<div class="page" title="Page 1">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
On stage at the Latin Grammys last October, she sang her latest hit, "Por El Contrario" alongside Mexican pop stars &Aacute;ngela and Leonardo Aguilar. The singer recalls her&nbsp;musical and stylistic journey from Inglewood to the lights of Hollywood
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="section"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"> Text by ALESSANDRO VIAPIANA Photography CARLA GULER Styling LUCA FALCIONI</div></div></div></div>

<div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">At just 17 years old, in 2014 she broke through with “Shower” and &quot;Mayores&quot; - a song sung together with Bad Bunny -, multi-platinum singles that quickly took her to the top of the US charts. She collaborated with artists of the caliber of Karol G, Christina Aguilera, &nbsp; Will.i.am, Peso Pluma, Cody Simpson. &nbsp; In the 10 years since Becky G, born Rebbeca Marie Gomez, has become a symbol of Chicano culture. Her warm voice bridges the sounds of regional Mexican music with contemporary pop music, drawing inspiration from icons like Selena Quintanilla and the folk of Mariachi. At the time of this interview, she had just performed on stage at the Latin Grammys in Hollywood with “Por El Contrario,” which earned her fifth nomination.</div></div>

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">A demo version of the song is part of the 16 tracks that make up “Encuentros,” her fourth studio album released in mid-October. “A meeting with myself, a healing process: there are days when you’re angry, others when you’re hurt, others when you want to celebrate and have fun.” American-Mexican, she was born and raised in California in Inglewood, a town on the outskirts of Los Angeles, and is very close to her family, who continue to be “an inexhaustible source of strength and inspiration.”</div>

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">L'OFFICIEL: You performed on stage at the Latin Grammys. How did it go? BECKY G: It was nothing short of surreal. A year ago, when I was shooting the video for &ldquo;Por El Contrario&rdquo; with &Aacute;ngela and Leonardo Aguilar (descendants of a dynasty of Mexican singers with whom she recorded the song, ed.), they were about to fly to Seville for the Grammys. And now, here we are, all three of us performing as nominees in front of some of the most talented musicians in the world. LO: What did you dream of as a child? BG: I knew I wanted to be a singer. I asked my family to take me to singing competitions and I enjoyed singing on every stage. LO: Do you remember one? BG: There&rsquo;s a YouTube video of me at 10 years old playing Selena with choreography and dancers on a show by Don Francisco, a very famous TV host in America. At 14, I got signed by my record label, so you can imagine how determined I was to pursue this career. LO: When did you start singing? BG: &nbsp; During family gatherings. I sang with my dad. LO: What would you say to 17-year-old Becky G? BG: &nbsp; Trust your instincts. LO: The first song you heard that left an impression on you? BG: &nbsp; &ldquo;Genie in a Bottle&rdquo; by Christina Aguilera. I&rsquo;ve been listening to that Christina record on loop.</div>

LO: When you started out, Jennifer Lopez made a cameo in the video for your cover of her song Jenny from the Block&hellip; BG: &nbsp; I had already done many covers, but that was my official debut single, the first one released. And she was in it, can you imagine? I never imagined that JLo would be in the video! LO: Which artists have inspired you along your path? BG: &nbsp; Christina Aguilera, Vicente Fernandez, Selena Quintanilla, the Cheetah Girls. LO: A song you'll never get tired of? BG: &nbsp; There is a song by Vicente and Alejandro Fernandez, &ldquo;Amor de los Dos&rdquo;. My grandfather used to sing it to me and I love it so much. LO: And today? Do you have any colleagues you admire? BG: &nbsp; Karol G, Peso Pluma, Rauw Alejandro. LO: What's the last song you added to your Spotify playlist? BG: &nbsp; &ldquo;Antes de Ti&rdquo; by Delilah. She is a very talented singer and I will be keeping an eye out for her next releases. LO: What kind of music do you usually listen to? BG: &nbsp; This summer has been Sabrina Carpenter-esque, but I love all genres: from R&amp;B to reggaeton, from regional Mexican music to pop. LO: You posted a beautiful tribute on Instagram thanking the women in your life. Who are they and what role do they play? BG: &nbsp; I grew up surrounded by strong women and their support is fundamental to me. My mom, my sisters, my grandmothers and the women I work with every day. LO: Have you ever been told you couldn't do something because you're a woman? BG: &nbsp; I was generally told that I wouldn&rsquo;t make it, but that&rsquo;s another topic. Our industry could be much more inclusive with the opportunities it offers women. I want to see the glass half full, slowly we are seeing changes. I just hosted the Latin Grammy Leading Ladies ceremony, where every year they honor four women who have had a great impact on our industry. I was one of the honorees in 2018 and seeing how much it has grown is proof that things are changing.

LO: How would you describe your new album Encuentros? BG: &nbsp; As a healing process. I started this two-part journey with my previous album Esquinas and continued it because I still had so much to say. LO: In what way? BG: &nbsp; I wanted to continue exploring Mexican music, it allows me to be the most authentic version of myself. LO: Is the album entirely inspired by this genre? BG: &nbsp; Ninety percent. Some songs are closer to corridos tumbados, others include more pop elements and some have a bit of cumbia and cumbia tejana, like the song &ldquo;Otro Capitulo&rdquo; inspired by the work of Selena. LO: Encounters: what kind of meetings are you talking about? BG: &nbsp; First of all, the encounter with myself, I accepted that part of me that always seemed to be looking for belonging, suspended between two cultures. I connected with a musical genre that allowed me to be vulnerable and honest. I started this journey inspired by my dad, by my grandfather, but I continued it for myself. LO: You are very close to your grandparents&hellip; BG: &nbsp; My grandparents came to this country from Jalisco, Mexico with nothing, just a dream. They worked hard to provide opportunities for future generations. We owe them everything. That&rsquo;s why I&rsquo;m so proud of my albums Esquinas and Encuentros. With my music I try to honor those who came before me and worked tirelessly to make Los Angeles their home. LO: Have you ever been to Jalisco? BG: &nbsp; I love Jalisco. Last year I celebrated my birthday there with friends and family. It has beautiful landscapes and spectacular sunrises. LO: How would you describe your style? BG: &nbsp; My style is very inspired by Los Angeles. After all, I was born and raised in Inglewood. The more I travel, the more I incorporate what I discover into photoshoots, videos. I love Willy Chavarria, who is also a Chicano. I love how he translates his identity into fashion. I also like Coperni, Balmain, Loewe. LO: Who is your biggest fashion inspiration at the moment? BG: &nbsp; I love Zendaya's fashion choices and the fact that she's not afraid to switch up her style. LO: What message do you want to convey with your looks? BG: &nbsp; Feel good in your skin. Don't be afraid to experiment and allow yourself to evolve in your looks. LO: How should a woman feel when she wears a dress? BG: &nbsp; Self-confident. LO: You just released an album. What&rsquo;s next? BG: &nbsp; More music. I just finished touring at the end of November. Now I'm looking forward to the holidays, recharging my batteries and getting back into the studio. I'm inspired and ready to keep creating. LO: We are both 27 years old and I remember when we were younger the word &ldquo;hope&rdquo; was everywhere. What do you expect from the world we live in today? BG: &nbsp; Even when times seem uncertain, it&rsquo;s important to focus on what you can control and go from there. I&rsquo;m a big believer in therapy and self-care, because you can&rsquo;t help others if you don&rsquo;t take care of yourself first. Once you&rsquo;ve established that balance, give back to the community that has helped you.

<div class="page" title="Page 3"><div class="section"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"> HAIR Davontae Washington MAKE UP Adam Burrell @ OPUS BEAUTY &nbsp; NAILS Sryenin Ping PRODUCTION We Made It PRODUCER Jorge Rosell SET DESIGNER Stefania Lucchesi MOVEMENT DIRECTOR Dolores Parisi PHOTO ASSISTANT Jay Crocker DIGITAL TECH Will Bliss STYLING ASSISTANTS Frankie Benkovic and August Go</div></div></div></div>

Being Becky G: «The journey hasn't been easy but it's been worth it»

Tags

Related Articles

Portraits

Nicola Peltz Beckham: «For me, family is everything, it's my refuge»

Portraits

Julianne Moore: Fashion, Friendships and the Film "The Room Next Door" by Pedro Almodóvar

Portraits

Nicole Kidman: The diverse life of a Hollywood legendary actress

Recommended posts for you

Ibiza

Ibiza, I’m Back

Ibiza

Missoni Ibiza – A New Chapter in Colour and Craft

Ibiza

A Signature Summer: Burberry Takes Over The Standard Ibiza

Ibiza

Summer Check

Ibiza

Where Everything Happens

Ibiza

Connected with Paradise

Ibiza

We Are the People

Food

FOODMO: The New Pressure to Eat on Trend