Becky G Interview: ‘Encuentros,’ An Emotional Journey

It’s been a decade since Becky G‘s breakthrough, and all this time later, she’s come by way of together with her most private album but.

After first embracing her Mexican roots in final 12 months’s Esquinas, she is constant to make her mark in música Mexicana with a follow-up, Encuentros. Although the introspective LP features a few options from rising stars like Tito Doble P and Óscar Maydon, Becky is basically shining solo throughout the 16 tracks this time round.

“We’re in otro capítulo [another chapter],” Becky G tells Uproxx. “My hair is completely different. I really feel like I’m completely different. Esquinas was the start of a really private therapeutic journey. Encuentros is actually me being so invested and dedicated to that journey of therapeutic.”

Becky G first made a splash in 2014 with the bubbly pop of “Bathe.” Within the years that adopted, she tapped into her Mexican-American id to report smashes in Spanish, just like the risqué reggaeton of “Mayores” that includes Dangerous Bunny, or the woman energy anthem “Sin Pijama” with Natti Natasha. Becky G has since dabbled in genres like dembow with El Alfa in “Fulanito” and disco-pop with the shimmering “Bailé Con Mi Ex.” She later blended components of música Mexicana into one in every of her largest hits, the fiery “Mamiii” that includes Karol G.

After scoring hits in a number of genres, Becky G has since put her pop spin on música Mexicana in songs just like the heartbreaking corrido “La Nena” that includes Peso Pluma, in addition to “Por El Contrario,” which acquired a Latin Grammy nomination. With Encuentros, she is constant to push the style working by way of her veins to new locations with songs that signify a variety of feelings.

Over Zoom, Becky G caught up with Uproxx in regards to the newest chapter in her life, her therapeutic LP, and her upcoming tour.

All through your profession, you’ve gotten all the time proudly represented the Mexican-American group. Why is that illustration essential to you?

Nicely, it’s attention-grabbing: Even coming off this Latin Grammy nomination [for “Por El Contrario”], which is so thrilling and so loopy, I’m nonetheless processing it. I don’t assume it’s by coincidence that I’ve been doing music for thus a few years and making Spanish music for thus a few years. Now to have that legendary nomination in a música Mexicana class, it’s as a result of I’m actually proudly owning who I’m, my roots, and the place I come from.

I’ve all the time been a proud Chicana. You’ll be able to see it, from me bringing my household in all places that I’m going, to my model selections, to the music movies I created prior to now. Individuals had but to actually really feel that in my music since I used to be youthful. Now that it’s all coming collectively in such a phenomenal method, within the weirdest method, it looks like I’ve come residence to myself.

Why did you need to proceed exploring música Mexicana with Encuentros?

Esquinas was me going again to my childhood and reliving issues that sadly, however in a phenomenal method, I’ll by no means have once more. I’ll by no means be a child in my dad’s arms once more listening to Ramón Ayala, or dancing to Selena with my mother in the lounge. There’s simply a lot there with Esquinas, which opened a door to this therapeutic that I actually wanted. I didn’t even understand I wanted it as an artist. Music for me rising up was such an escapism. It turned a secure place as a result of it was so disconnected from my private life. Now, in essentially the most lovely method, Esquinas gave me the chance to convey them collectively.

Encuentros is me accepting that there’s all of this stuff that may by no means be once more. Then there are some issues that may by no means change, that are our feelings. There’s this quote that claims, “With a purpose to really feel real and true happiness, you need to know what it’s been prefer to be so unhappy.” You need to know what it’s prefer to have been harm to additionally know what it’s prefer to heal.

Encuentros is the components of me that I discovered all through that journey of Esquinas and digging even deeper and changing into much more weak. You’ll be able to hear that by way of all my choices from this album. There’s my anger, my fears, my hopes, my tears, and my happiness. It’s all there. It simply encompasses this journey of therapeutic for me.

Within the music “Como Diablos,” you’re cursing in a Mexican method with Mexican slang. What was that have like for you, to simply go off and launch these feelings in that music?

“Cursing in a Mexican method” is hilarious [laughs]! It was liberating. It felt very proper. Within the music video, there’s this very creative interpretation of what anger looks like for me. Rising up, being the first-born daughter, I got here out of the womb naturally like a really composed and picked up individual. Every little thing wanted to be excellent. Everybody wanted to be taken care of first. Any emotion that was not a optimistic one in my head, I wouldn’t permit myself to really feel it. I noticed to be able to expertise actual happiness, I even have to permit myself to really feel anger. Within the video, you may see that anger and angle, and it’s very a lot internalized and composed. It’s so robust that it makes the bottom shake, the glass break, and the boys run away. I like that a lot. It felt so empowering to step into that.

How would you describe the expertise of sharing your highlight and in addition being supported by música Mexicana acts like Peso Pluma, Iván Cornejo, and the artists who’ve featured on Esquinas and Esquemas?

I take a look at Peso. He invited me to his Inglewood present on the Intuit Dome. To see the expansion of the style itself and the artists throughout the genres is wonderful. Música Mexicana is an umbrella time period. There are literally so many sub-genres throughout the style itself. It’s so various. It’s so colourful in so some ways. I really feel like I’ve actually discovered my place in that world as a result of I’ve created this 200 p.c [100 percent Mexican and 100 percent American] sound the place it’s the music that raised me with a unique interpretation of what that feels like in the present day. You will have artists like Peso and Iván, who’re doing the identical factor in their very own method, and everybody who has been part of these albums. That’s so cool to be part of. It’s so cool to really feel embraced and accepted someplace.

That was my largest concern earlier than even pursuing Spanish music: Am I Latina sufficient? Am I Mexican sufficient? Am I going to be sufficient? You don’t need to be something aside from your self.

What was the expertise prefer to collaborate with Peso Pluma’s cousin and frequent co-writer Tito Doble P on the music “Disaster”?

So cool! It’s so humorous as a result of I used to be saying, “It’s the Doble P’s and the Doble B.” That’s as a result of my first identify is Rebbeca with two B’s.

You understand how essential household is to me. That is such a full-circle second. At an occasion I did lately with Patrón, Tito was additionally performing. That was my concept. I additionally requested them to ask Gabito [Ballesteros]. I threw out so many names there as a result of we bought to assist one another out. You need to converse different folks’s names in rooms that they’ll’t be in, in order that we will hold pushing the motion. We additionally introduced there that Tito could be on my album. “Disaster” was a extremely particular collaboration.

The one girl who options on the album is Delilah. How did the music “Todo” come collectively together with her?

She is just a bit child woman. I like her a lot! She’s so freaking gifted. I feel her voice is totally unimaginable. I’m such a fan of Delilah and she or he’s barely getting began. She’s barely scratching the floor of what’s forward of her.

There’s such a fusion on this music particularly. There’s a contemporary twist. It’s not typical música Mexicana. There’s an alternate aptitude to it, which is good. I discovered that to be excellent.

She instructed me, “You realize why my mother and father named me Delilah?” I used to be like, “No, I’m so curious.” She then began singing “Hey There Delilah” by the Plain White T’s. That’s such an alternate rock music. It has nothing to do with música Mexicana. I used to be like, “We have to convey a few of that inspiration into our music.” We’re what makes it Mexican. Our roots are what makes it Mexican. Our sound is a lot larger. I feel that our voices mirror one another so fantastically. I really feel like an enormous sister to her.

The music “Otro Capítulo” could be very harking back to Selena’s sound. How would you describe the expertise of exploring these “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom”-like rhythms?

Unimaginable! It felt so good. If there’s anybody who I’ve all the time needed to present all my thanks and respect to on this time of being an artist and understanding what it means to be right here, it’s Selena, for the trail that she’s made and the bridge that she began. Sadly, she couldn’t end that, however there’s so many people that really feel such a accountability and a calling to proceed constructing upon that basis.

I wouldn’t be the place I’m in the present day if I didn’t see somebody like myself mirrored in music and in movie. This album and leaning into my roots and who we’re as 200 percenters, you may’t try this with out honoring somebody like Selena.

I observed there’s an attention-grabbing interpolation of “Perdóname” by La Factoria in that music.

That’s a bit of trace. In “Mamiii,” there was an alternate intro that was very música Mexicana and mariachi. Then the music began and it’s like a pop and reggaeton music, however it has a Mexican really feel. With “Otro Capítulo,” I used to be like, “How cool would it not be if we introduced a little bit of reggaeton vibes to a cumbia music?” That was a bit of nod saying, “Perhaps Becky goes to start out making reggaeton music once more”? [Flips her hair] Who is aware of.

In comparison with Esquinas, in Encuentros, there are method fewer options and extra of you. What was that an intentional resolution?

You learn into every part. I find it irresistible! That was tremendous intentional. I like suggestions from my followers. I finished trying into the feedback part a very long time in the past for desirous to please folks and make everybody completely satisfied, which is inconceivable. Actual suggestions I bought from Esquinas was, “I didn’t know you can sing like that. I can really hear your voice.”

The style itself could be very dwell, uncooked, and easy. The way in which we combined the songs, I really feel like you may hear me. It’s like I’m speaking to you. After I bought that suggestions from Esquinas, I used to be like, “I nonetheless have a lot extra to say and I need to hold this line of communication with all people by way of my artistry.” Encuentros is certainly that phone line straight to you guys.

What can we anticipate out of your Casa Gomez: Otro Capítulo Tour?

It’s going to be a lot enjoyable. We launched Esquinas the day of the primary present of the Mi Casa, Tu Casa Tour. It’s terrifying to launch an album and need to carry out it when folks haven’t had an opportunity to digest it and take heed to it. I made it work. I used to be like, “We’re going to take advantage of it.” It was unimaginable as a result of by the tip of the tour, all people knew each music from Esquinas.

Now the identical factor is occurring this 12 months with Casa Gomez: Otro Capítulo. The day earlier than the primary present, we’re releasing Encuentros. I needed to proceed Casa Gomez. The idea of Casa Gomez debuted on the Coachella stage. Casa Gomez is me letting folks in and welcoming them to my home. In my home, we sing collectively, cry collectively, drink collectively, and dance collectively. To have that have proceed with my followers and solely develop into stronger and extra significant goes to be so enjoyable. We have now all of the songs. Casa Gomez goes to get some renovations. Perhaps she’ll have a bit of improve or one thing.

It’s been 10 years because you launched “Bathe.” What have you ever realized and brought from that decade-long expertise within the music trade?

A lot! I really feel so fortunate that I can sing that music in the present day in an entire new method. In a method that looks like, “That is my music.” After I was youthful, I bought signed as a rapper. I bought signed whereas doing songs like “Becky From The Block” and “Otis.” The music was my first hit music. For that, I’ll endlessly be grateful. The music was larger than me. It was a music that basically anyone may have sang. I feel folks liked it a lot as a result of actually everybody sings within the bathe.

The lesson that I realized from that music was the facility of my voice and my id as an artist. Now “Bathe” is having this resurgence of significance and going viral on TikTok once more with folks being like, “The Becky G that we all know in the present day sang that music?” It was like I used to be in a position to reclaim my energy once more as an artist and a younger girl who needed to develop up on this trade, and typically be a number of different issues that all the time didn’t align with me or who I needed to be on this world. It’s not the vacation spot, it’s the journey that teaches you. That’s how I really feel about “Bathe.” I like that music. I’m so grateful for that music.

You appeared as a visitor decide on RuPaul’s Drag Race earlier this 12 months and the drag queens carried out “Bathe.” What does the connection you’ve gotten with the LGBTQ+ group imply to you?

They’re additionally one more reason why I’m right here. That’s the reality. There’s so many chapters in my profession the place the group that I’ve all the time needed to indicate a lot like to, a lot respect to, and combat for, has given me a lot.

What do you need to accomplish subsequent together with your music profession?

I’m simply attempting to benefit from the course of. I really feel like there’s one thing actually lovely within the unknown and surrendering to not realizing what’s going to occur. Now, if you happen to requested me earlier than if I noticed myself right here, I used to be undoubtedly hoping to achieve success. I don’t assume that appeared something like what in the present day appears like. I feel the magic of all of it shouldn’t be realizing. I don’t know what’s subsequent. I simply know that I’m having fun with all of it. I’m having a number of enjoyable. That is essentially the most me I’ve ever felt.