Maluma breaks down his biggest hits: from 'Felices Los 4' to the Weeknd remix that changed everything

A career in review

Maluma sat down with Billboard to walk through his chart history, and the result is one of the more candid career retrospectives the Colombian artist has given. He covers the collaborations, the studios sessions, and the odd personal detail (yes, the Madonna toe story comes up).

The Weeknd moment

The highlight of the conversation is Maluma's account of the 'Hawái' remix. According to Billboard, he was in Los Angeles when the file arrived one morning after a workout. "I played the song on the speaker and it was like, I'd say life changing," he says. He frames The Weeknd's willingness to sing in Spanish as a before-and-after moment for Latin music, calling it "crazy, honestly" that an artist of that level would cross over in that direction. Maluma also mentions he has admired The Weeknd since the artist's early collaborations with Drake.

The collaborations that shaped him

Maluma also revisits the session behind 'Chantaje' with Shakira, describes working with childhood idol Ricky Martin on 'Vente Pa' Ca,' and talks about filming 'Corazón' in Brazil alongside Nego do Borel. He touches on his friendship with Marc Anthony and explains how collaborating with Carín León on 'Según Quién' deepened his connection to Regional Mexican music.

On Madonna

For 'Medellín,' Maluma keeps things light. "Madonna sucked my toes. It was cool, I didn't wash it for two years," he jokes, quickly adding, "Lies!" It's the kind of aside that makes the video worth watching even for casual fans.

Why it matters

Maluma is one of the few Latin artists whose chart run spans multiple eras and sounds, from reggaeton radio hits to Regional Mexican crossovers. This Billboard retrospective is a useful reminder of how deliberately he has built that range.