Bad Gyal | |
|---|---|
_(cropped3).jpg) Gyal in 2022 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Alba Farelo i Solé (1997-03-07)7 March 1997 (age 28) Vilassar de Mar,Catalonia, Spain |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Works | Discography |
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | akabadgyal |
Alba Farelo i Solé (Catalan:[ˈalβəfəˈɾɛlusuˈle]; born 7 March 1997), known professionally asBad Gyal, is a Spanish singer and songwriter. Bad Gyal has developed a strongcult following ever since her musical career began in 2016, with an interpretation ofRihanna's "Work" in theCatalan language. She continued to make music as an independent artist, releasing records like "Jacaranda" and "Fiebre". Bad Gyal later released twomixtapes:Slow Wine (2016) andWorldwide Angel (2018), which established her as an emerging artist within the Spanish urban scene.
Bad Gyal signed withInterscope Records andAftercluv in 2019 and saw mainstream acclaim with songs like "Santa María", "Zorra" and "Alocao", the latter becoming thenumber-one song in Spain for 2019. 2021 saw the release of her first project as a signed artistWarm Up, andSound System: The Final Releases. Her debut album,La joia, was released in 2024.
Farelo was born on 7 March 1997 inVilassar de Mar, Barcelona.[1][2] The eldest of five children,[3] Farelo is the daughter ofEduard Farelo [ca], actor and voice actor.[4][5] Farelo's younger sister Irma is also a singer, performing under the nameMushkaa.[6]
At 18, Farelo entered theUniversity of Barcelona, aiming to studyfashion design. While attending university and simultaneously working at acall centre, she released "Pai", an adaptation of "Work", byRihanna andDrake, inCatalan.[7][8]
After "Pai" gained popularity onYouTube, and was picked up by a local radio, Farelo started recordingSlow Wine Mixtape, alongside producer Pablo Martínez. The mixtape was released on 9 November 2016 and caught the attention of several professional magazines and music outlets, includingPitchfork andFact. The latter named her song "Jacaranda," the best single of 2017.[9] After releasing the record's debut single "Fiebre", Bad Gyal's popularity grew exponentially. The song has developed acult following ever since. The mixtape's success and critical acclaim led Farelo to perform at numerous festivals throughout Europe.[10][11] In late 2017 she also toured Mexico and the United States.
In February 2018, she released her second mixtape,Worldwide Angel, to critical acclaim. The album was licensed and distributed byCanada Editorial.[12][13] The mixtape was produced byJam City, Dubbel Dutch, Florentino andEl Guincho. It spawned many singles including "Blink", "Candela" and "Internationally". To promote the album, she took part in international festivals such asSXSW andLollapalooza and toured the United States once again. In November 2018, she embarked on her first Asian tour, which visited Japan, China, and the Philippines. She also released "Open the Door" featuring Jamaican singer Govana, "Yo sigo iual" and "Unknown Feeling".[citation needed]
Formerly signed with the production companyCanada Editorial, in April 2019 it was announced Farelo had signed withInterscope Records andAftercluv Dance Lab.[14] As a signed artist, was able to enter the mainstream. Her first release was "Santa María", featuringBusy Signal, which became her first charting song in Spain, and was later certified gold.[15] Its B-side, "Hookah", peaked at 55 in Spain. In October 2019, Farelo collaborated withOmar Montes on "Alocao", which peaked at number one in Spain for several weeks and is certified five times platinum.[16][17] Two months later she released "Zorra", which peaked at number 2 in Spain.[citation needed] A remix featuring Rauw Alejandro was released in February 2021.[citation needed]
In 2020, Farelo was featured on Kafu Banton's "Tú eres un bom bom", which would later be remixed in collaboration withGuaynaa.[18] She also released "Aprendiendo el Sexo" later on, with a music video produced byCanada and filmed at theW Hotel in Barcelona.[19] In November, she released "Blin Blin" to commercial success and the acclaim of the general public. The track became viral in her home country and significantly usedTikTok. She also partnered withVodafone and offered a unique virtual concert.[20]
Bad Gyal released her first extended playWarm Up on 19 March 2021.[21][22][23][24] The EP peaked at 5 in Spain.[25] She also collaborated with clothing brandBershka and released an exclusive clothing line.[26] On 25 June, she collaborated withMariah Angeliq andMaría Becerra on "BOBO", which sampledTLC's "No Scrubs" and sparked controversy due to similarity with Luchy DR's "Bufón".[27][28] As tour season came to an end, Farelo published "Flow 2000" as well as her second extended playSound System: The Final Releases featuring songs she had been performing live for years yet remained unreleased.[29][30] She released "A la mía" in parallel, exclusively for theGrand Theft Auto Online radio stationMotomami Los Santos hosted byRosalía andArca.[31]
At the beginning of 2022, Bad Gyal traveled to theUnited States to meet in the studio with producers such asScott Storch,Supa Dups, andNely el Arma Secreta, to record her first studio album.[32] Additionally, she attended Paris Fashion Week. On March 18, she released "Flow 2000 (Remix)" alongside singerBeny Jr, a release that she herself announced on social media on March 15.[33] A few days later, on March 21, the rum brandHavana Club and Bad Gyal presented a new limited-edition bottle, which went on sale shortly thereafter.[34] In April, one new collaboration were announced, "Formosa (Remix)", originally by Kaio Viana, featuring Totoy el Frío and MC CJ, which premiered on May 6.[35]
In May 2022, the Catalan artist announced her two biggest concerts yet, to be held inMadrid andBarcelona in February 2023.[36] During the last week of May, she announced the release of the song "La prendo" on May 26, produced by Leo RD and previewed during the first show of her new tour. The music video is the first part of a series of videos.[37] The continuation was released on June 17 at midnight, led by the track "Tremendo culón", also previewed during her new tour shows, with a music video continuing the story from "La prendo".[38] Continuing with the releases of songs previewed on La Joia Tour, the singer released the song "Sexy" at midnight on July 15.[39]
During the La Joia Tour show inNew York, a surprise new song was performed, which was later released as "Sin Carné" at midnight on October 6.[40] On November 28, Bad Gyal and Spanish artistQuevedo uploaded a video to TikTok dancing to the song "Real G". Two days later, she performed a snippet of the song during a concert inMexico City. Finally, the song was officially released on December 2.[41]
The year 2023 began with the Catalan artist’s two largest concerts to date at thePalau Sant Jordi andWiZink Center. She also announced that her debut album would be released that same year.[42][43] One day before theBarcelona concert, on February 10, she premiered her song "Chulo", which had been previewed during La Joia Tour and onTikTok, where she had over ten thousand videos related to it before the official release. On February 11, during her first concert at Palau Sant Jordi, she confirmed the album would be titledLa Joia.[44] On February 24, 2023, Karol G released her albumMañana será bonito, which includes the song "KÁRMIKA" a collaboration between the Colombian artist, Bad Gyal, and JamaicanSean Paul.[45]
On April 20, 2023, Bad Gyal performed "Chulo" live at theLatin American Music Awards inLas Vegas, marking her first invitation to perform at a major international music awards show.[46][47] The following day, Spanish singerAmaia released her own version of the song "Fiebre", which she had been performing in concerts for some time.[48] On May 18, a remix of the song "Qué rico" by Un Titico and El Dany MG was released, featuring Bad Gyal.[49]
On June 7, Bad Gyal became the face of the annual summer advertising campaignMediterráneamente by the renowned beer brandEstrella Damm.[50] As part of this collaboration, the short film titled PKM (“Pussy K Mana”) and the song “El Sol Me Da” were released.[51] Later, on June 22, Bad Gyal released the remix "Chulo pt.2", a collaboration with Dominican artistTokischa and Puerto RicanYoung Miko.[52] This song remained on the music charts of several Latin American countries, on theHot Latin Songs chart and theBillboard Global 200 for several weeks. It was also certified six-times platinum in the United States by theRecording Industry Association of America and gold in Mexico byAMPROFON.[53][54][55][56] Two weeks after this release, on July 7, Bad Gyal launched her new song "Mi lova" alongside Myke Towers.[57]
In September, the singer was awarded the International Young Talent award by the Spanish newspaperLa Vanguardia. The ceremony took place at theMuseu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, withKing Felipe VI,Queen Letizia, and the acting First Vice President of the Government,Nadia Calviño, presenting the award.[58][59]
On October 2, producerOvy On The Drums posted anInstagram reel announcing that his next song would feature Bad Gyal and Colombian singerRyan Castro, accompanied by a preview of the lyrics during the studio composition. "Ghetto Princess" was released on October 5.[60] Additionally, on October 4, Chilean singerPolimá Westcoast announced the tracklist of hisEPDe Camino a Hermes, which includes the song "BARCELONA", a collaboration with Bad Gyal and Chilean artist Standly. The EP and the song were released on November 9.[61]
Later, singerNicki Nicole announced via her Instagram channel the collaboration "Enamórate" with Bad Gyal. The track had been previewed in shows by both artists throughout 2023. The song was finally released on November 14.[62] On November 23, the Catalan artist revealed the first official teaser of herdebut album,La Joia, via an Instagram reel, announcing a January release the following year.[63] Along with this, she published the upcoming Spanish dates for La Joia: 24 Karats Tour, which will visit Spanish indoor stadiums such asPalau Sant Jordi andWiZink Center.[63] Later, during an interview on December 6 withLos 40, Bad Gyal announced that her song "Give Me", previously previewed during shows, would be released the following week as another advance from the album.[64] To close the year, on December 13, she revealed the album’s tracklist via Instagram. It will include 15 songs, among them previously released projects, show previews, and other unreleased tracks.[65]
At the beginning of 2024, Bad Gyal revealed the release of a collaboration, and the final preview of her upcoming album, with Brazilian singerAnitta. The song, titled "Bota Niña", was released on January 12th.[66]
Finally, after much anticipation and speculation surrounding the project, her debut album La Joia was released on January 26, 2024, across digital platforms.[67][68] On the same day, the music video for the song "Perdió este culo" premiered, starring actorMartiño Rivas.[69][70] Additionally, the official album merchandise was announced for sale on the singer’s website, along withLP,CD, and limited edition CD formats of the record.
On February 22nd, Bad Gyal performed "Bota Niña" together with Anitta at thePremios Lo Nuestro, held at theKaseya Center in Miami.[71] Both artists took advantage of the trip to shoot the music video for the song, which was released on March 14th.[72] Shortly after, on March 22nd, "Double team", a single by Anitta featuring Puerto Rican artist Brray and Bad Gyal, was released as part of Anitta’s albumFunk Generation.[73]
On March 28th,Mushkaa and Bad Gyal released "SexeSexy", marking Bad Gyal’s first song inCatalan since the 2018 release of "Yo sigo igual", previously unreleased from her sister’s album.[74] Her next collaboration came out on April 18th, "Guay" with Puerto Rican singerOzuna.[75][76] The song stayed for weeks on the Spanish weekly charts, reaching number 8 on PROMUSICAE’sTop 100Canciones list. It also earned a platinum certification.[77]
On May 24th, Bad Gyal released the remix of "Perdió este culo" alongside Puerto Rican artistIvy Queen, titled "Perdió".[78] Then, on July 5th, "Party Amanecio" was released, featuring Bad Gyal alongsideRyan Castro,De La Ghetto,Maldy (from the duo Plan B), and producersDJ Luian and Mambo Kingz, under the Hear This Music label.[79]
On July 9th,Amazon Prime Video released the teaser for La Joia: Bad Gyal, adocumentary about the making of the albumLa Joia, announcing its release for later in the year.[80] One month later, Colombian artistJ Balvin released his albumRayo, which includes a song featuring Bad Gyal titled "Gato".[81]
On September 12th, "Duro De Verdad pt. 2", Bad Gyal’s first bachata, was released.[82] It is a remix of the original song by Los Sufridos, a group of Dominican producers and artists. The track reached number 2 on PROMUSICAE’s charts in Spain, the highest position Alba has achieved on this list since the release of "Zorra" in 2019.[83]
On October 23rd, the documentary La Joia: Bad Gyal premiered at the In-Edit festival inBarcelona, and the following day it was released incinemas acrossSpain andAndorra.[84]
The singer received five nominations at theLOS40 Music Awards, where she wonMejor Colaboración Latina Urbana for "Mi Lova" with Myke Towers, andMejor Artista Español Urbano.[85] She also performed at the awards ceremony, presenting a medley of her songs including "Fiebre", "Flow 2000", "Chulo", "Perdió Este Culo", "La Que No Se Mueva", and "Duro de verdad pt.2".[86]
On January 17, she released her first single of the year, "Angelito", in collaboration with Argentine rapperTrueno.[87] A month later, in February 2025, it was revealed that the Catalan artist had recorded a new track with singerNicky Jam and American producerScott Storch, generating high expectations among her fans.[88]
On February 20, she attended the 37th edition ofPremios Lo Nuestro, where she had received five nominations, including Album of the Year forLa Joia.[89] That night, she took home her first Premio Lo Nuestro in the category of Best Eurosong for "Chulo pt.2", alongsideTokischa andYoung Miko.[90][91] Continuing her streak of releases, on April 18 she dropped "Comernos", a collaboration with Puerto Rican artistOmar Courtz.[92]
On May 27, she announced her upcoming festival tour Bikini Badness Tour.[93] The first show took place on June 2 at the well known Pachá nightclub inIbiza, where she also premiered "Da Me", her first solo single in over a year.[94][95] The track was officially released on June 6 and quickly climbed to number 7 on thePROMUSICAE Top 100 chart.[96] During anInstagram Live session where she discussed the new single, she reflected on her artistic direction, stating: "You have to follow your own instincts", referring to her embrace ofautotune in this new era.[97]
On June 13, during her performance at the O Son do Camiño festival, she surprised the audience with the live debut of an unreleased collaboration withZion & Lennox.[98] A few weeks later, on July 18, she released "Última noche" withOzuna, produced by Jorge Miliano and Cromo X.[99][100] Staying true to the Caribbean sounds that have characterized her recent work, the song debuted at number 23 on thePROMUSICAE chart.[101]
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | La hora musa [es] | Performer | [102] |
| 2020 | Gaudir | Co-protagonist | [103] |
| 2021 | Maestros de la costura [es] | Guest appearance | [104] |
| Drag Race España | Guest judge | [105] | |
| 2024 | La joia: Bad Gyal | Herself | [106] |
| Award | Year | Recipient | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baazar Women of the Year | 2025 | Herself | Trailblazer | Won | [112] |
| Grammy Awards | 2024 | Funk Generation(as songwriter and featured artist) | Best Latin Pop Album | Nominated | [113] |
| GQ Men of the Year | 2024 | Herself | Women of the Year | Won | [114] |
| Heat Latin Music Awards | Best New Artist | Nominated | [115] | ||
| iHeartRadio Music Awards | 2024 | Best Latin New Artist | Nominated | [116] | |
| Los 40 Music Awards | 2022 | Best Urban Act | Nominated | [117] | |
| 2023 | Best Spanish Urban Act | Nominated | [118] | ||
| 2024 | Won | [119] | |||
| La Joia 24 Karats Tour | Best Spanish Tour or Concert | Nominated | |||
| "Perdió este culo" | Best Spanish Video | Nominated | |||
| "Guay"(withOzuna) | Best Latin Video | Nominated | |||
| "Mi Lova"(withMyke Towers) | Best Urban Collaboration | Won | |||
| 2025 | "Comernos"(withOmar Courtz) | Nominated | [120] | ||
| "Da Me" | Best Video | Nominated | |||
| Herself | Best Spanish Urban Act | Nominated | |||
| ARC Awards | 2021 | Best Self-Titled Artist Tour | Won | [121] | |
| Latin American Music Awards | 2024 | New Artist of the Year | Nominated | [122] | |
| Latin Grammy Awards | 2023 | Mañana Será Bonito(as songwriter and featured artist) | Album of the Year | Won | [123] |
| Latin Music Italian Awards | 2020 | "Alocao"(withOmar Montes) | Best Eurolatino Song | Won | [124] |
| MTV Europe Music Awards | 2022 | Herself | Best Spanish Act | Won | [125] |
| MTV Millennial Awards | 2024 | Celebrity Crush | Nominated | [126] | |
| Crack Artist | Nominated | ||||
| "Bota Niña"(withAnitta) | Bellakeo Supremo | Nominated | |||
| Premios +Música | 2025 | La Joia | Best Urban Recording | Won | [127] |
| Premios Juventud | 2022 | Herself | New Female Artist | Nominated | [128] |
| 2023 | Female Artist – On The Rise | Nominated | [129] | ||
| 2025 | "Chulo pt.2"(withTokischa andYoung Miko) | Girl Power | Nominated | [130] | |
| "2AM"(withSebastián Yatra) | Best Pop/Urban Son | Nominated | |||
| "Comernos"(withOmar Courtz) | Best Urban Mix | Nominated | |||
| Premios Lo Nuestro | 2023 | Herself | Breakthrough Female Artist | Nominated | [131] |
| 2025 | Urban Artist of the Year - Female | Nominated | [132] | ||
| "Chulo pt.2"(withTokischa andYoung Miko) | Best ‘EuroSong’ - Urban Pop | Won | |||
| Song of the Year | Nominated | ||||
| Best Female Collaboration | Nominated | ||||
| La Joia | Album of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Premios Odeón | 2021 | "Alocao"(withOmar Montes) | Best Urban Song | Nominated | [133] |
| Herself | Breakthrough Urban Artist | Nominated | |||
| 2022 | Urban Artist | Nominated | [134] | ||
| Warm Up | Album of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Best Urban Album | Nominated | ||||
| "44"(withRema) | Best Urban Song | Nominated | |||
| Premios Tu Música Urbano | 2022 | Herself | Top New Artist – Female | Nominated | [135] |
| 2023 | Top Rising Star — Female | Nominated | [136] | ||
| 2025 | Nominated | [137] | |||
| "2AM"(withSebastián Yatra) | Pop Song | Nominated | |||
| Rolling Stone en Español Awards | 2023 | Herself | Voice of the Audience | Nominated | [138] |
| Premios Vanguardia | 2023 | Premio Talento Joven Internacional (Young Talent Award) | Won | [114] |
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