Maluma covers Elle: ‘If you are not spiritual, you are empty inside’

James Murdoch and Kathryn Hufschmid atte..........

Maluma is a big deal. He’s 27 years old, Colombian, one of the most popular Latin American artists in the world, and his career is en fuego, as Hilaria Baldwin would say. Maluma is also muy caliente, meaning that he’s f–king gorgeous and sexy and men and women want him. He’s sort of like if Ricky Martin and George Michael had a baby. Elle Magazine made Maluma one of their February covers, and he talks about his latest album, Papi Juancho, and his big Hollywood film debut in Marry Me, where he plays Jennifer Lopez’s character’s fiance. You can read the full piece here (plus, the photos are hot). Some highlights:

On spending the pandemic year at home with his parents: “Of course 2020 has been a very difficult year for all of us, but I feel like this was my best year so far, musically, artistically, and personally. I feel like I was reborn… I was talking the other day with my parents, and they were very happy because I’ve stayed a long time in Colombia, but they were also a little bit worried because they didn’t know what was going to happen with my work. My job is being on tour, but for me this has been very positive, being here in Colombia. I feel very connected again with myself.”

Working with Jennifer Lopez on Marry Me: “Jennifer, she’s not only a work partner—I would say she is my friend. She is someone I admire, and she is someone I’ve followed since I was a little kid. So for me, being part of this movie was almost surreal. It was a big surprise when they called me, but I was ready for it.”

Working with Madonna: “Madonna loves doing things in an organic way—she is very spiritual. When we were doing the ‘Medellín’ video, it was almost 48 hours working nonstop, and I was surprised, because Madonna, she was 60 years old, but she looks like she is younger than me.”

He’s not a bad-boy Lothario, he’s a man of faith: “I feel like the artists right now, the modern artists, are losing their spirituality, and that’s kind of sad. I don’t feel like they pray or meditate, and that’s why I feel connected with artists like Madonna, Shakira, and Jennifer. Sometimes people tell me that I’m an old soul because of that, but at the end of the day, you can be the biggest star in the world, but if you are not spiritual, you are empty inside.”

Growing up in Medellín, Colombia: “My family, we were not rich. We had what we needed, but then my dad lost everything, and my parents got divorced….It’s what made me realize I had to work super hard so my family could have food and a house to live in. But between everything, I was a very happy child.”

He spends a lot of time with his parents & his two Siberian Huskies, Bonnie & Clyde: “Medellín is chill. Of course, people know Medellín around the world as a very violent city, but it’s not anymore. We are more than that. [Drug kingpin] Pablo Escobar is not Medellín. There are so many beautiful things to tell about it. In the States, I was surprised to discover that when you are 16 years old, it is almost like you forget that you have parents—you go out and work for your things, you move out, live alone. My sister, she is grown, but she is still living with my mom. It’s not because she doesn’t have money to go and live alone. It’s because she loves being with my mom.”

[From Elle]

At certain points in the interview, he suggests that he doesn’t have much in common with many artists of his generation because of their superficiality, their materialism and their lack of spirituality. Which makes sense, because he really does come across as an “old soul” type of guy, happier to hang out with people twice his age. Some people are just built that way. But yeah… I’d love to travel to Medellin to spend some time banging him on a Colombian farm.

Photos and cover courtesy of Elle.

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23 Responses to “Maluma covers Elle: ‘If you are not spiritual, you are empty inside’”

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  1. Lucy says:

    Yeah, I’m not buying a minute of it. The whole “I’m so spiritual” thing is what most artists turn to when they don’t want people to think they like money and nice things. I’m kind of over him by this point, in case you didn’t notice, lol. Maybe it’s because I’ve known him for so long now.

  2. Chill says:

    So, Maluma is the arbiter of spirituality now? LOL! How can he decide what anyone needs? He is way too puffed up with himself and needs to examine his morals and find out that others decide what is best for them, not him.

  3. Jaded says:

    Madonna and J-Lo spiritual? That’s like referring to the Trumps as a classy family. This facade that has been fabricated for him is as transparent as glass.

    • Nico says:

      I think you might be confusing “spiritual” with religious. Jennifer Lopez, & Madonna both have long, well documented cases for being very spirtual. You might not respect or enjoy their personas, but that doesn’t negate withers level of spirituality

  4. Nicole says:

    “There is a distinct difference between having an open mind and having a hole in your head from which your brain leaks out.” – James Randi

  5. lascivious chicken says:

    Has prosperity gospel bs infected Colombia as well?

    • ugh says:

      YES, it has.

      Unfortunately, Latin America has been hit by Christian religious zealotry (and all the homophobia and transphobia it entails) for a while now.

  6. Nerdista says:

    I’m beautifully fulfilled and my atheism is part of it.

  7. Coco says:

    I stopped buying Elle after they fired E Jean Carroll for speaking out about how Donald Trump sexually assaulted her.

  8. Riola says:

    He does absolutely nothing for me, and I don’t need “spiritual” moralizing or judgmentalism from him, thanks. Anyone who would declare millions of strangers they know nothing about “empty people” just because those people don’t fit into your preconceived idea of how people “should” be, is not someone I have anything in common with spiritually.

    I find Madonna’s flavor of “spirituality” emptier than Ivanka Trump’s vacant expression.

  9. Willow says:

    In the States when you’re 16 you move out and live on your own? What? Did he get the age wrong? He’s off by about 10 years. And that spiritually comment is soooo arrogant and dismissive. This guy has a lot to learn.

  10. Chichi says:

    Spirituality and maturity from the guy who only sings about sex, group sex, no sex, cheating on women, women cheating, sex with drunk women, multiple women… I’m not a prude but his Lyrics are so sexist I just can’t.

  11. Tina says:

    Ugh anytime a dude specifically says he’s spiritual I immediately know he’s a f*ckboi pretending to be intelligent to get women versus having any actual substance. If u need to bash others to be perceived as intelligent ur probably not that smart

  12. NotSoSocialButterfly says:

    That’s pretty presumptuous of him.

  13. Mee yo says:

    Oh I love Maluma!! Cute songs. But he can sit down with his spirituality mess. And he’s not materialistic…hahahahhaha he showed his Medellin house in AD or one of those and it’s as materialistic as you get. The non-gold version of Dump’s apartment

  14. Lory says:

    This is Angie who postured at a Covid relief benefit concert last year then held a Meet and Greet last month that got shot down because of Covid. Idiot. Never take spiritual guidance from a basic idiot.

  15. Mette says:

    Here for the comments!

  16. ugh says:

    When will reggeton and these untalented sexist pigs go away?

    I’m tired of men like Maluma being the face of Latin America and of reggeton being the only genre of Latin American music people outside of LatAm know. We’re so much more than that.