Farina Talks About Maluma And New Music

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

Rapper and reggaetonera Farina talked to People CHICA about her amazing chemistry with Maluma in their new music video "Así Así." "We are not shy around each other, we are great friends," she says. She met the "Felices los 4" singer years before he became an international star, she recalls. Maluma's aunt, who was a journalist, interviewed Farina when she was a contestant on the reality show The X Factor in Colombia, becoming the first woman to rap on national television in her country and a proud female pioneer of Latinx urban music. “It took a long time for people to respect my style,” she admits of her lyrics, filled with raw honesty and sensuality. "I want to show that women can rap about anything, that they don't need to feel censored."

The Colombian singers first recorded the song “Puesto Pa 'Ti” for Maluma's album 11:11. When she got a video call from Maluma asking her to collaborate, she admits, “I was in shock. I started crying.” They were tears of joy, and the good vibes they felt when they recorded this track in Maluma's home studio in Medellín turned into another song, “Así Así,” which “just flowed naturally,” she says. “Our families are from the same neighborhood. We are both fighters. I feel so much affection for him and feel so proud of his accomplishments.”

Farina also got everyone's attention with her song “Like a Kardashian” [Like a Kardashian], rapping about the reality stars. “They are gorgeous, their reality show makes me laugh, they show themselves as they are, genuine, with their imperfections, they make mistakes and show their human side,” she says of the lyrics. “The song gave people a lot to talk about. The reaction was just what I expected.”

She is now working on a new EP, a groundbreaking collaboration with Arcángel set to debut in 2020. It's the first time a male and female rapper have recorded a project together for the Latinx music market, Farina notes. "He is my favorite rapper," she says. "I love the way he raps and I admire how intelligent and real he is." She also hopes to record new tracks in English with stars like Cardi B and Nicki Minaj.

"Natti Natasha and Becky G opened that door with their hit" Sin Pijama, "she says. “That changed history and was a total win. It showed that successful women could record together, that women could make great moves on their own and didn't need to do it holding a man's hand.” She also gave a shoutout to fellow Colombian reggaetonera Karol G. “Karol G has a more romantic flow, she is a singer and has a more pop side. I am more island, more rap, a bit darker,”she says of their different musical styles.

Farina says she became interested in rap and reggaeton because she “fell in love with Afro rhythms and fell in love with black culture.” She recalls watching MTV as a teen and being wowed by talents like Lauryn Hill, Destiny's Child and Snoop Dogg. I come from a family of Colombian folklore musicians. Toto La Momposina was my grandmother's cousin,”she says about the iconic singer of Afro-Colombian music. World domination seems to be what's next for Farina. It's a great time for Latinx women in music, she recognizes: “We are dominating fuertísimo.”