“This stems from my desire to innovate and break away from the Dref of the past,” DrefQuila tells Apple Music of this six-track EP. “I wanted to sound a little less romantic than my usual self, without falling into the cliché of sounding like a thug. I finally found a middle ground with lyrics that talk about sex. It’s that Latin essence that defines reggaetón because my intention was to bring my music a little closer to that Latin sensibility.” From the adrenaline-fuelled title track to the irresistible bassline of “Mi Amiga” and the virtuoso flow of “Rica”, the 25-year-old Chilean rapper proves that he is one of the most versatile artists in South America’s wider hip-hop scene. “I told myself I had to venture into the unstoppable wave of reggaetón; I could no longer ignore it,” he explains. “Fortunately, my versatility allows me to feel very comfortable in that world.” Here, Dref walks us through the songs on the EP, one by one. “Diablo Santo” “This whole record marks the beginning of a new era, allowing me to tread new ground. The opening track had to deliver a declaration of principles, a confirmation of everything that follows, because the first step should always be the most self-assured one. ‘Diablo Santo’ focuses on the idea that no one is that devilish or that saintly either. Sexuality and a certain erotic element were always present in my music, though never in an explicit way. I wanted to demolish the older image of Dref.” “Bellakito” “Fran C, who produced ‘Una Noche en Medellín’, has a distinct style with echoes of old-school reggaetón: all those synths, the electronic sounds and minimalist beats. It was crazy because Fran arrived for our first session together armed with a folder of beats that had my name on them—Dref 1, Dref 2, Dref 7—but I didn’t like any of them. The one beat that he never imagined I would choose was the basis of ‘Bellakito’. This in itself speaks volumes about my desire to leave the old DrefQuila behind. If there’s something that I love about albums, it’s the chance to generate a number of distinct moments. This is the old-school moment in the record.” “Mi Amiga” (feat. Easykid) “I love the concept of juxtaposition, like a penguin in the desert, or the idea of having fried chicken in a fancy restaurant. Same with the bassline in this song, which is a tender track that emerges from a vulnerable place: ‘Hey, I’m your friend, but you’re not paying attention to me.’ Having such a sweet song anchored on a lethal bassline seems a really cool contrast to me.” “Rica” “I felt this was the moment in the EP where I could showcase my skills. I wanted to find a middle ground between the romantic and the commercial. I feel ‘Rica’ merges those worlds really well. It’s a reggaetón from the future—it illustrates what this music will sound like a few years from now. I also love the subject matter. I’ve always been seen as someone who has a bit of an attitude and a healthy sense of ego. This song talks about women who find themselves in that same situation. In the end, it has nothing to do with ego or arrogance; she just knows that she’s a fine woman. It’s that simple.” “Kela Toke” (feat. Tunechikidd) “My melodies have the tendency to gravitate towards romantic moods, but there’s a lot of sweating in this song. The beat transports you to that moment at the disco when you’re dancing real close and connecting with someone else. I used the same stylistic device as in ‘Rica’: a flow that’s fast and a little excessive. This track is all about looking for action at the disco—that moment of closeness, the friction.” “Salir a Buscarte” “I read something that Billie Eilish said once—that it would be very boring if she only wrote songs about her own experiences. There needs to be space for fantasy and illusion. My music is nurtured by both sides. Sometimes I imagine myself in someone else’s place. At the same time, I’m really good at talking about my own experiences, as long as I change some names, places and situations. In the end, every song of mine contains a little bit of my truth.”