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Music doesn’t just marry styles for Kim Viera. It also unites cultures.
The New York singer and songwriter emerges with a dynamic, diverse, and definitive creative and cultural vision of her own—which she appropriately dubs, “American Latina.” For as much as the sound proudly reflects her Puerto Rican heritage and Caribbean roots, it confidently captures adventurous American pop spirit as well.
“I grew up Americanized, but I feel very connected to my roots, and I always have,” she affirms. “I pull different worlds together seamlessly. There’s some Latin R&B, island fusion, and pop. As I got older, I really embraced both sides of myself. We’re singing in English and Spanglish. It’s still part of Latin culture. I remain true to who I am. I want to break down barriers.”
In many ways, she has been destined to do so since childhood. Growing up in a music-centric household, her parents both worked in the entertainment industry. Dad launched, owned, and operated a live production company, and Mom could be heard as a backup singer for Willie Colon, Ruben Bladés, and more. Yearly vacations in Puerto Rico represented that balance as the travel mixtape spanned Nat King Cole, James Taylor, The Carpenters, Britney Spears, Brandy, and Selena.
A vocal powerhouse, she made her introduction on viral hits alongside YouTube mega-star Kurt Schneider in between writing for superstars such as Lil Wayne. In 2016, she landed a major label deal with Republic Records and made waves by contributing “Tribe” to the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack for Pitch Perfect 3. This anthem quickly clocked 1.8 million Spotify streams.
Along the way, she honed her “American Latina” style.
“I discovered who I am as an artist over the past few years,” admits the songstress. “I love to change things up. One second, I can go R&B. The next, I can go Latin. You can hear the growth in everything I do. My journey is in the music.”
The 2018 single “Como” with Daddy Yankee serves as her formal introduction. Driven by organic percussion, lithe guitar, and bright production, the soundscape builds towards an immediately irresistible refrain from Kim. Meanwhile, Puerto Rican superstar Daddy Yankee turns up with a fresh and fiery cameo.
The track stands out as the best way to get to know the rising starlet.
“‘Como’ represents a time when I fell in love with making music again and found myself in that process,” she continues. “For me, the song is about summer love and everything that makes you feel good. When I wrote it, I was taking a break from music. I just decided to do it for fun instead of trying to get a deal or anything. When Daddy Yankee heard it, he immediately loved the song and jumped on it. Now, ‘Como’ has the right magic.”
In the end, Kim’s magic will enchant and engage for a very long time to come.
“I love it when artists make you feel something, take you to another place, and also make you feel like anything is possible,” she leaves off. “I’m an everyday girl. I want to leave people with a message that they can do anything.”