Singer-songwriter Karly-Marina Loaiza, better known as her stage name Kali Uchis, dropped her new album “Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)'”in November 2020. On Nov. 24, the album took the second spot on Latin Pop Albums and stayed there for about two weeks. To say I was excited for this album to come out would be an understatement as I enjoy listening to her angelic voice playing loud on my speakers at any time of the day. Uchis inspires me because of her confidence and determination. Those aspects of her online presence have made her album so much more unique and powerful.

After her “Isolation” album in 2018, Uchis quickly became one of my favorite artists; her music is the perfect blend of Reggaeton, Alternative R&B, Latin Pop and more.

“This album is full of so many genres that made my childhood, and I am very proud of its range of emotions and nostalgia. I hope it brings you any bit of the joy it has brought me. Thank you,” Uchis wrote on an Instagram post the day after the release of the album.

The album consists of 13 tracks and it takes about 34 minutes to listen to its entirety. Within the album, Uchis has collaborations with well-known artists such as Rico Nasty and PARTYNEXTDOOR who have very different audiences. Although this is her second album, Uchis released it as her first Spanish album.

The album evokes a roller coaster of emotions. You can blast songs such as “te pongo mal(prendelo)” with Jowell and Randy and “¡aquí yo mando!” with Rico Nasty to get you in good mood, or listen to songs like “quiero sentirme bien” and “//aguardiente y limón %ᵕ‿‿ᵕ%” to just vibe out.

The album begins with the song titled “la luna enamorada,” which is one of the shorter tracks of the album, 1 minute 50 seconds long. The song explores the idea of being in love and how it affects her, and, aside from the dreamy lyrics and amazing vocals, the song allows me to drift off and put myself in her shoes. Uchis sings “Vive la luna enamorada Y al contemplarla en su mirada me hace soñar Fascinación” (The moon lives in love And when I contemplate its gaze It makes me dream Fascination). In these lyrics, she describes how just the simple act of looking up at the moon allows her mind to take her elsewhere. It was something I could resonate with as someone who often gets caught up in my own thoughts.

One of my personal favorites in the album is the seventh track titled “telepatia“. The track talks about long-distance relationships and the struggles and obstacles it creates, but the message is not why I absolutely adore this song. The beat in the background mixed with her soft and calming voice makes it addicting to listen to. This is one of the tracks that has both English and Spanish lyrics, which makes it extremely catchy for a bilingual listener like me.

Uchis gained some popularity by collaborating with big artists such as Jorja Smith, Juanes and Daniel Caesar in the past four years, notably landing a collaboration with Tyler the Creator on his Flower Boy album in 2017.

Uchis is a huge inspiration of mine because of her challenging journey to fame. She grew up in Virginia and spent a lot of time in Colombia because it was where her parents had grown up. Her life wasn’t easy growing up, as she lived in a working-class home with immigrant parents, but she has shown incredible grit throughout her entire career, and it has paid off. It’s not common for me to encounter successful Latinx women on my Instagram feed. I see many aspects of her story in mine. I am also the daughter of two immigrants and I haven’t grown up with the money and resources that most kids have so I am thankful that I have someone like Uchis to remind me that it is possible to “make it.”

Even when faced with the uncertainty of success in such a big industry, Uchis didn’t allow setbacks to stop her from doing what she wanted to do. Her passion is reflected in her music, making it clear that she doesn’t do this for fame or relevancy.

“Being it’s my first album all in Spanish, and it came straight from the soul not following any trends, it’s an honor and a surprise to me that people are buying or streaming it like this,” Uchis told Billboard. “I really just made an album I love, to honor my people and my upbringing. So I really just want to thank anyone for taking the time to listen.”

The way Uchis presents herself is often described as “ethereal” and simply breathtaking. She is an artist that doesn’t comply with societal norms but does what she likes. People often criticize Uchis for being too sexual on her social media accounts, but in reality, she is simply comfortable in her own skin.

Kali Uchis never ceases to amaze me with her amazing vocals and unique music style. I am excited to see what she produces next and how she will continue her music career.