The Weekly Coos

Though I’ve been more centered in electronica when expounding on artists I’m loving in these mini written, that doesn’t mean I ignore other realms of music; I ventured with my love for the music of Young Miko last year, and now, I’m here to talk about PaoPao, another reggaeton artist who is finding her place in this path towards stardom. Having been a songwriter for artists like CNCO and later winning a Latin Grammy in 2021 for her work, PaoPao or Paola Nicole Marrero Rodríguez, is everpresent, and as others have written about her, like Hola.com and Rolling Stone, one aspect of her artistry that’s mutually admired is her lyrical bluntness, specifically with the feeling of sadness and being okay with it. It’s a hive mind that shows how PaoPao reaches new heights by being herself and creating these authentic songs, even when they get a little cheeky, like with their self-titled song that explores her identity while subverting expected tempos and vocals. As an artist, PaoPao easily maneuvers between reggaeton and alt-pop, creating immersive and delicate songs expounding on her strengths with sheer power and worth the time immersing yourself.

PaoPao doesn’t have a one-track mind toward sound—which can be present in many genres, like with BoomBap raps, and thus it’s down to the artists to forge their own identity with flows and lyrics—she brings varying elements to which beats she chooses, which keeps me returning, making the music something different and unique and not like the recent J Balvin collab with DeLaGhetto and Jowell & Randy, which treads towards familiarity. PaoPao, beyond looking at her bluntness, subverts, in her way, what one expects from the genre blends. It resonated with me potently when I started playing her EP from 2022 on loop almost all of January. That EP, diamante$ + espina$, doesn’t shy away from being original, even when it isn’t all perfect, like her new one, ​​la nena de un gang$ter – EP, which blossoms by continuing to show what iamante$ + espina$ did, yet I still find myself returning to the first EP. PaoPao concentrated on moody reggaeton tracks, where the assimilation between the two has more synergy than some of the forced moments on Bad Bunny’s last album. With “Gatx,” the percussion breaches into this unique hybrid between dubstep and rock as one great example of such, amongst others. Though there is a reggaeton base, it develops much beyond some of the rhythms in the strings and synths, making them have their own identity, like “Como Siempre” and “n la disco.”

PaoPao’s self-titled track is another that subverts expectations with what was delivered prior. When looking at iamante$ + espina$, much of the music before “PaoPao” has these unique directional high points that make you skirt by some of the more linear productions that don’t get swaddled down to mediocrity because of the distinctive flows and melodies delivered by PaoPao. She can warp her singing to be more demonstrative to keep you on your toes, and that’s what she does with “PaoPao,” where the singing comes with ferocity to showcase how she feels with an empowering FU, allowing for the nuanced quality of other songs to hit stronger than before. Two that come to mind swiftly are “ea diache” and “cuenta,” which play looser with the melodies and other intangibles that allow them to stand out amongst the fray, mainly cause of PaoPao’s lyricism that takes directness seriously. Though the content treads towards some familiarity—i.e., talking about relationships or habits that overpower her in certain situations, like with the powerful “​noches largas, faldas cortas,” where, alongside the lyrics, has this fantastic, bombastic percussion heavy production. 

PaoPao is one to watch. In my review for RaiNao, I noted how hyperbolic we can be with these emerging artists, and though it can be beneficial, it could also hinder; fortunately, I can say PaoPao has the makings of a star, especially with her unique cadences and aesthetic delivering potently through her music. She has this punk rock core to her image that doesn’t translate outside of the sad and blunt music. I enjoy writing these blurbs, and though I don’t go too in-depth because the experience is worth more than just some words describing the music. I implore you to do so because the music is amazing and worth your time.