There’s a message behind Bronx-born, beat-driving Maluca Mala’s music. Her inspiring lyrics, sung in Spanish and English, encourage Afro-Latinas to be proud of their identity, push against European beauty standards, and reject gender stereotypes. Fusing hip-hop and merengue—a dance rooted in her Dominican heritage—with electronic dance music, Maluca Mala has dubbed her style “experimental tropical punk, ghetto tech, and hip-house.” It’s won her a large fan base, including Grammy-nominated singer Robyn, with whom she recently collaborated.