"If I were rich, my addiction would be compulsive shopping"

It is not surprising that presenter Alba Riera (Barcelona, 1991) likes to communicate. From her mother she got her letters and from her father the virtue of not being afraid to give her opinion in public.

Even as a child, she discovered she had the gift of the gab to persuade: “When I wanted something, I would write a letter to my parents or call a meeting”. Even in class: “I used to do exchanges. I would do a part less of the work in exchange for doing the oral presentation that nobody wanted to do”.

: “The moment it happened, I pooped myself and said: «Shit, I've become too obsessed, I don't want this anymore»”. But now she assures that she would be happy to live forever doing Her goal was to be a presenter, and she has achieved it with one of the most listened-to podcasts from 3Cat, La turra: “The moment it happened, I pooped myself and said: «Shit, I've become too obsessed, I don't want this anymore»”. But now she assures that she would be happy to live forever doing La turra. In fact, she came up with it. “I thought: «What program is missing in Catalan that I can do well?»” Regarding her salary, she assures that, although she thinks she could earn more, she cannot complain.

She does, however, denounce the role of social media: “Our generation has been stupid because we have turned them into part of our work, and this has not yet been reflected in absolutely any contract”. Riera says she has distanced herself from advertising brands on social media: “Although with fashion and beauty, and I'm very sorry, I fall head over heels”.

Compulsive shopping

In fact, this is their weak point: “I feel overwhelmed by not having any savings, so I try to have them. But at the same time, I’m also a spender, especially on clothes, on which I spend a lot of money.” In this regard, they shop when they are nervous: “I buy to relieve my anxiety, and then I have to return many things.” And although they have it under control, they are clear about their obsession: “If I were rich, my addiction would be compulsive shopping.”

From a young age, they were already vain: “I wanted to grow up to be able to buy clothes and have a lot.” It is also a family matter. Grandmother Irene was also vain, she had a jewelry store: “There was nothing I liked more than being taken there to spend the afternoon, surrounded by jewelry and pearls.” They have always been vain, but since they started working in front of the camera, the aesthetic pressure has intensified: “I have more body dysmorphia. I used to be more confident.”

Regarding personal finances, they admit to being not very sharp: “I’m sure I’ve lost a lot of money in my life, with prices I haven’t set for my work or with jobs I’ve accepted below my worth.” They worry about details, but the subject itself doesn’t interest them. They currently live in a rented family apartment: “As long as I can stay in my aunt’s apartment, I won’t buy an apartment, because any difficult economic situation would not be the same to deal with family as with a real estate agency.”

The time they suffered the most because of money was when their mother died: “I remember a family economic readjustment, seeing my father suffer a lot, because there were three children and one adult. I remember feeling anguish. Besides, they were not married, so my father didn’t receive a single penny as a widower, only small benefits for us.” It was a difficult time: “I had a hard time and thought, «I don’t know how we will get by, because mother won’t come back». I compared myself to people around me and envied them a little.” “It was a feeling of injustice. Although, looking back, very victimizing, in reality, because I lacked nothing,” clarifies the presenter.

In fact, at home, they have always been taught not to compare themselves: “My father used to tell me that friendships with people from very different social classes are complicated. This doesn’t mean they shouldn’t exist, but they usually lead to many frustrations, because the pace of life is not the same.”