Latin superstar Karol G released her fifth studio album Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season), last Friday (Aug. 11) via Bichota Records/Interscope Records. Although the Columbian singer is the subject of a lawsuit brought by dancehall pioneers Steely and Clevie, the 10 track album (released six months after Mañana Será Bonito),offers two dancehall-reggae inspired tracks.
Fans of the YouTube top streaming Bichota artist would be privy to the fact that a remix of Chilean artist/producer Cris MJ’s Billboard Global 200 “Una Noche En Medellín” was scheduled for last year, but it becomes track six on her latest album. On the remix which also has Medallo artist Ryan Castro, Beenie Man‘s “Zagga Zow” phrase is used throughout the song, first by Chris on the second verse,
“Zaga Zow Tomando aguardiente Perreíto en el ghetto caliente (Pu-pu-pum) Baby, qué rico se siente (Jaja) Bailando con toda mi gente (¡Prr!) Yo me acuerdo los perreo’ en Barrio Colombia Mi perro soltero, ninguno con la novia (Shu) La’ babie’ piden una noche (Rru),” as he explains what a night in Medellín, Karol G’s hometown is like.
Karol also uses it on the outro with a more pronounced “Zaga zaga zaga zaga zow” adding some Jamaican spice to the already upbeat Reggaeton track. Karol G occupies 7 spots from the Top Songs Debut Global on Spotify this week with “Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season) “MI EX TENÍA RAZÓN” is the highest from the album at #4 and the 2nd for a female artist.”Una Noche En Medellín” is at No. 6.
Chris joined Karol for a debut performance of the track at the 2022 Viña del Mar Festival with fans singing word for word.
The other reggae inspired song on the album is track 7, “Me Tengo Que Ir” feat. fellow Columbian singer Kali Uchis. The visualizer has already surpassed 1.6 million views on YouTube and the song debuted at No. 9 on Spotify’s Top Songs Global chart.
With bilingual vocals over the reggae dub beat, Karol and Kali sing about moving on from a relationship that has come to an end. “Suddenly, you realize life is strong/ But you live rent-free in his mind/ Although I never asked to be a resident,” chants Kali.
Karol, 32, describes her feelings towards the collab to Rolling Stone as “a dream come true” which is special for her and a “F*cking vibe” on the album.
.@karolg reveals she's got two collaborations with @KALIUCHIS: "Me Tengo Que Ir" off her new album and another one that Kali has 👀
"It was a dream come true. We feel a lot of respect for each other." pic.twitter.com/IyfSNBuLzT
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) August 14, 2023
The singer called off her engagement with latin singer Anuel A in 2021 and says it has been difficult releasing music while going through the pain of the break up. “Imagine something like this happening, and you have to tell millions of people what happened to you…” she tells Rolling Stone.
This is not the first time the Latin Pop star is adding reggae to her music. Her single “Love With A Quality” with reggae royalty Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley has surpassed 100 million views on YouTube.
The music video for the single released Thursday, 9 May 2019, features both Latin and Jamaican backdrops set in Jamaica. The opening scene shot on the St. Ann horizon with the Ocho Rios pier in view has Marley toasting in front of a Jamaican flag in a makeshift community while Karol does her first verse in Spanish and joins him on the chorus in English. Karol G is dressed in dancehall attire performing on the porch of a house.
The collaboration produced by Latin Urbana hitmaker Ovy On The Drum, encourages people to take advantage of life and appreciate the little things, which ultimately improves the quality of life.
