 90s hip-hop trio Digable Planets and the hip-hop group Shabazz Palaces, Ishmael’s music has always felt like it exists in its own dimension, merging jazz, philosophy and a kind of sonic world-building that feels both deeply rooted and completely otherworldly. In this...

For decades, musician and composer Laraaji has used sound and laughter to help listeners access deeper awareness. A pioneer of ambient music, Laraaji’s use of instruments like the zither and autoharp have opened portals into presence, spaciousness, and what he often calls the cosmic field. With both his sun and moon grounded in Taurus, his work steers listeners toward a deeper connection to both b...

Diane Guerrero rose to fame in her role as Maritza Ramos in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black. As her platform grew, she sought ways to make an impact for kids like her – with undocumented parents at the whims of the immigration system. With time, Diane realized that telling her story over and over again was retraumatizing rather than healing. After the death of her father, Diane turned i...

As a Taurus rising, journalist and writer Briahna Joy Gray has always been values-driven. As the former National Press Secretary for Bernie Sanders, Brianha found herself to be persona non grata in Washington DC, after she would not immediately endorse Joe Biden. But she refused to stop confronting power in politics. Now, she hosts the Bad Faith podcast. Isa Nakawaza sits down with Briahna to disc...

Content creator Nimay Ndolo understands the power of comedy and language to galvanize people toward change. With her Mercury in Virgo in the 11th house of the collective, Nimay is intentional about moving her audience toward a better, shared future for all. This shows up in her short-form videos and her environmental non-profit work. In a conversation that’s both hilarious and deep, Isa Nakazawa s...

Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Tiana Major9 just released her debut album November Scorpio, a sonically rich record that reflects her signature blend of jazz, R&B and soul. Isa Nakazawa sits down with Tiana to discuss how her exploration of love, faith and money reflect her Scorpio sun’s devotion to authenticity and passion. They also discuss how Tiana’s many Sagittarius placements push he...

This week comedian and writer Malik El, or better known as Malik the Oracle, sits down with Isa. They discuss how Malik balances his deep value for justice as a Scorpio rising with his needs for comfort as a Taurus sun; and how his Sagittarius moon pushes him out of his comfort zone into success. Malik and Isa talk about Zohran Mamdani and Malik’s advocacy for human rights. Hosted by Simplecast, a...

Actress, artist and activist Rowan Blanchard had to navigate growing up in the public eye. Having worked as an actress since she was five years old, this Capricorn rising has learned how to honor her outspoken nature while protecting her inner growth. Isa Nakazawa and Rowan discuss how as a Libra sun she centers her values, love and dark humor to move through this world.  Hosted by Simplecast, an...

The hit podcast returns from Futuro Studios for its third season. La Brega tells stories of the Puerto Rican experience. In Season 3 of La Brega, we’re bringing you stories of Puerto Rico’s champions. We’re going to go to the ballfields and cultural battlegrounds where carrying the flag takes on even more meaning. We’ll meet fighters who have represented us in courtrooms and in boxing rings, and i...

Indya Moore is an award-winning actress who has used their voice to elevate and fight for the lives of people of color, trans and nonbinary people. As a Sagittarius rising, Indya moves through the world as a seeker, and sometimes that endless curiosity has brought her to challenging places in her life. In this special live conversation, Isa Nakazawa and Indya break down all that Sagittarian energy...

You’ve probably heard a lot about how eventful, and maybe even scary, the 2026 astrology is going to be. In this episode, Isa Nakazawa goes beyond the fear-mongering and the wild predictions, to dive into what the cosmos really has to say about 2026. Isa explains major, generational transits, momentous eclipses, and which rising signs can expect transformation in areas of purpose, love and levelin...

Pulitzer Prize-winning author and professor Viet Thanh Nguyen is learning to embrace vulnerability these days. Fatherhood in particular has softened his Aquarius sun spirit.  In this episode, Viet talks about how the act of witnessing can unlock truths about us, the wisdom in accepting the unknown, and accessing family memory.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for info...

As an Aquarius rising, Sagittarius sun and Scorpio moon, writer and sex educator Ericka Hart was born to subvert norms, dismantle oppressive myths and nudge us all to some deeper truth about ourselves. Her forthcoming book “Nasty Work” embodies her mission by taking apart society’s deeply entrenched colonial views on sex and gender. In this episode, Ericka talks about how she’s learned to take maj...

With nearly 400,000 social media followers, Naley by Nature combines stunning visuals with a resolute and powerful commitment to cover stories from Palestine to Venezuela. Naley is a filmmaker, producer, writer and coach who’s not afraid to challenge mainstream narratives, a true living embodiment of her Libra rising’s devotion to justice and voice. In this episode, Naley talks about her own spiri...

adrienne maree brown is always cultivating a garden of healing ideas. Informed by decades of movement facilitation, somatics, science fiction scholarship and doula work, she is a singular writer and thinker. Her essential works include Emergent Strategy, Pleasure Activism, We Will Not Cancel Us and their most recent, Loving Corrections, offering us all ideas and practices for transformation. Isa N...

Writer, poet and podcast host Saeed Jones effortlessly moves between registers of depth and levity. He inspires his listeners to think critically while laughing at life’s absurdity. Saeed recently published The Peoples Project with writer Maggie Smith, a literary anthology aimed at cultivating purpose, community and action in the face of today's political uncertainty. Isa Nakazawa and Saeed discus...

Growing up in the fashion industry, writer Naomi Shimada first became known for sharing the dirty secrets of the plus-sized fashion world. In 2019 she co-authored the book Mixed Feelings with journalist Sarah Raphael, exploring the emotional impact of our digital habits. This year, Naomi launched a somatic coaching and guidance practice, Soft Landing. Isa Nakazawa sits down with Noami to discuss h...

Rapper and artist Rico Nasty strives to always bring a new and unique sound with every project she releases, from her early mixtapes in high school to her latest studio album, Lethal, released this year. Whether it’s motherhood or her rap career, Rico’s journey has been one of personal resilience and creative shapeshifting. Isa Nakazawa sits down with Rico to discuss how her Taurus sun and moon, a...

Mal Wright’s chart is all about transforming through difficult things. From starring in season 1 of Netflix’s The Ultimatum: Queer Love, where her romantic relationship ended publicly, to navigating her sexuality growing up, she’s learned that her greatest growth is forged in the challenging moments. Isa Nakazawa sits down with Mal to explore how her Scorpio rising helps her dive into life’s deep,...