Maluma, now 30, has been marketing himself as a sex symbol since he released his first single “Farandulera” and played it for shrieking teenage girls at every high school in his hometown, the second-largest city in Colombia. Despite being considered a reggaeton artist, the majority of his music is distinctly romantic, pairing emotional storytelling with a pulsating bassline. For example, in “Felices los 4” from his third studio album, F.A.M.E. (2018), he explores the complexities of a forbidden affair. In “Hawái” from the album Papi Juancho (2020), he reflects on heartbreak and moving on. Then there are the straight-up emotional ballads like “ADMV” (Amor De Mi Vida), where he dreams about having a family and growing old with the love of his life.
If you’re not swooning yet, take a scroll through his Instagram. Posts feature regular glimpses of his physique, often shirtless or sweating through an intense workout session.
I texted my friend Caroline who does influencer marketing and asked her to run Maluma’s analytics for me. Turns out that of Maluma’s 64 million Instagram followers, 66% are females, most between the ages of 18 and 44; his TikTok is 74% female.
When I popped into the salon for a quick root touch-up before this interview, I asked my colorist, also Colombian, if she knew his music. She paused, brush in hand, and gave a knowing smile. “Maluma, baby,” she said with a wink, invoking his famous tagline. Then added in Spanish, “Si no estuviera casada lo parto de dos.” (Translation: She would like to have vigorous sex with him—if only she weren’t married.) Not the response I was expecting from a 50-something mother of three.