Singer Belinda on feeling 'powerful', name-checking Bad Bunny on 'Indómita'
The Princess of Latin Pop is ready to take the throne, and this time, she's calling the shots.
Mexican singer-songwriter and actress Belinda Peregrín, better known as Belinda, was catapulted to teen idol stardom in the 2000s after releasing a string of hit albums and starring in several children's telenovelas.
Following a 12-year hiatus, Belinda is back with her new album "Indómita" (out now), a vibrant 17-song project that marks a creative rebirth for the Latin Grammy-nominated singer. While Belinda has always maintained control over her artistic output, she went through a "tough time" in which she felt "very vulnerable and not supported" by her music industry network.
"I'm always guided by art and by my feelings, and sometimes it's hard when people say, 'You sing this' and 'You have to do this' and 'You should do this, or else we're not going to support you,'" Belinda tells USA TODAY. "Now I feel very free about my art and my music and my concept, and that's great because I can do whatever I want to do with my songs."
This newfound confidence is reflected in the album's defiant title, which translates to "indomitable" and was inspired by female trailblazers such as Joan of Arc and Frida Kahlo. For Belinda, the term is a call-to-action for a "movement" of strong-willed women.
"I was always questioning myself because of the concept other people had about me or about my music, and now I care more about what I feel and what I think," Belinda, 35, says. "That's what I want to create with this album: for girls to not listen to other opinions. … You're indómita — invincible and determined and strong and powerful and smart."
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How heritage and heartbreak fuel Belinda's 'Indómita'
From fiery heartbreak anthems "Catcus" and "Heterocromía" to the feel-good love song "Cursi De +", Belinda rides the rollercoaster of romance on "Indómita" with her emotionally charged lyricism.
"We've all had a broken heart, and that comes out of expectations," Belinda says. "It's all about disappointment in life, and there's many songs that are inspired by this and other songs that are inspired by the feeling of being in love and happy."
The album's genre-blending sound draws heavily from regional Mexican's corridos tumbados genre, a trap-influenced style popularized by acts including Peso Pluma, Natanael Cano and Fuerza Regida.
"I'm very proud of Mexico. Musically, it's in a very good position right now," Belinda says. "It should be international. We like other instruments from other countries, and we like reggaeton that started in Puerto Rico, so it's just embracing Mexican culture and the Mexican sound and making it my way."
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Belinda on love of acting, revisiting beloved TV role on new album
Belinda pays homage to her television roots on the album track "Silvana," a cheeky Latin trap banger sung from the perspective of her fan-favorite baddie character on "Cómplices Al Rescate."
"Silvana was a very strong character for me and for all my fans," Belinda says. "They talk about her when they feel sexy or when they feel mean. … So, I wanted to do a song thinking about her in the present."
Amid her musical hiatus, Belinda rekindled her love of persona with a supporting role in Dwayne Johnson's "Baywatch" reboot and a series regular stint on the Netflix sci-fi drama "Welcome to Eden."
"I am a little crazy in general. I'm crazy about my art and about music and about love; I always live very passionately," Belinda says. "So, when I act, I have this liberty of expressing different characters."
Belinda recruits longtime friend Jared Leto for album collaboration
Out of all the guest artists featured on "Indómita," one holds a special place in Belinda's corazón.
Belinda worked with her friend, Thirty Seconds to Mars singer and Oscar-winning actor Jared Leto, on the heartfelt ballad "Never Not Love You."
"I've known the band for many years, and we've always talked about doing something," Belinda says. "When this song came out, I was very excited about it, and I said, 'Please, you have to trust me' with different instruments and with these kinds of lyrics. And he was very open because he loves Mexico and he loves Latin culture, and he trusted me with my vision."
Belinda explains that Bad Bunny name-check
If there's an Easter egg in Belinda's latest album, it was first hatched by El Conejo Malo himself.
On song "La Cuadrada," Belinda gives a shout-out to a man named Benito (the real name of reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny) while playfully describing her romantic appeal: "I'll make you fall in love, like Benito would say."
The name-check comes after Bad Bunny referenced the Mexican pop princess twice on his 2023 album "Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana" with the tracks "Perro Negro" and "Vou 787."
"He's a great artist, and he's very strong and smart when he writes his music," Belinda says. "Obviously, I was happy about it, and it's just a funny way of saying thank you for your shout-out."
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