Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 3, 2026

Maluca Mala

Natalie Ann Yepez, better known by her stage name Maluca, is an American singer who grew up in Washington Heights, Manhattan. Raised on a steady diet of bachata, cumbia, merengue, and mambo, as well as hip-hop and other club music, Maluca's music has been described as "experimental tropical punk, ghettotech, and hip-house". Although a bad case of stage fright kept her out of the spotlight for much of her life, a chance meeting with Diplo while performing karaoke eventually led to "El Tigeraso", Maluca's first single.

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Jul 3, 2026
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Maluca Mala
Mala at the Chromat Autumn-Winter 2015 runway show
Mala at the Chromat Autumn-Winter 2015 runway show
Background information
Born
Natalie Ann Yepez1
OriginWashington Heights, Manhattan1
GenresElectro, experimental tropical punk, ghettotech, hip house1
LabelsRPM MSC, Mad Decent

Natalie Ann Yepez,1 better known by her stage name Maluca, is an American singer who grew up in Washington Heights, Manhattan.1 Raised on a steady diet of bachata, cumbia, merengue, and mambo, as well as hip-hop and other club music,1 Maluca's music has been described as "experimental tropical punk, ghettotech, and hip-house".1 Although a bad case of stage fright kept her out of the spotlight for much of her life, a chance meeting with Diplo while performing karaoke eventually led to "El Tigeraso", Maluca's first single.2

The years 2009 and 2010 saw her touring, performing, and releasing what she calls "tropical punk" tracks.3 Since the release of her single in 2009, Maluca has recorded tracks that range from merengue mashups to kuduro to old-school deep house and focused on her stage show, which includes two dancers named the Cookies.4 China Food is her latest release as she prepares for a second visit to South by South West.

The name Maluca in Spanish is a derivative of Mala which means bad or mean girl. In Portuguese Maluca means a crazy or mischievous girl.5

Discography

EPs

Title6 Year Peak position
El Tigeraso 2009 11

Singles

Source:6

As lead artist

Title Year Peak positions Album
US Latin Rhythm
"El Tigeraso" (feat. Diplo) 2009 11 FIFA 11 & Tuenti Movil Advert (soundtrack)
"Hector" 2010 - China Food mixtape
"Trigger" 2014 - -
"Mala" 2016 - -
Title Year Peak positions Album
US Latin Rhythm
"La Campana" (Tittsworth and Alvin Risk featuring Maluca) 2011 - FIFA 12 (soundtrack)
Two Strokes Raw
"Que Que" (Dillon Francis and Diplo featuring Maluca) 2011 - Que Que Remixes
"My Window" (Don Diablo featuring Maluca) 2015 - -
"Love Is Free" (Robyn & La Bagatelle Magique featuring Maluca) - -
"Bury Me" (Brodinski feat. Maluca & Bricc Baby Shitro) - Brava
References

References

  1. "Maluca". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  2. "Artist to Watch: Maluca". XLR8R. Archived from the original on 2010-11-28. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
  3. "Interview SXSW 2010: Maluca". Spinner.
  4. "A New York Thing". VMagazine. 23 November 2022.
  5. "Let's Talk Maluca". Mun2. Archived from the original on 2009-04-10. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
  6. "Maluca on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 2017-05-12.

http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/26/maluca-mala-la-crazy-bad/?ref=t-magazine

External links