Karol G’s headlining performance at Coachella was an extraordinary moment for her culture.
On Sunday night, she became the first Latina to close the festival. In a clip from her set, amid cheers from her fans, she introduced herself in that very same way.
“I wanna present myself, I am Carolina Giraldo from Medellin, Colombia,” she said. “And today, I am the first Latina woman to headline Coachella.”
In another video, she is seen dedicating her performance to her Latin community.
“This is for my Latinos that have been struggling in this country lately. We stand for them, I stand for my Latino community, and at the same time, I'm very proud because this brings out the best of us: unity, resilience, a strong spirit,” she said, noting that her performance wasn’t meant to make anyone feel ostracized, but for non-Latin fans to feel included."
“We want everyone to feel welcome to our culture, to our roots, to our music. So I just want everyone to feel proud of where you come from, please,” she added. “Don’t feel fear, feel proud.”
Karol included a number of traditional and contemporary elements as a nod to her culture, with the set, costumes, sound, and visuals honoring her Latina identity. She also tapped several special guests to perform, including Wisin, who played a medley of his greatest hits, Becky G, who performed “Mamiii,” and Mariah Angeliq, who joined for “El Makinon.”
The Grammy winner graced the cover of Playboy prior to her Coachella appearance, where she echoed similar sentiments about being an immigrant in the US. She also revealed that she’s been told to withhold her opinions about ICE.
“People will say, 'It's better you don't,’” Karol said. “Why? Because if you say the thing, maybe the next day you'll get a call: 'Hey, we are taking your visa away.’ You become bait, because some people want to show their power.”
“I have a huge stage, and that's why I want to wait, and if someone was ever to do something to me, I want to stand firmly on my stage for my community,” she added. “So that's why I may have to be more careful, and wait for my turn, and ensure that, through that opportunity, I can talk and represent something more.”
