The Today Show started off the morning in the best possible way. Brimming with good music, laughs, and plenty of dancing. Amidst the electrifying atmosphere, Karol G took center stage, leaving her fans yearning for a chance to witness her live performances up close and personal. However, it came as no surprise that while many attendees were well acquainted with the talented singer, there were a considerable number of individuals who were not as familiar with her name.

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Interestingly enough, Karol G, despite her English-friendly stage name, hails not from the United States but from another corner of the world. So if you’re one of the many people that weren’t familiar with her name, there’s a good reason for that. Obviously, there are plenty of names that have been rising on U.S. soil, hailing all the way from Latin America — Bad Bunny, Becky G, J. Balvin — but joining the ranking of musicians that have soared through the charts is Karol G, and here’s everything you need to know about this Colombian talent.

Who is Karol G?

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Karol G, real name Carolina Giraldo Navarro, is a Columbian singer from Medellín, Antioquia. Born on February 14, 1991, the 32-year-old singer has become renowned for making eclectic music aglomerating different music genres like reggaeton, Latin trap, reggae, and sertanejo – a music style hailing from Brazil. In touch with the music industry since 2007, Karol G has solidified her presence in the North American music scene since 2017.

As for her first instances with music, the singer initially tried to achieve fame through YouTube, by posting videos of her covering Alicia Keys and Lauryn Hill, which eventually granted her a place at the X Factor in Columbia. Eventually, she signed with Flamingo Records (Colombia) and with Diamond Music (Puerto Rico), performing with J. Balvin soon after. In the United States, the singer tried to sign up with Universal Records, which declined her at the time on the basis that a woman wouldn’t prove to be successful in the reggaeton genre.

Now signed with Interscope (which houses names like Eminem, BLACKPINK, and Lady Gaga), Karol G has proved everyone wrong by being one of the most successful Latin American artists and solidifying her presence time after time, collaborating with names like Shakira, Bad Bunny, and Nicki Minaj throughout her immensely successful career.

What are Karol G’s most popular songs?

Karol G’s most popular songs definitely include her breakthrough hit with Bad Bunny, titled “Ahora me llama,” and not long after, her song “Secreto,” which became a huge hit in Latin America. Aside from her individual songs, Karol G also has plenty of other collaborations that have successfully skyrocketed her career among reggaeton and Latin music circles, including “China,” with Anuel AA, Daddy Yankee, Ozuna, and J. Balvin, “Tusa,” with Nicki Minaj, and “TQG” with Shakira.

Most notably, Karol G’s fourth studio album, Mañana Será Bonito, has catapulted her to new heights, earning her the title of being the first female artist to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart with a Spanish-language album, which features the lead single “Provenza,” and “WATATI,” a song that will be featured in the soundtrack of the upcoming film Barbie.