Known professionally as Karol G, the Colombian singer-songwriter Carolina Giraldo Navarro is a true reggaeton and Latin trap aficionado. Experimenting with a variety of genres in her work, she built herself an image of a powerful diva with unrivaled confidence and feminine appeal.

Now, she’s enriching her career via collabs with music moguls like Jonas Brothers and Nicki Minaj. One thing is certain — Karol G is not planning to go off our radar anytime soon.

Catching up with the Latin celeb, V spoke with Karol about battling the novel coronavirus and the origins of her latest collab with Nicki Minaj. Check out the full interview below:

V What were some of your first musical influences?

KG Vocally, I admire artists like Selena Quintanilla, P!nk, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, and more. I used their tracks to practice and grow my vocal register.

V Why did “Tusa” ft. Nicki Minaj resonate so deeply?

KG First, the organic way in which the collaboration took place: It all started with a DM on Instagram. The sound of the song is another winning factor. The violins at the beginning of the track allow you to identify the song from the very start. The concept created a complete identity for the song in people’s minds.

I was surprised to see how both men and women connected with the song and made it their favorite jam.
We charted on almost every playlist across the globe.

V Having gone through COVID-19, what do you want young people to know about your experience battling the virus?

KG I had days of general body pain and especially stomach aches. I had a hard time with it. I decided not to make it public in the moment because I knew my parents, who live in Colombia, would worry a lot. I am grateful that I was able to recover and I have been trying to educate my fans and followers about how strong the virus is, and the importance of wearing a mask. I hope everyone stays safe out there and takes care of one another.