Karol G is Blowing Up Reggaeton's Boys' Club

Inside the unstoppable rise of Karol G, the Colombian superstar suddenly dominating charts around the globe.

- By Paula Mejía. Photographs by Donna Trope

Karol G descends a grand staircase, her black Nike track pants swishing with every step. Her hair is a faded red. Her sneakers are mall-chic DCs. And tonight's take-out feast set out before us, the bandeja paisa-a beloved local specialty of Colombia's Antioquia region, a carnivorous spread typically featuring chicharrón, rice, beans, ground beef, sausages, plantain, a fried egg, avocado, arepas-is not quite up to her standards.

"The presentation is beautiful and it looks incredible, but it doesn't taste the same," she says with a sigh.

Seconds later, Karol-real name Carolina Giraldo Navarro-has moved on, swanning through the kitchen of her palatial Hollywood Hills rental with the air of a consummate host. At 32, the Colombian reggaeton star is one of a handful of women to go mainstream and flourish in a genre that has long been a boys' club. She's succeeding on her own terms, making hits that are both tenacious and tender, dancy and emo. For her fans, few contemporary artists can soothe a broken heart under the restorative shimmer of a disco ball quite like her.

Karol flounces around the marble countertop, where she's joined by her publicist, assistant, personal trainer, makeup artist, and two close friends from home. Other pals periodically flit in through the high-ceilinged manse. "Buen provecho," she tells me. "What do you want to drink? I'll get you something." She flings open the steel refrigerator, revealing soft drinks, various types of water, and energy drinks lined up in neat rows. "I'm not sure if you want a little wine, water, Red Bull-"

Suddenly she lets out a sharp, audible gasp. "Do you like cheese arepas?!"

"Of course," I say.