Belinda has proven that she will always make her mark in Latin pop music. Following a lengthy hiatus from music, the Spanish-Mexican icon returned this year with a trilogy of hits that seamlessly blended pop with música Mexicana. While tapping into corridos tumbados, Belinda is also finding healing through her most personal songs yet.
“It’s an era about taking risks,” Belinda says. “I’m working harder than ever. I like that a lot of people are connecting with these songs. I love this era and I believe it’s a very important one for me.”
Though Belinda was born in Madrid, she grew up and first cultivated her career in Mexico City. After starring in children’s telenovelas, she launched her Latin pop career in 2003 with her self-titled debut album. In the decade that followed, Belinda scored multiple hits with songs that embraced pop-rock, electro-pop, and EDM. After her 2013 album, Catarsis, she largely focused on collaborations that put a pop twist on reggaeton and cumbia. Belinda’s hiatus finally ended last October when she signed with Warner. This past year, she has taken on the Mexican corrido with her pop-infused hits “Cactus” and “300 Noches.”
Like Shakira and Karol G before her, Belinda has opened up about her past relationships in her recent songs. She also hit back at her critics in the final song of the trilogy, the empowering “La Mala.” Though Belinda made headlines last week on a runway in Paris, she is taking the fall in stride as another moment of resilience in her 20-plus year career. Over Zoom, Belinda caught up with Uproxx about her musical comeback, her upcoming single with Kenia Os, and what to expect from her new album that’s due out next year.
How do you feel about returning to music and the songs that you released this year?
I feel very grateful. I feel very happy and lucky to do what I love to do. I’m working a lot. I’m trying to stay true to myself in terms of the music. I don’t want to allow myself to be stuck in the same place in terms of music, acting, and serving looks. I’m in a chapter of my career where I’m enjoying this journey and process so much.
In the song “Cactus,” you talk about music being a form of therapy for you. How would you describe the experience of finding healing through your new songs?
Obviously, it’s a great form of therapy for me because I always write my songs. I always let out what I want to say through the lyrics and music. I’m super connected with everything that I’m writing and with each song. Music is 100 percent my best form of therapy.
Where did the idea come from to mix Mexican corridos with pop in your songs?
I wanted for corridos to not only be seen as violent songs. I want to bring that style of music to another level that is more pop. I wanted to create a fusion of sounds. With that in mind, I made “Cactus,” “300 Noches,” and “La Mala,” which just came out. I wanted to fuse música Mexicana with styles of music that are super pop.
Natanael Cano is a pioneer of corridos tumbados. What was the experience like to work with him on “300 Noches”?
I loved it! I admire Nata so much. He’s a great artist. He was the first one to take corridos tumbados to another level. He was the first person I saw making corridos. It was a surprise that he wanted to do that song with me. It was like, “Wow! I can’t believe he loves ‘300 Noches.’” Now we’re on the Billboard charts together with that song.
How did you feel to reclaim your story and address your critics with the song “La Mala”?
I love that this song is trap mixed corridos. I feel like it’s very cool, different, and special. I like it because it’s an anthem for women. It doesn’t have to necessarily be based on something that’s real. Simply put, all us women sometimes like to dress up like a mala [bad girl] by putting on a sexy outfit and dancing and walking feeling fierce, powerful, and beautiful. When we’re feeling attacked, inferior, or unappreciated, we have the strength to keep going forward. The most important thing I learned is to never take everything personal. Before this song, I would always take everything personal. I was like, “It’s me! Oh my God! It’s me!” This song is for them to understand to not take anything personal, and they’ll be much happier. It’s one of my favorites from the album.
The Latinx Internet lit up when you were singing along to “La Mala” with Danna in a video on TikTok.
That was very cool! We’re friends and colleagues. We’ve seen each other a few times, but I respect her and I admire her. As a woman, I believe that we have to support each other.
What can you tell us about your upcoming single with Kenia Os?
My next single is super girly pop with Kenia Os. I believe she’s the first female Mexican artist that I’m doing a song with. This is the first time that I’m singing with a Mexicana colleague of mine. I love her so much. She’s a very hard-working girl. When there’s a will, there’s a way. It’s going to come out in October. We’re going to record the music video this week. I’m sure that it’s going to surprise people, and they’re going to love it.
Who do you want to collaborate with next?
For this album, I’m working with Mala Rodríguez. I’m also doing a song with Tito Doble P, who is another great artist in corridos tumbados. A lot of different collaborations are coming. I’m excited for everyone to hear all this music soon that I’m sure will surprise them.
What can we expect from the album that you’re working on?
I feel very happy and grateful with the result. I’m more involved in this album than ever before. I’m more connected. It’s an album that will surprise a lot of people. It has many different genres on it. It’s a very diverse album. You’re not going to hear only one genre on it because I don’t like to box myself into just one genre. I want to feel free. I want the freedom of writing about whatever I feel and whatever I want to sing about. I don’t want to feel like I’m trapped in a cage. I always like to have that freedom of expression artistically and creatively. This album makes me feel that freedom.
In addition to empowering women, your songs have always given your strength to your queer fans. Do you have a message for your fans in the LGBTQ+ community?
Of course! Love is free. I have a very large following from the LGBTQ+ community. I’m always going to support, respect, and love my LGBTQ+ fans. I’m going to do that always and forever.
After the fall during the L’Oréal Paris Fashion Show, how did you feel to get love and support from Anitta and Andie MacDowell?
That was a beautiful moment [with Andie MacDowell]. A story came out of that moment where I felt terrible. That runway was about love, sisterhood, and respect among women. It wasn’t a runway where you had to look serious or perfect. Sometimes when you want to control everything, something goes wrong. You realize that you can’t control everything and I’m a control freak. I want to control my work. I want to be perfect. I check every detail of my music, my lyrics, of a photo, of everything. At the end of the day, you can’t control everything. You have to let it go. There’s always going to be a new day, and you’ll have a new opportunity to be reborn and shine.
Now that you’re well acquainted with Anitta, would you like to make a Brazilian funk song with her in the future?
I would love that. I love Anitta! She’s the best!
What do you want to accomplish next?
I would love to open the doors for more women who want to make música Mexicana because before there weren’t any women in this genre. Now I’m fearlessly taking on this genre, creating fusions, and making it so that it’s not just for men. Us women can also sing corridos tumbados. I love that. I want to connect with people in a very deep, profound, and beautiful way. I want to be the best version of myself that I can be. I want to keep dreaming and growing as an artist and as a human being.