Chilean reggaeton is in all places. Again in 2022, Cris MJ’s ”Una Noche en Medellín” went so immensely viral it caught the attention of Colombian perreo queen Karol G, who finally drafted him for a remix that swelled with new life on her blockbuster LP Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season). MJ once more popped up on final 12 months’s summer time smash, “Gata Only,” propelled into the stratosphere by rising star FloyyMenor and his warbled, not-always-sensical wordplay, even touchdown on President Barack Obama’s famed end-of-year playlist. Whereas this current string of chart-toppers has drawn trade eyes to the southern hemisphere, maybe essentially the most constant and established expertise out of Chile’s thriving música urbana zeitgeist is Polimá Westcoast. Boasting co-signs from international icons like J Balvin and Dua Lipa, the Santiago native has parlayed the freshness of Chilean slang into the mainstream reggaeton lexicon, and an eagerness to reconnect along with his African roots can also be spurring curiosity and fixed innovation.
Born to a Chilean mom and Angolan father, Polimá Westcoast remembers writing songs as early as 9 years outdated, progressively honing slick bars and a particular, high-pitched timber. He made a reputation for himself within the infancy of Chile’s entice scene, releasing two standard mixtapes in 2018 and discovering one among his earliest allies in ShiShi Gang godfather, Pablo Chill-E. Subsequent releases swerved into plugg and electro, teaming up with fellow scene trailblazers Younger Cister, Nvscvr, and Gianluca, and in 2022, his avid style hopping produced the inescapable reggaeton anthem, “Extremely Solo,” algonside rapper Pailita. The tune’s sorrowful lonerism helped usher a brand new period of introspection in Chilean reggaeton, and the unusually sped-up beat prompted Latin entice architect Arcangel to advise Westcoast to make it his sonic signature.
Regardless of the sage council, Polimá Westcoast stays hellbent on pushing the sonic boundary, and his new album, +High quality, which he underscores as his official full-length debut, is a dizzying musical cornucopia. Throwing it again to his plugg origins on jittery album opener, “Perpetually,” diving into the uber stylish waters of U.Ok. storage for “Made in Italy,” and lovingly embracing Afrobeats with an help from Nigerian producer Daramola on “Gen Z;” +High quality lives as much as the exceedingly excessive ambitions of its title.
Forward of the discharge, Rolling Stone caught up with Polimá Westcoast to debate the tidal wave of Chilean reggaeton, the worldwide manufacturing staff behind +High quality, and the various desires of “a misplaced African, born on the opposite aspect of the world.”
How did rising up in a multicultural residence form your path in music?
I grew up with my [Chilean] mom and grandmother, who’re white, and I misplaced all contact with the African aspect of my household from about 4 years outdated, when my father left. I longed to have Afro folks by my aspect, and although my mother informed me I had brothers and sisters, I didn’t reside with them. After I was 15, I tracked down my siblings by way of Fb, and now, collectively, we reside this dream of music. The toughest half was being an Afro man in a society the place our race will not be predominant. Getting folks to acknowledge our place has been tough as a result of Chile hasn’t developed to some extent the place they’ve Black folks in politics or no matter. However once I reconnected with my brothers and sisters they awoke that African aspect in me and I higher understood the colours and textures of my voice and musicality.
Contemplating the melodic nature of your voice, would it not be right to say Ozuna is an affect in your sound?
Circuitously in how I sing, however extra within the sentimental themes of my music. I truly regarded to [Nigerian artist] Wizkid and the Afrobeats motion, dashing up the “Extremely Solo” beat to make a reasonably regular reggaeton monitor really feel extra like my very own. I’ve been writing songs since I used to be 9 or 10 years outdated, however I bought bored with squeezing lyrics into instrumentals, so I switched to a freestyle method, which is how I did “Extremely Solo” [feat. Pailita], “Child Otaku” [feat. J Balvin], and “LACONE” [with Mora and Quevedo]. I as soon as noticed a documentary a few painter who mentioned he simply dumped paint on a canvas till it was completed, so I made a decision to begin doing the identical.
“Extremely Solo” was a sport changer for you in addition to Chilean reggaeton. What was your profession trajectory as much as that time?
My first hit was referred to as “BrokeBoi,” from a mixtape referred to as Las Crónicas de Ngangu (from 2018), which introduced me some web fame. Later got here “Te Quiero Ver” [with Ceaese], a tune with a extra rudeboy, dancehall vibe, adopted by “Esto No Es Una Canción de Amor,” with Gianluca and Younger Cister. The success of these songs thrust me into the mainstream and acquainted audiences with my face and sound.
Earlier than “Extremely Solo” turned a success, I met this [Spanish] actor referred to as Arón Piper, again when he was on the present Élite, and he’d play my songs for the forged. His co-star, Ester Expósito, began sharing my songs on her socials, and “Extremely Solo” finally turned a success in Madrid. I believe that’s the way it reached Dua Lipa, who posted some photos with the caption “ultrasolo” and shared the tune on her Instagram tales. I recorded the tune at Duki’s studio, and we had been truly speculated to hyperlink up that day however he had Covid, so he gave me the keys and I went in on my own. However the emotion behind “Extremely Solo” was actual. My producer and I had been feeling down as a result of it was our first time spending Christmas away from our households, and folks around the globe associated to that loneliness.
I’ve lengthy theorized that Chile’s entice and reggaeton growth is said to the paradigm shift of El Estallido Social. Is that one thing you perceived from the within?
It’s very true. I imply, people and indie are crucial to Chilean audiences, with artists like Gepe, Fran [Valenzuela], Gianluca, and so on. However entice united all totally different social lessons. Everybody consumed it. Throughout El Estallido, folks would discuss with entice as “actual,” and we’d reply that in the event that they favored how actual it was, they need to come battle with us within the streets. We performed in all places from Providencia to Puente Alto, and we had been in the course of a warfare. There’s a newfound sense of camaraderie in any case that. Our followers really feel near us and know that in the event that they ask for assist we’ll present up.
Why do you assume Chilean entice and reggaeton have resonated with audiences worldwide?
The trade feeds off new concepts and sounds, and Chile has one thing new to supply. Our language may be very attribute. “Extremely Solo” made everybody pace up their reggaeton, and “My Blood” introduced [Andean] folklore into entice. So I believe we contributed one thing that wasn’t occurring but. Pablo Chill-E, Gianluca, and so many others introduced new concepts to entice and reggaeton that the worldwide trade noticed worth in us. Sooner or later J Balvin requested me to ship over three songs as a result of he’d like to leap on one, and that turned “Child Otaku.” When Karol G favored [Cris MJ’s] “Una Noche en Medellín,” that was one other enormous second. Now we’re charting around the globe. Competing with Taylor Swift isn’t straightforward, however right here we’re.
There are solely two visitor options in your new album +High quality, and simply as many reggaeton tracks. What brought about you to alter course so radically?
My mother at all times informed me it’s about high quality, not amount, and that caught with me all through this course of. I’m already consecrated in my nation and I’m taking my profession to a way more huge place, so I wished to current a private album that showcased me and my evolution. There are solely two options and each flowed naturally. Bhavi and I are nice buddies, and C.R.O is aware of me from the start of my profession. I dropped each songs final 12 months earlier than [the festival] Buenos Aires Lure as a result of I wished to roll up with heavy hitters, however there’s solely two reggaeton tracks on the album and the remaining will get into Jersey membership, U.Ok. storage, and Afrobeats.
Who’re the producers that helped you obtain +High quality’s big selection of genres and motifs?
There was loads of looking for new sounds, so I collaborated with many producers. Taiko from Chile labored on “It’s OK,” and he inspired me to step away from auto-tune to spotlight the distinctiveness of my voice. A Jamaican producer referred to as IzyAreYouKiddingMe, who’s produced a bunch for Rauw Alejandro, helped me dig into afro-house on “+ Henny.” It was crucial to me to work with a producer from Africa, so for “Gen Z,” I introduced in Daramola, who’s Nigerian and helped me dig into Afrobeats. I additionally labored with Eugenics, who’s produced for Lil Durk and Trippie Redd, and we created “Made in Italy” and “Todas Las chicas Mienten,” that are main highlights of the report.
The place are your profession and this entire journey main you?
I hope my profession takes me around the globe. I need my music to be performed in Japan. I need to attain Africa and reconnect with my roots. Possibly even shoot a documentary. I’m a misplaced African, born on the opposite aspect of the world. I want to face barefoot on the continent of Africa. I need to see how far some child born in Independencia, Santiago, can go.
