Today we’d like to introduce you to LOLO KNOWS.
Hi LOLO, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My creative journey has never been limited to one lane. My name is Laura Mary Mangual, and I create under the artist name LOLO KNOWS. I am a DJ, music producer, abstract expressionist artist, licensed massage therapist, advanced esthetician, and wellness advocate. At the heart of everything I do is a desire to create experiences that help people feel something, whether that’s through music, art, or healing.
I was born in Brooklyn, New York, and my roots are deeply connected to my Puerto Rican heritage, my Afro-Latina identity, and the diverse cultural influences that shaped me. Raised between Brooklyn and Pittsburgh, I was surrounded by the sounds, rhythms, and creativity that would eventually guide my life’s work. My love for music began at a young age, inspired by disco, salsa, freestyle, house, and hip-hop. That passion eventually led me behind the turntables, where I built a career as a DJ and later stepped into music production.
Today, as LOLO KNOWS, I have released music on international labels, with tracks charting on Traxsource and receiving support from DJs and artists around the world. But my story has never been only about music, it has always been about expression.
Art has always been another important part of my life. I studied art in high school but stepped away from painting for many years while raising my family. In 2003, I picked up a paintbrush again, and it reignited a part of me that had been waiting to be expressed. In 2016, one of my paintings titled I Paint My Feelings was featured in an exhibition at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. As an Afro-Latina woman, this was a defining moment in my career. Seeing my work displayed in such a respected institution affirmed my voice as an artist and reminded me of the importance of representation.
My passion for helping people also led me into wellness. Through massage therapy and advanced skincare, I have been able to create spaces where people can reconnect with themselves, heal, and feel cared for. Whether I’m creating a movement on the dance floor, expressing emotion through a canvas, or helping someone feel renewed through wellness, my purpose remains the same: to connect with people.
The road hasn’t always been easy. Like many artists and entrepreneurs, I’ve experienced challenges, loss, and moments where I had to dig deep to keep moving forward. Those experiences have shaped my resilience and strengthened my belief that authenticity, perseverance, and staying true to yourself are the foundation of a meaningful career.
Today, I continue to evolve as LOLO KNOWS, bringing together music, art, and wellness into one creative vision. My journey is a reminder that we are not limited to one identity or one path. We can continue to grow, reinvent ourselves, and create impact at every stage of life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, but I wouldn’t trade the journey because every challenge has shaped who I am today. Like many artists and entrepreneurs, I have experienced moments of uncertainty, rejection, and having to fight for my place in spaces where I didn’t always feel seen or heard.
One of the hardest parts of this journey has been watching people who were once a part of my story no longer be there for the next chapters. Some of the people I started this journey with, friends, family, and those who shared my dreams in the early days, are no longer walking beside me. Experiencing those personal losses and changes brought moments of deep reflection and made me question everything: my purpose, my path, and whether I had the strength to keep going.
But through those difficult moments, I learned that growth sometimes requires us to continue moving forward even when the people we expected to be beside us are no longer there. Their impact remains a part of my story, and the lessons, love, and memories they left behind continue to shape who I am.
As an Afro-Latina woman in the music industry, I have also experienced the challenges that come with breaking barriers, being underestimated, and navigating spaces where representation has not always been equal. There have been times when I had to prove that I belonged, but I continued to show up because I believed in my vision and the importance of my voice.
Life has tested me in many ways through grief, loss, and moments of having to rebuild myself. But those experiences became part of my creative expression. They influenced my music, my art, and the way I connect with people through wellness. I’ve learned that some of our deepest pain can become the source of our greatest transformation.
The journey of being an independent artist and entrepreneur requires wearing many hats, creator, business owner, marketer, and advocate for yourself. There are no guarantees, and success doesn’t happen overnight. It requires consistency, patience, resilience, and the courage to keep showing up even when the path feels uncertain.
While the road has not always been easy, I believe every challenge has been a teacher. The losses, the setbacks, and the moments of doubt have made me more compassionate, more determined, and more committed to creating spaces where people feel connected, inspired, and seen. I am still here, still creating, and still becoming the person and artist I was meant to be.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work has always been about creating connection through different forms of expression. I am a DJ, music producer, abstract expressionist artist, and wellness practitioner, and each part of my journey is connected by one common thread: emotion, storytelling, and creating experiences that move people.
I am especially proud of my role in the Cleveland and Akron dance music communities and being part of the history of House music in Northeast Ohio. Over the years, I have helped pave the way as one of the early female voices in the local electronic music scene. Before the pandemic, the electronic music landscape was still heavily male-dominated, and there were very few women represented in these spaces. To continue building a career, producing music, performing, and creating opportunities as an Afro-Latina woman has been an incredibly meaningful part of my journey.
Being recognized as the “First Lady of House” is something that feels both incredibly special and unexpected. I never set out to receive a title, I set out to follow my passion, honor the culture and roots of House music, and contribute something authentic to the community. That recognition represents years of dedication, perseverance, and staying true to myself in an industry where women and women of color have not always had equal visibility.
As LOLO KNOWS, my music is deeply rooted in House, Disco, Afro-Latin rhythms, and the soulful energy that makes dance music such a powerful force of connection. Through DJing and production, I create immersive experiences that bring people together and celebrate the freedom, joy, and unity that have always been at the heart of House music.
Beyond performing, I am also incredibly proud of my journey as a music producer. I have released music on international labels and have had tracks chart on Traxsource, including reaching the Top 10 and earning recognition among the global House music community. Having my original productions shared and supported beyond my hometown has been a major milestone because it represents the power of staying committed to my craft and continuing to evolve as an artist.
I’m incredibly proud of the work I’m creating right now, especially my upcoming EP, Everything That I Need. This project is truly special to me, featuring two incredible remixes: one from UK producer and DJ Col Lawton, and another from Seattle producer and DJ Sen Sei, along with a remix by the legendary Detroit house music architect Mike “Agent X” Clark.
I feel deeply grateful to collaborate with such talented artists who I admire, respect, and genuinely love. This release will be coming out on Aliens on Mushrooms, the label founded by Gettoblaster, and I couldn’t be more excited to share this body of work with their community and stand alongside the incredible artists who have been part of the label’s journey.
My visual art is another extension of that same creative spirit. I am an abstract expressionist artist, and my work is deeply influenced by emotion, energy, nature, spirituality, and the colors and movement found throughout life. I use painting as a way to translate feelings that words sometimes cannot express. My piece I Paint My Feelings, which was exhibited at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in 2016, was a defining moment in my artistic journey and affirmed the importance of sharing my perspective as an Afro-Latina artist.
What sets me apart is the way I bring all of these worlds together. I am not just a DJ, or just a painter, or just someone in wellness, I am a multidimensional creator. I believe creativity has no boundaries, and I have spent my life proving that we do not have to fit into one box. We can honor our roots, evolve, and use our gifts in multiple ways to inspire others.
What I am most proud of is the impact I have been able to make: creating spaces where people feel free to dance, feel seen, heal, and connect. Whether it is through a DJ set, a painting on a wall, a music release, or a wellness experience, my goal has always been to leave people feeling something powerful.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I have learned along my journey is to trust my own path and never wait for someone else to give me permission to be who I am.
For many years, I felt like I had to choose one identity, to be one thing, fit into one category, or follow a traditional path. But life taught me that my greatest strength comes from embracing every part of myself. I am a DJ, producer, artist, wellness practitioner, mother, and storyteller. Each part of who I am has shaped my creativity and allowed me to connect with people in different ways.
I have learned that success is not always about recognition or external validation. It is about staying committed to your vision, even when people do not understand it, support it, or see the value in it yet. There have been many moments where I had to believe in myself before anyone else did. Continuing to show up, creating, and honoring my purpose has been the foundation of my journey.
I have also learned that the people and circumstances we begin with may not always be the ones that walk with us forever. Loss, change, and unexpected endings have taught me to appreciate every chapter while understanding that growth sometimes requires us to move forward in new ways. Those experiences have deepened my compassion, strengthened my resilience, and influenced the way I create.
As an Afro-Latina woman in the creative world, I have learned the importance of owning my story and embracing my heritage, my voice, and my perspective. Representation matters, and I believe we each have a responsibility to share our gifts authentically.
The biggest lesson I carry with me is that it is never too late to reinvent yourself, pursue your passions, or step into a new chapter. At every stage of life, we have the ability to create, evolve, and make an impact. My journey has shown me that staying true to yourself is one of the most powerful things you can do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.loloknows.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lolo__knows
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loloknows01
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@lolo__knows?si=5lR53kIEdKudHUHN
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/Utm2keMnIaHfA58Zax
- Other: https://linktr.ee/LoloKnows
