The moment you step into one of Isabel LaRosa’s shows, you're immediately transported into her dark-but-dreamy world, where glitter isn’t just sparkle, it’s a ritual; where vocals evoke etherealness; and where tour outfits feel like they were carefully plucked from a vintage shop inside a chic, haunted dollhouse.
Since bursting onto the scene in 2022 with her single “I’m Yours” going viral on TikTok, Isabel LaRosa has positioned herself as the Cuban-American alt-pop princess to watch, blending moody aesthetics with haunting hyperpop-tinged sounds and deeply intentional lyrics.
That track catapulted her from local gigs to big stages, including Governors Ball and Lollapalooza India this year. Aside from presenting herself to bigger crowds via festival appearances, LaRosa still put on intimate shows for her fans, even taking the time to meet them before hitting the stage. “ I just love them all so much. They're so sweet,” LaRosa tells Teen Vogue over Zoom.
To celebrate the end of the US leg of her Psychopomp Tour (which she calls her “favorite tour so far”) in LA, LaRosa took Teen Vogue behind the scenes. As she gears up to bring her gothic fairy tale vibe to Europe later this year, the star opens up about being a self-made stylist, a sonic storyteller, and an independent artist curating her own stage — every look, every lyric, every moment.
From the outset, it is evident that LaRosa puts a look together that says “I’m not trying,” even though every piece has purpose. “At the moment I’m feeling [that my style is] very dark,” LaRosa says. She’s living her best life in her era, blending femininity with a touch of darkness. “I feel like it's very girly, but in an alternative way,” she says. “I love taking different elements of things that are traditionally super girly, but making them dark. I love feminine things. And I love alternative as well, so being able to mix the two is what feels like me. You often only get [the two sides of the spectrum], so it has been a really fun thing for me to experiment with."
Wondering where she pulls inspo? Forget the latest trends. “I’ve been inspired a lot by Debbie Harry in the past,” LaRosa shares. “She’s just a style icon.” Lately, though, she’s been channeling her inner “doll” — but with her own shadowy twist on it. “I love the silhouettes and the style, but instead of pastels, I do everything in black and white.”
At just 20 years old, LaRosa has already reshaped her aesthetic multiple times, with each version of her style evolving in tandem with her music. “When I started touring, I almost exclusively wore leather jackets,” she recalls. “Then, I had this leather bodysuit that looked like Katniss’s suit from Hunger Games.” Now, the edge is still there, but it’s wrapped in something a little more delicate.
“I’ve been wearing these custom silk bloomers. I'm obsessed with them. They're so comfortable to perform in, but they look so cool. And I don’t wear platforms anymore.” In fact, she confirms that she believes her personal style reflects her personal growth. “I feel like, growing older, I’ve become more comfortable being feminine,” she says. “It’s not something that I felt like I could do when I was younger. It's been really fun to grow into myself in that way and be more accepting of my femininity.”
LaRosa curates every single one of her looks herself. “I don’t have a stylist,” she says. “I do it all myself… It’s all me messaging my Etsy sellers, and I get most of my stuff from custom Etsy stores and vintage things from Depop and flea markets. I feel like that’s my favorite way to buy clothes.”
One of her go-to stores, which she does not hesitate to ungatekeep, is Trashy Lingerie, which offers original costumes and lingerie handmade in Los Angeles since 1974. “It's a very iconic place,” she says, adding that she's been really on a lingerie kick as of late.
“I love anything that's like a bra-esque top, but it doesn't look like a bra itself," she explains. “I'll get silk and lace mixed tops that match the bloomers. A lot of those. I've been loving pleated skirts recently, literally school uniform looking and kind of Tumblr-esque.”
Of course, curating each tour look for over a month and a half of being on stage is no easy feat, and though LaRosa says it would be nice to get a stylist to help with sourcing at some point, the thrill of the chase is also a labor of love for her. “It really gives back in a different way,” she says. “It would be helpful to have someone, but I do think it keeps you connected to the places if you're the one messaging them.”
It's clear that style is not secondary to music for LaRosa, and touring this much teaches you what the backstage essentials entail. “I need safety pins,” she says. Unsurprisingly, LaRosa is a DIY queen backstage. “Since I ripped a lot of [my clothes] or ordered them online, half the time they don’t fit me,” she explains. “So I like to pin the back of my skirts to make sure they don’t fall down.” LaRosa sews, pins, and styles, and sometimes with help from her tour photographer, Sam Monendo. “She's helped me pin back more clothes than I can count,” LaRosa shares with a smile.
The other backstage essential, according to LaRosa, is glitter. “I need the Danessa Myricks pot of gold flakes in the shade ‘Fireball.’ I cannot go on stage without it.” It’s part of the ritual – but also a grounding, shimmering kind of top coat. “I love glitter,” she adds without hesitation. “It’s literally a staple now.”
Every time she hits the stage, that sparkle on her eyelids goes on with as much precision as her vocal harmonies. She may still get nervous, but the routine helps her find control, even in chaos. “I used to get so nervous that my legs would shake,” she admits. “I've toured for almost two years straight now, so it takes more to like get me nervous.”
Before she goes on stage, she needs another dose of glitter, this time via Vacation's shimmer body oil, and a little chant with her brother, guitarist, and collaborator, Thomas LaRosa, and drummer, Rhys Hastings. “I can't be overstimulated before I go on stage," LaRosa shares. “I need to be able to lock in, and I also need to hear what the crowd sounds like, the people talking before I go on. You know, it's funny because when I put my in-ears in and I have crowd mics, I can hear what they're saying. It is what reminds me to take a second and just be very grateful for the fact that I get to do this. It's really wild to be able to have however many people show up every night to hear the songs that, you know, my brother and I wrote randomly one day.”
“Performing ‘Cry for You’ has been really fun,” LaRosa says, referring to the track off her debut album Raven, which plays like a gothic dream sequence scored by synths and shadowy vocals. “I feel like my fans know it, so it's very fun to see the reaction. I love singing the lyrics on that one because they're very angry. It's like a fun group activity, you know?”
“Famous” is also one of LaRosa's favorites off the album right now, she adds. "I feel connected to it, and it’s just so fun to perform.” Delving a little deeper, LaRosa explains, “The writing process for me is really visual.” Which makes sense: Raven isn’t just a series of isolated songs, but each song tells a story, and whether she’s channeling obsession, heartbreak, or full-blown delusion, LaRosa lets every lyric bleed into her aesthetic, both onstage and off.
