For Karol G, a love of music doesn't come with geographical limits.
In an interview with The New York Times published Oct. 9, the Colombian singer addressed cultural appropriation criticism, explaining how her upbringing and respect for other musical traditions inform her work.
The topic came up when she was asked about pushback from fans and fellow artists over her decision to incorporate Puerto Rican reggaeton or Mexican music as a Colombian artist.
"For me, it's not a cultural appropriation, for example, with mariachi or Mexican music, because I grew up listening to it," she said.
Karol G acknowledged she would understand the criticism if she were pursuing a trend or approaching the music without sincerity.
The singer, who told USA TODAY in May
2025 she was creating her "dream next level" with "Tropicoqueta," said drawing from other cultures isn't appropriation when approached with love and respect.
Karol G points to her upbringing, musical influences
The singer recalled having mariachi music at her quinceañera and said her interest in the genre came with an effort to understand its roots.
"I grew up listening to that, being a fan, understanding the culture, learning about it, doing my research," she told the New York Times.
For her mariachi song "Ese Hombre Es Malo," Karol G said she traveled to Mexico and sat down with musicians she described as "the craziest, most amazing masters in the music."
She also cited her admiration for Juan Gabriel and Rocío Dúrcal, highlighting Dúrcal's connection to Mexican music despite being from Spain.
"But she loved so much the music and the culture that she moved to Mexico," Karol G said. "And if you love it, if you show respect for it, and if you do it in the right way, I myself, I don't feel that it's cultural appropriation," she said.
Mixing musical styles has been part of her work for years, she added. Karol G pointed to early songs combining merengue with reggaeton and her 2013 track "Así Es el Amor," which blended mariachi and reggaeton.
"So now I'm just doing the same thing on a bigger scale," she said.
"It's like you were born in a world that is full of different cultures, full of different color, sounds." She ended her statement by asking: "Why you cannot fall in love with something different from where you were born?"
Karol G previously spoke out about Latin representation at Coachella
Karol G's had a lot to say on becoming the first Latina to headline Coachella. Speaking to Elle magazine in an interview published in July, she questioned why it had taken 27 years for the festival to reach that milestone.
She named Shakira and Gloria Estefan among the artists who could have headlined before her.
"The fact that I was the first one just feels wrong – it feels incorrect," she said.
"I mentioned how crazy it was that it took 27 years [since] the festival [began] to finally bring a Latina to the stage as a headliner," Karol G said of her conversation with Goldenvoice CEO Paul Tollett.
Karol G said Tollett apologized after she raised the issue, acknowledging her concerns during a visit to her trailer following her first-weekend performance.
Contributing: Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Karol G pushes back on cultural appropriation criticism
