Bad Gyal

Alba Farelo, known to audiences as Bad Gyal, merges trap, reggaetón, and dancehall in her songs that center on youth and sexuality. Breakthrough mainstream attention arrived in 2016 after her cover of Rihanna’s “Work” circulated widely online, which directly led to the debut mixtape Slow Wine. A 2019 contract with Interscope preceded the 2021 EP Warm Up, followed later that same year by Sound System: The Final Releases and a series of 2022 singles that included “Real G” with Quevedo. Her first studio album, La Joia, surfaced in 2024 and folded in house and Afrobeats textures.

Born in 1997 in Vilassar de Mar, Farelo is the oldest of five children; her father, Eduard Farelo, earned recognition as a voice actor who supplied Spanish dubs for major films. Determined to build an independent career, she posted a self-made video in 2016 of herself performing Rihanna’s “Work” in a Spanish-Catalan blend that she titled “Pai.” Still balancing university classes with a call-center job when the clip spread rapidly, she issued the mixtape Slow Wine that year.

Bad Gyal next aligned with Canada/Pure Records, which put out the single “Jacaranda” in 2017. The second mixtape, World Wide Angel, followed in 2018 and drew on production from Jam City, DJ Florentino, Dubbel Dutch, and El Guincho. After signing with Interscope in 2019, she delivered the 2021 EP Warm Up, highlighted by the hit “Blin Blin (featuring Juanka).” Sound System: The Final Releases closed the year. Further 2022 tracks comprised “La prendo,” “Sin carné,” and “Real G” with Quevedo. In 2023 she unveiled the two-part “Chulo,” the Myke Towers collaboration “Mi Lova,” and guest spots on Karol G’s “Kármika” with Sean Paul plus recordings by Ovy on the Drums and Nicki Nicole. La Joia, the long-awaited debut album, arrived in 2024 carrying features from Anitta, Ñengo Flow, and Tokischa and reached number two on the Spanish album chart.