Bad Gyal Says She Understands She Cannot Claim the Latino Experience

Spanish singer Bad Gyal released her album Más Cara on March 6, continuing a career built around reggaeton and Latin urban sounds that shaped her taste long before she entered the music industry. The Catalan artist has never hidden where that influence comes from, yet she also speaks openly about something many artists avoid acknowledging. Bad Gyal recognizes that the music she loves grew out of Latino and Caribbean communities whose cultural history includes struggles she did not live herself.

During a recent interview with EFE, the singer addressed that reality while discussing the new album and the path that led her toward Latin music instead of traditional Spanish styles.

@codigonuevo

Bad Gyal hablaba en una entrevista reciente pra EFE sobre la responsabilidad y consciencia al ser una artista española haciendo música latina 👆 “Soy consciente de que no vivo esa discriminación, nunca podré tener el mismo discurso nu entender la opresión ni el sufrimiento que han vivido”.

♬ sonido original – Código Nuevo

Recognizing the Roots of the Music She Loves

Bad Gyal explained that Latin music formed part of her listening habits as a child, which naturally shaped the direction of her own sound once she began recording songs. That connection explains why Más Cara leans heavily on reggaeton and Caribbean influences rather than Spanish folk traditions.

At the same time, the artist made clear that she understands the cultural distance between her experience and the communities that created the genre.

“I know that I am Spanish and I understand that I have never lived the discrimination or the difficulties that Latin and Caribbean artists have faced,” she said in Spanish, translated to English.

She added that those experiences belong to the communities who built the genre and brought it to global audiences.

“I will never be able to have that discourse or fully understand the oppression and suffering that many Latinos and Caribbean people experienced while their music fought to be respected,” she said.

A Career That Began With Doubt

Bad Gyal also spoke about the early years of her career when many people misunderstood her image and artistic direction. She explained that acceptance took time and that criticism followed her from the beginning.

“I come from being the rejected one. When I started there was much more against me than in my favor,” she shared.

Support first appeared among younger listeners who discovered her music online while others questioned the style she brought to the scene.

“There were many people who did not understand me. The people who understood me were the younger audiences who consumed music on the internet,” she said.

Feminism and the Criticism Women Still Receive

The interview also touched on feminism and the criticism female artists still face even after years of success. Bad Gyal said public conversations about progress sometimes hide the judgment that continues behind the scenes.

“We often talk about being progressive, yet I know there are many people who criticize me quietly and it has happened in my industry. ‘Isn’t she the one who is always naked?’ fashion editors say,” she added.

She explained that even after a decade in music she sometimes feels misunderstood.

“I do not know if I have a victim complex, but after ten years I still feel that many people do not understand me,” she said.

The singer mentioned that criticism surfaced again after her performance at the Goya Awards, which quickly became a topic of discussion online.

Why Más Cara Follows Latin Sounds

Bad Gyal also addressed why her music does not incorporate traditional Spanish sounds even though she respects those genres. During the interview she recalled a moment when collaborator Cromo suggested creating music tied to Spanish roots.

“He asked me if we should do something connected to my country and my roots. I told him I do not connect with that. It is not my identity,” she said.

She explained that artists such as Diego El Cigala and Canelita represent music she enjoys listening to, yet that tradition does not belong to her artistic language.

“I know I am Spanish and I love those artists, but it is not my language and it would feel forced,” she said.

For Bad Gyal, the sounds heard throughout Más Cara reflect the music that shaped her taste long before her career began. The album follows that influence while also acknowledging the cultural history behind the genre and the communities that created it.