La Pija and La Quinqui, real names Carlos Peguer and Mariang Maturana, have seen how their lives shift in a couple of years. The duo launched a podcast in January 2022, centered on health topics, relationships, love, and the quirks of their generation. Set in the kitchen of Mariang’s apartment, early episodes relied on humble surroundings. Yet in just a year they built a self-made set and their show rapidly climbed the listening charts. Even Rosalía was among their audience, sending a message on social media and closing the first season alongside them. Now, a little over two years after the inaugural episode, the hosts bring more experience to love and life as they transition to television with the dating show If my mother says so.
“We’ve basically moved from student life to a richer, more privileged stage,” Peguer notes during a candid reflection. “They no longer struggle to make ends meet and live more comfortably, but the attention comes at a price. It affects mental health. I’m feeling more on edge every day. I can’t bear to look in the mirror or read comments about me because it drives me a little crazy. I snap at my partner after a single tweet, and suddenly I’m unbearable all day. It’s a tug-of-war: good earnings, but a heavy self-critique.”
Love from Mom
New dating programming, adapted from the successful international format Mommy Knows Best, is set to premiere on Sunday, July 28, on Atresmedia’s youth channel Flookser. From that day forward, new episodes will drop weekly on Sundays. The premise places the love fates of singles in the hands of their mothers, with the parents taking the lead in meetings. When the young participants struggle to speak, their mothers pose tougher questions, share embarrassing anecdotes, and speak frankly about intimate details on television.
The podcasters responsible for the show have been clear that they will not hand over the entirety of their love lives to their mothers. “I love my mom, but choosing a partner isn’t something she should handle,” Peguer jokes. “What’s needed? I’m comfortable at home, and my mother stays in her lane,” adds Maturana. Post-show, the young woman reflects on a “very sensible mother.” Although it is a dating program, the core focus remains the relationship dynamics between mothers and their children. Even when a mother’s approach seems at odds with a viewer’s experience, the exchanges and nonverbal cues between mother and child feel familiar in many families.
A Similar Track
With this experience behind them, the duo is launching another project for La Pija y la Quinqui. “We hadn’t done anything like this before, but it’s easy to work with a friend because closeness is already there,” says the younger host. They note that the project carries a similar vibe to their usual dynamic, with both continuing to be themselves. The big test, they admit, will be stepping into roles that deviate from their established persona and style. “What matters is the codes and the tone you bring as you move into something new,” Peguer explains.
Peguer and Maturana are tackling imposter syndrome as they branch away from the podcast. “That pressure is common for people our age, and it’s healthy to believe there’s a reason someone chose you,” says the presenter. “There are voices that say you should own this authority now. Imposter syndrome: I’ll do what I set my mind to, act like I know it all, and flee if I stumble. The real work is to move beyond feeling fraudulent and to become a guide for others. Seize every opportunity—the outcomes will reveal themselves. If they work, great. If not, they pivot.”