Becky G Talks ‘Baraja Bendita,’ Sisterhood & Why ‘Latino Joy Is So Important’ at Latin Music Week

For Becky G , her latest album Baraja Bendita is a culmination of the lessons she has learned, the obstacles she has overcome and the unapologetically Spanglish, genreless artist she has always been.

During her Superstar Q&A with Billboard co-chief content officer Jason Lipshutz on Wednesday (Oct.

21), the Mexican-American artist reflected on the personal and professional significance of her new LP, released in August.

“I definitely feel very blessed,” she said.

“It was a life-changing year in a lot of ways.

I released my album Baraja Bendita, which is my fifth studio album, which is crazy to say out loud because there was a moment in my career where I didn’t think I would ever be able to release even one.” It was very satisfying for me as an artist to create this album,” she explained.

“Releasing it was kind of the release — like, literal release — to the world.” The project’s title translates to “the blessed deck of cards,” inspired by the idea that while people cannot control the cards they are dealt, they can control how they play them.

That philosophy reflects the duality at the center of the album and of her own identity.

“It’s the fact that I’m a Spanglish speaker.

It’s the fact that I’m a genreless artist, and it is a genreless album, and it is a Spanglish album unapologetically,” she said.

“I got signed in a time where that wasn’t necessarily as celebrated as it is today.” That freedom also informed the album’s sound.

Rather than entering the studio with a strict genre or sonic blueprint, Becky said she wanted to “f–k shit up” and make room for fun and play.

“I wanted to do fun stuff.

I wanted to make fun music,” she said.