Artist Karly-Marina Loaiza, professionally known as Kali Uchis, is a first generation Colombian-American singer-songwriter that has a huge influence on today’s music community, particularly among Latinos. Her new album ORQUÍDEAS takes this impact to another level, honoring Latino music from the past.
According to a podcast featuring Uchis called REAL 92.3 LA, before her writing/song career began, she had a lot to deal with. Music was her escape from the world. “A lot of Latino families make sure that we grow up tough, and because they know that the world is so hard, they try to make sure that we are as strong as we can be,” said Uchis on 92.3 (youtube.com).
In the podcast, Uchis said that she believed in her own talent no matter what anyone told her, and pursued it because of the love she had for music. “I always knew art was for me. I always knew I didn’t want to go to Art School. Personally, I always felt it was pretentious and wasn’t something that I wanted to do. I believe I’m very much a self-taught artist” (youtube.com).
Uchis’ new album is far more upbeat. It is sung primarily in Spanish and is a tribute to the Latino community. “Being bilingual has definitely assisted me not only as a writer, not only as an artist, but to be able to connect with as many people as I’ve been able to connect to, a whole different audience.”
Uchis’ last album, called Red Moon in Venus, was inspired by her zodiac sign, Cancer. She explained that the sign is connected to the moon and the stars. “I feel I’ve always been called to the moon, so it was very representative of the album. It’s very emotional, guided by love, and all the different dimensions of love. Venus is the planet of love, and the red moon is really what encapsulated the entire feeling for me. It was my healing album” (youtube.com).
Some of ORQUÍDEAS’ highlights include “Young Rich and in Love” and “Igual Que Un Ángel,” which show her growth from previous songs of hers such as “Loner” or “Lottery”. “Young Rich and in Love” gives the sensation of how it feels to be in love. The song is written in Spanish and English which makes the song feel playful. “Igual Que Un Ángel” is an upbeat song that can make anyone feel girly. It is a very well designed song, and her lyrics deeply connect to her personal life.
ORQUÍDEAS features big artists like Karol G, Rauw Alejandro, and Peso Pluma. She couldn’t have chosen anyone better than these artists, because they do nothing but accentuate her music, and make it much better. Speaking of her collaboration with Peso Pluma on “Igual Que Un Ángel”, Uchis told Variety, “I knew I wanted him on the album…. When [Peso] heard the song, he loved it and he wanted to jump on it. I’m always going to encourage people to try something different. Sometimes that can be scary, because there’s going to be people who only want to hear you exactly how they’re used to hearing you, but in the end, I think it’s just so impressive” (variety.com). This album definitely is one of her strongest. However, it is hard to compare it to her past albums, as it combines a wide range of genres in one album.
Aside from the art of the music itself, Uchis’ album cover is a beautiful image of an orchid flower. The cover has a sense of timelessness, featuring the national flower of Colombia. The flower is also known as a flower of fertility, which Uchis didn’t find out until after the album was released.
According to Uchis in a podcast channel by Apple Music, “It’s always been important for me when I make a body of work in Spanish to pay tribute to a lot of the genres that I listened to growing up and my heritage.” This commitment to her community can be seen in songs like “Muévete”, where the rhythm of Merengue is felt.
Uchis creates innovative sounds that anyone can enjoy, playing a variety of genres. She went from oldies style songs on her 2015 album Por Vida, to writing Cumbia songs for the Latino community. Early in her career, her music was known for its mellow, ‘90s-influenced atmosphere. In ORQUÍDEAS, she expands this notion by trying more ambitious and loud beats.