Maluma

Maluma performs under the moniker adopted by Colombian pop singer, songwriter, and rapper Juan Luis Londoño Arias, whose trophy case already includes multiple industry honors. His sweet yet grainy tenor and a delivery that balances street smarts with romantic appeal helped the pop urbano artist move beyond reggaeton listeners into broader markets, propelled by the early, instantly catchy singles “Obsesión” and “Miss Independent,” both of whose videos spread rapidly online. The 2012 debut Magia quickly won over radio audiences throughout Latin America, whereas 2015’s Pretty Boy, Dirty Boy finally cracked the American market by climbing the Latin Pop, Urban, and Tropical charts. From that point forward Maluma pressed ahead with global ambitions, issuing a constant flow of videos, charting singles, and successful albums such as 2019’s 11:11 and 2020’s Papi Juancho. A documentary titled Maluma: Lo Que Era, Lo Que Soy, Lo Que Seré also chronicled his rise. Momentum carried into the following decade through the 2021 chart-topping single “Sobrio,” a leading role opposite Jennifer Lopez in the 2022 romantic comedy Marry Me, and the subsequent drop of The Love & Sex Tape. Further successes arrived in 2023 with “La Fórmula,” a collaboration with Marc Anthony, and the solo track “Coco Loco,” preceding the August arrival of his sixth studio album, Don Juan. That project returned him to the Top 20 on the Latin charts and was soon followed by the 2024 Pirlo collaboration “MIONCA.”

The stage name itself honors his relatives; before he recorded professionally, the word was already inked on his left leg. He constructed it from the opening syllables of his mother Marlli, his father Luis, and his sister Manuela, then began using it once he started performing and became a teenage sensation. For eight years he had actually trained as a footballer and drew local media attention in his hometown of Medellín thanks to his talent on the pitch. Music began as a hobby, with countless appearances at birthday parties, weddings, and other gatherings, yet the explosion of social media, especially YouTube, gradually steered him toward a full-time focus on songwriting and recording.

Sony Music took notice after his independently released 2011 single “Farandulera” gained traction online and on Colombian radio when he was just sixteen. The 2012 album Magia followed, and its singles “Obsesión,” “Loco,” and “Miss Independent” received steady airplay and chart placements across Colombia and Latin America. “La Temperatura” then crossed into North American charts and earned him a Latin Grammy nomination in 2013. The next year he supplied guest vocals on Elvis Crespo’s World Cup-themed hit “Ole Brazil.”

Early 2015 brought PB DB: The Mixtape, a collection of previous tracks plus the new cuts “Me Gustas Tanto” and “Climax,” both of which charted and paved the way for the full-length Pretty Boy, Dirty Boy, issued that autumn under the guidance of producer Walter Kolm. A 2016 collaboration with fellow Colombian star Shakira, “Chantaje,” amassed more than a billion views within five months. Another track from the same period, “Cuatro Babys,” drew criticism for its portrayal of women as interchangeable conquests, prompting a petition for its removal from streaming services; although the song stayed online, Maluma issued a public apology.

At the 2017 Premios Lo Nuestro, presented by Univision, he received the Artist of the Year award. That same year he began preparing his next project, composing in both English and Spanish. The November pre-release single “Corazón,” featuring Brazilian singer Nego do Borel, reached number five on Hot Latin Songs. May brought the album F.A.M.E., largely produced by his Medellín team of Édgar “Edge” Barrera and the “Rude Boyz” duo Kevin ADG & Chan el Genio, with additional appearances from Timbaland on “Mi Declaración,” Prince Royce on “Hangover,” and Jason Derulo on the bilingual “La Ex.” The set topped the Latin Albums chart and landed at number 37 on the Billboard 200.

A 2019 remix of “Mala Mía” added Anitta and Becky G, while a separate partnership with Madonna yielded “Medellín” for her album Madame X; their hologram-enhanced performance of the song at the Billboard Music Awards created a memorable spectacle. Later that May, Maluma issued his fourth studio album, 11:11, featuring singles “HP” and “11 P.M.” and guest spots from Ozuna, Madonna, Daddy Yankee, and Ricky Martin. It debuted at number one on the Top Latin Albums chart while F.A.M.E. remained in the Top 20. Also in 2019, YouTube Originals premiered the Jessy Terrero–directed documentary Lo Que Era, Lo Que Soy, Lo Que Seré.

The 2020 single “ADMV” set the stage for the August release of his fifth album, Papi Juancho, which included appearances by Yandel, Yomo, Lenny Tavárez, and Justin Quiles and peaked at number two on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart and number 34 on the Billboard 200. The year 2021 opened with the #7DJ (7 Días en Jamaica) EP and the chart-topping standalone single “Sobrio,” followed by further releases such as “Imposible Amor” with Natti Natasha and “Mama Tetema” featuring Rayvanny. In 2022 Maluma starred with Jennifer Lopez in the romantic comedy Marry Me and contributed to its soundtrack. He later returned to a more sensual style with The Love & Sex Tape, which spawned hits including “Cositas de la USA” and “Nos Comemos Vivos” featuring Chencho Corleone; the subsequent single “Junio” reached number one in Colombia, and he joined Nicki Minaj and Myriam Fares on the 2022 FIFA World Cup track “Tukoh Taka.”

A 2023 duet with Marc Anthony, “La Fórmula,” also topped the Colombian charts. Maluma continued with the solo cuts “La Reina” and “Diablo, Qué Chimba” alongside Anuel AA, then released “Coco Loco” in June. August saw Sony issue the twenty-five-track album Don Juan, named after one of the artist’s alter egos and containing ten pre-release singles plus collaborations with Carin Leon, Jowell & Randy, Ryan Castro, Don Omar, J Balvin, and Yandel. The project reached number 11 on the Top Latin Albums chart and entered the Billboard 200. In May 2024 he teamed with Pirlo for the single “MIONCA.”