Maps of Music

KG0516 (2021)

Where the lyrics of KG0516 take you, and where it was really made.

The title is a date code: it marks the day in 2006 when Karol G's parents signed her first major contract under the stage name she still uses.

Place unknown

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KG0516 is the third studio album by Colombian singer Karol G
Released 25 March 2021 through Universal Music Latino
Sixteen tracks, primarily a reggaeton record
Guest artists include Mariah Angeliq, Camilo, Anuel AA, J Balvin, Nathy Peluso, Ozuna, Yandar & Yostin, Juanka, Brray, Ludacris, Emilee, Nicki Minaj, Wisin & Yandel, Nicky Jam, Ivy Queen, Zion and Alberto Stylee
Issued on CD, vinyl, digital download and streaming

Follows her second studio album Ocean from 2019
Seven singles: Tusa with Nicki Minaj, Ay, Dios Mío!, Bichota, Location with Anuel AA and Balvin, El Makinón with Mariah Angeliq, El Barco and 200 Copas
Lead single Tusa with Nicki Minaj released 7 November 2019
Title combines dates and initials, recalling the day her parents signed her first major contract under the name Karol G
Release date and title announced 16 March 2021 in a half-minute video

Born Carolina Giraldo Navarro on 14 February 1991 in Medellín, Colombia, the youngest of three children.
At 14 she appeared on the Colombian version of The X Factor (El Factor X) and chose "Karol G" as her artistic name.
Signed her first record deal with Flamingo Records (Colombia) and Diamond Music (Puerto Rico).
Moved to New York in 2014 to study music business, then signed with Universal Music Latino in 2016.

Breakthrough came in 2017 with "Ahora Me Llama" with Bad Bunny; debut album Unstoppable (2017) debuted at No. 2 on Billboard Top Latin Albums.
Album Ocean (2019) brought a more relaxed sound with reggaetón influences; "Tusa" with Nicki Minaj topped the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart.
KG0516 (2021) topped the US Latin albums chart; fourth album Mañana Será Bonito (2023) became the first Spanish-language album by a female artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
"TQG" with Shakira reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, her highest-charting single there.
Won a Grammy Award for Best Música Urbana Album in 2024, plus eight Latin Grammy Awards in total.
Named Woman of the Year at the Billboard Women in Music 2024 ceremony.
Became the first Latin woman to headline Coachella in 2026.
Latest album: No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto (2026).

AllMusic reviewer Thom Jurek praised the album and Giraldo's ability to blend several genres
Spanish-language Wikipedia notes AllMusic gave the album a score of 90 out of 100

Debuted at number one on the US Top Latin Albums chart with 24,000 album-equivalent units in its first week
Debuted at number 20 on the US Billboard 200, her highest Billboard 200 position at that time
Number one on the US Latin Rhythm Albums chart
Her first number one debut on the Latin charts
27.4 million on-demand streams from its songs, the biggest for a female Latin album at that time
Biggest debut on Spotify for a Spanish-language album by a woman
Number one on the Top Albums Debut Global Chart
Grammy nomination for Best Música Urbana at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, her first Grammy nomination
Three nominations at the 21st and 22nd Latin Grammy Awards
Won Best Reggaeton Performance at the 22nd Latin Grammy Awards for Bichota

The title is a date and initials combination that points to the day her parents signed her first major contract under the name Karol G.
The album's first-day Spotify debut set a record for a Spanish-language album by a woman.
Tusa with Nicki Minaj was the lead single and performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in January 2020.
Karol G followed the album with the Bichota Tour from October 2021 to June 2022, performing multiple songs from the album.
The album was preceded by the Bichota single, which won the Latin Grammy for Best Reggaeton Performance.