karol ji, not just reggaeton

From the album “Mana Sera Bonito” to her appearance on the soundtrack to “Barbie – The Movie”, the Latin star has been able to establish herself around the world by telling the world a contemporary and relatable woman, going beyond the clichés of the genre.

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Scores are not always indicative of the quality of any musical offering, but they are often a symbol of how much society changes, how much taste can influence people’s habits and culture.

“Mana Serra Bonito”, for example, was the first album in the history of music composed entirely by a woman to reach number one in the United States in Spanish.

This apparently cold and irrelevant numerical data is tied to what the disc’s contents tell it.

Karol G fits a universally recognized genre, for better or worse, as pure entertainment and where the male storyline often leads to misplaced and unnecessary masculinity.

Attitudes change in Karol Ji’s music, stories of fragility, liberation, finding the strength within oneself to overcome all kinds of difficulties prevail, universal messages that everyone can identify with.

The artist was also recently featured on the soundtrack for “Barbie – The Movie” alongside stars such as Dua Lipa, Nicki Minaj, Lizzo, Charli XCX, Ava Max and Tame Impala. In this case, his “Vatati” is a hymn to unbridled entertainment that does not forsake a fundamental reflection on women who consciously reduce themselves to objects of male amusement.

We’re not talking about “feminism” in the strict sense, but about a woman who knows how to convey herself in every detail, ideally challenging stars like Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Maluma In his musical terrain, capable of being a considerate and conscientious choice.

Supporting him is a vibrant ensemble of artists including Ovi on drums, Sean Paul, Quevedo, Romeo Santos, Justin Quiles and Angel Dyer.

In 2022 the fateful single “Provenza” paved the way for a record that, not surprisingly, included the opening track “Mientes Me Curo Del Cora”, a quote from Bobby McFerrin’s famous “Don’t worry, be happy” .

“Mana Sera Bonito” means “tomorrow will be beautiful”, a message that instills optimism despite the hardships, heartache and anxieties that run through the album’s 15 tracks.

From the romantic and melancholy “Pero Tu” (with Quevedo) to the waltz tempo of “Gucci Los Panos” to the pop of “Tus Gafitas”, everything flows with dignity and without falling into style.

If we want to look for a manifesto piece of disc, we certainly find it in “TQG,” where guest Shakira returns to the territory of sensual assertion (in this case without the Casio watches and Twingo machines at work). Makes you hum, and it’s sure to last for more than a few months.

From the tough Colombian reality of adolescence to the complicated landing in the world of discography, Karol G has climbed to the top without shortcuts, using correctly his taste and style, as a result of which the hand proved him right.

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Musical Express is a program by Fabio Alberti, broadcast every day at 10.10 – 14.05 – 21.00 on Radio Budario.

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