María Becerra released her highly-anticipated album La Nena De Argentina today (December 9). While the rising Argentine pop star has scored global hits alongside J Balvin and Camila Cabello, she wanted to shine solo on her new LP. Becerra talked with Uproxx about her decision to leave out the features and her time working with Cabello.
Since emerging last year, Becerra has become the most-streamed female artist from Argentina on Spotify. She has over 22 million monthly listeners on the music platform. Her success has led to multiple collaborations with global artists like J Balvin, Sofía Reyes, and Manuel Turizo. Earlier this year, Becerra featured on Cabello’s Latin album Familia. The two Latinas teamed up for the disco-pop bop “Hasta Los Dientes.”
“She’s a very normal person,” Becerra told Uproxx. “You feel comfortable with her. Her and her mom are very Latina, like my mom. It felt like a family environment. I felt like I was with a friend. Camila and her mom, they treated me very well and I felt a lot of love.”
In all her songs, Becerra calls her self La Nena De Argentina. She said the title is like her “trademark” in music. Becerra celebrates her come-up from Argentina in the title track, a reggaeton-pop anthem where she lives up to her title. Across the 12 tracks, she stands alone with zero features.
“I felt like it was a good moment to establish the name,” Becerra said. “What could be better than putting La Nena De Argentina on an album that’s just me. More than anything, it has music I wanted to make by myself. That’s why I decided on the [album’s] name.”
While Becerra has scored multiple hits in reggaeton like the revved-up “Automático,” she used her second album as an opportunity to explore different genres. In the kiss-off track “Adios,” Becerra blended cumbia with Latin pop music. The sultry “Hasta Que La Muerte Nos Separe” marks her first time working with influences of bachata music.
“I feel like [the album] is showing me as a complete artist,” Becerra said. “It’s different. It’s very versatile. I love experimenting with all the genres. I’m a person who likes challenges and I learn from them each them.”
La Nena De Argentina is also a personal album for Becerra. In the vulnerable track “Inspiradora,” she embraces being openly bisexual by singing to another woman. Becerra is always proud to represent the LGBTQ+ community that she’s a part of.
“Always in my albums, I have included a song that represents the LGBTQ+ community because that’s something that represents me as well,” she said. “That’s the person who I am. I like men and women. It’s an album that describes me in each song with a lot of my own experiences. I sing about that because it’s a way to normalize [queer relationships], also to open myself up to people, and show them who I really am.”
La Nena De Argentina is out now via 300 Entertainment LLC. Listen to it here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.