Machika
by J. Balvin (featuring Anitta)

Album: Vibras (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Machika," is a Spanish language single recorded by J Balvin with Aruban singer Jeon and Brazilian songstress Anitta. The title is a word from the Papiamento language, which is spoken on the islands of Aruba, Curaçao & Bonaire, and it means to smash, crumble or crush.

    "There's a lot of people that just go wild first time they get money," Balvin told Genius. "They just wanna go crazy and spend it all. That's what I was thinking. I was thinking about the whole hoods and everything that be like, 'I just like to spend the whole thing.' I save, you know. I invest a lot. But I think it's cool just to go wildin.'"
  • Jeon is the originator of the song and first made his own version in his native language of Papiamento. When Balvin heard the tune he decided that he wanted to redo it in Spanish. He recalled to Los40.com:

    "One day DJ Blass, a well-known producer from Puerto Rico, put a video of him singing and I loved it. Then I realized that Jeon was my neighbor. When I came back to the gym I found him and I asked him if it was him and … let's go to work! … and that's where Machika was born."
  • The song was co-produced by Suriname native DJ Chuckie. He told Billboard that "Machika's instrumentation utilizes the Dutch Caribbean house style called "bubbling."

    "The sound of 'Machika' is the of sound of the evolution of bubbling," he said. "There's such a rich history behind it. A lot of the grooves are sounds I was using back in the '90s. It's kind of reinvented itself for this new generation of kids."
  • The video was shot in Medellín, Colombia. The clip was inspired by the film Mad Max and is set in Machika - a fictional dystopian city of the future created by Balvin himself.
  • This was the eighth #1 for Balvin on the Latin Airplay chart and the first leaders for both Jeon and Anitta. "Machika is not conventional reggaeton; it's a dancehall song, with another dimension and at a different speed," Balvin told Billboard. "It's a song to dance to instead of a lyrical song, and I like to take risks. To earn a #1 is a blessing."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

Rock Stars of Horror

Rock Stars of HorrorMusic Quiz

Rock Stars - especially those in the metal realm - are often enlisted for horror movies. See if you know can match the rocker to the role.

Frankie Valli

Frankie ValliSong Writing

An interview with Frankie Valli, who talks about why his songs - both solo and with The Four Seasons - have endured, and reflects on his time as Rusty Millio on The Sopranos.

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney Princesses

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney PrincessesSong Writing

From "Some Day My Prince Will Come" to "Let It Go" - how Disney princess songs (and the women who sing them) have evolved.

Kip Winger

Kip WingerSongwriter Interviews

The Winger frontman reveals the Led Zeppelin song he cribbed for "Seventeen," and explains how his passion for orchestra music informs his songwriting.

Stephen Christian of Anberlin

Stephen Christian of AnberlinSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist for Anberlin breaks down "Impossible" and covers some tracks from their 2012 album Vital.