Maluma Is Loco por Volver to His Childhood: ‘I Really Wanted to Go Back to That Kid’

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Maluma has always had a thing for cars.

But as the Colombian superstar enters a new chapter with his album Loco X Volver and prepares to become a father of two, his longtime passion for four wheels has taken on a more personal meaning.

“I was crazy to literally go back to that kid,” Maluma tells Billboard , explaining the inspiration behind his new album.

The cover features a photo of him as a child, reflecting his desire to reconnect with the memories and people who shaped him.

One of those memories starts with Hot Wheels.

When Maluma was around 6 or 7, his uncle returned to Colombia from the U.S. with a huge box of Hot Wheels cars and a track.

It was a formative moment for a kid who had previously only seen the toys on TV.

Shop Hot Wheels on amazon “It was pretty clear that I was going to love cars for the rest of my life,” he says.

Today, Maluma collects cars and even has a studio designed like a garage, where he makes music surrounded by his automotive passion.

That childhood connection inspired his Hot Wheels custom die-cast, a Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 that represents his Colombian roots.

Maluma chose the vehicle because it reminds him of trips to farms with his parents.

His family called it “La Matrona,” a fitting nickname for the car that could take everyone anywhere.