MPHO RANTAO
COLOMBIAN singing maestro Maluma has made an iconic feat early in 2021, by becoming the first-ever male star to cover the fashion magazine.
Maluma is the star of Elle’s February print edition.
He shared his achievement on Instagram this week, writing that his cover feature is a hopeful message to “keep dreaming and achieving”.
“IT’S MALUMA BABY!!!!! Thank u @elleusa for making me the first male on the cover of the magazine, this means a lottttt to me!”
Donned in a blue shirt and posed with his left arm outstretched, the multi-award winning Latino singer spoke to the American magazine about his growth as an artist, his recent collaborations in pop music and how he’s handled his career during the covid-19 pandemic.
“2020 has been a very difficult year for all of us, but I feel like this was my best year so far, musically, artistically, and personally”, he said.
“I was talking the other day with my parents, and they were very happy because I’ve stayed a long time in Colombia, but they were also a little bit worried because they didn’t know what was going to happen with my work,” he continued, reflecting on the time he’s spent at home amid the pandemic. “My job is being on tour, but for me this has been very positive, being here in Colombia. I feel very connected again with myself.”
The singer’s latest tour to promote his latest album Papi Juancho (named after his suave alter-ego) was suspended due to the pandemic, but that did not waiver on his growing population among the masses.
When asked about his career moves and networking in the music industry while under lockdown, Maluma said that some of his connections were very small in the music world – that he kept to those he was comfortable with.
“I don’t really like having new friends,” he said. “I try to make friends in the industry, but it is very hard. Sometimes I feel like they want to be my friends, but once I show them my back, they stab me.”
“I prefer staying safe with my friends, where I always feel comfortable. When I didn’t have any money, they were there for me, inviting me to their house for lunch. They’re the ones who were laughing at me, and now they are enjoying my success,” he continued. “That’s life—just being grateful for everything that has happened.”
The Latin singer has also been busy in front of the cameras, starring alongside fellow Latin singer and actress Jennifer Lopez for the romantic comedy, Marry Me. Although this was their first time working together on a film, the two artists have worked together on the music front, with Maluma featured on Lopez’s single ‘Pa Ti’.
“Jennifer, she’s not only a work partner—I would say she is my friend,” Maluma said of his costar. “She is someone I admire, and she is someone I’ve followed since I was a little kid. So for me, being part of this movie was almost surreal.”
Marry Me, which is set to be released in May this year, stars Maluma as Bastian, the fiance to Lopez’s character, who learns that said fiance has been unfaithful. Lopez’s character then turns to a math teacher, played by Owen Wilson, and strikes up a romance.
“It was a big surprise when they called me, but I was ready for it,” he commented.
