For the last couple weeks, Karol G’s smooth club track “BbY WOW” has been gliding up the global charts, taking the number one spot on Spotify and the Billboard Global 200. The song is a streaming juggernaut, collecting 78 million Spotify listens and 37
million views on YouTube, and it just keeps getting bigger.
But Karol didn’t do it alone. When she was making the track, she enlisted the dreamy-eyed Spanish producer-artist Rusowsky and the enchanting Spanish singer-songwriter Judeline to sing with her. Judeline was an especially important addition since she was one of Karol’s most trusted collaborators when she was working on No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto, the album “BbY WOW” appears on. Judeline helped write the smash and has credits on three other tracks, including “Matadora,” “Te Llevas To,” and “Final Feliz” — but she admits she didn’t see what a colossal hit “BbY WOW” would become.
“I didn’t expect it at all,” she tells Rolling Stone on a recent call from Spain. “I knew it was going to go well because obviously, the exposure Karol has is huge. But I think what’s really lovely is that no one knows what song is going to connect most with people, so we’ve been celebrating.”
Below, Judeline talks about working with Karol, her approach to songwriting, and how she didn’t see “BbY WoW” coming.
“BbY WoW” puts a spotlight on Karol, you, and your longtime friend and past collaborator Rusowsky. What’s it like to have all three of you on the track?
Being on this song with Rusowsky makes me a thousand times happier than if I were on it alone. We’ve grown up together throughout our careers. We met when I had just arrived in Madrid, and we’ve been friends for a long time. I’m happy for all the good things that have happened to him. When I look back, the evolution we’ve had is super beautiful, hand-in-hand with both him andRalphie Choo. And with Karol too because she has such a beautiful energy and was so kind to me during the process. I’m happy this is happening with people who, besides being great artists, I consider friends.
You and Karol teamed up to write several tracks for No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto. What was that like?
It was very organic, honestly. I hadn’t written for other people in a long time; I’d kind of put it aside, but I felt that it could be a good thing with Karol. She gave me such good energy, and I also felt like I had space to contribute something. I felt really comfortable being with her. If it had been more forced, with more pressure, I don’t think the songs would have come about the way they did. And she’s super humble. She’s sweet, funny, she’s super cheerful, and at the same time, she was so in the zone getting ready for Coachella.
We were both going through something very similar emotionally, and we were at a very similar point in our lives. I think that’s why we connected. We were both very vulnerable. I think the songwriting process was therapeutic for both of us, and she gave me the space to do it. She also gave me the freedom to express myself. I listened to her and she expressed herself as well. It was a beautiful moment between two women, between two artists. I think we understood each other through music.
One of the songs you worked on was “Final Feliz.” Tell me about working on that.
I originally wrote that song with Tyler Spy. I went to the studio with him and I was devastated. I was really sad. That day I needed to express myself and talk about, well, heartbreak. And I also knew that Karol was going through something similar at that time, but when I wrote it, I honestly thought about my own experience. As we kept going, I thought more and more about her. I didn’t have anything specific in mind. But Karol came to mind and she has sent me a really sweet message around that time. And I said, “Look, Karol, I wrote this song. Listen to it and tell me what you think.” And then she recorded it, she added her own touch, she put her energy into it. She had gone through similar experiences without me knowing it. So that song, it was meant to be.
Karol noted that it was very clear a lot of the songs on the album were written by women.
I think there are things that only a woman can write, yes. Like in a movie, it’s very noticeable when a character is written by a woman or a man. I think. Music is the same. And Karol also has such beautiful lyrics and her way of expressing herself artistically. I admire her as a songwriter, too. I think we understand each other very well in that sense.
She told me that when she writes songs, she’s literal and direct, and she said she thinks of your style as poetic and metaphorical. How did that combination work?
Sometimes, I need a bit more of a sense of being literal. My lyrics are always very metaphorical and ethereal, and there have been times when I’ve showed people my music or a song, and they don’t understand anything. It’s a good thing because when that poetic touch remains, you think about the lyrics more. But of course, you need more literal things to balance it and to give people a chance to understand quickly. So I learned a lot from Karol and her songwriters. They had a way of explaining that was very direct, and when they needed a more poetic and mysterious touch, well, there I was.
Everyone has really connected with the sample for “BbY WOW,” (the famed Coolie Dance Riddim) which we knew from a lot of past hits. Tell me about your reaction when you first heard the track.
I think that beat is iconic, wherever you put it. But I think what makes the song special is that the beat is iconic and it’s going to make you dance a lot, obviously, but there’s a sensitivity and a feeling that’s kind of like sad reggaeton, you know? There’s someone who wants to dance and wants to go to the club but who is brokenhearted and can connect with the song in the same way. I think it’s very universal in terms of feelings.
What other moments stand out to you from working on Karol’s album?
The first song we did when we got to the studio was “Te Llevas To.” I think that’s where I get most metaphorical, where we worked together and she pulled in a more ethereal spin from me. And then with “Matadora,” I was able to have a lot of fun and express lyrics and show a different side with them. Karol does the baddie thing so well and I got to do that and try things I’d always wanted to do. That song was so much fun to do. The whole album is incredible. We worked on songs that didn’t make it on, but I think she made the right decisions. I love all the production changes and additions she chose, and the tracklist is so good. I love the one with Bruno Mars.
Completely separate from music, you appear in the Los Javis film La Bola Negra. How did you get involved in the project?
Yes, we know each other from here in Madrid and I was so excited when they wanted me for the film. I had never acted before and I think it’s something I’ve really connected with, something I can honestly see myself doing more of. I’d like to do more. I’m super proud of Spain right now, honestly. I feel like in sports, music, and film, we’ve had big wins. It’s been a super nice year. There are special things happening and that more people are looking at this country in a cultural sense.
What else is coming up for you this year?
I need to find inspiration and peace. I’m about to finish the tour and it’s been amazing, but once it’s done, I’m excited to be able to immerse myself in art, watch movies, listen to music, read books — absorb everything I can to inspire me to create the next era in the best way possible. I’m really looking forward to taking a break from touring and focusing more on the creative side.
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