Juan Luis Londoño Arias (born 28 January 1994), known professionally as Maluma, is a Colombian rapper, singer, songwriter and actor. Born and raised in Medellín, he developed an interest in music at a young age, recording songs since age sixteen. Arias released his debut album, Magia, a year later in 2012. But, his breakthrough album was 2015's Pretty Boy, Dirty Boy, which led to successful collaborations with many artists. He released F.A.M.E. in 2018, another commercial success. He followed it with 11:11 in 2019, and Papi Juancho, surprise-released in 2020. His single "Hawái" (remixed by The Weeknd) reached number three on the Billboard Global 200, and became the first number one single on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart. Selling more than 18 million records (albums and singles), Maluma is one of the best-selling Latin music artists. Musically, Maluma's songs have been described as reggaeton, Latin trap, and pop.
Maluma has a number of singles that have charted within the top ten on Billboard Hot Latin Songs, including "Felices los 4", "Borró Cassette", and "Corazón". His collaborative efforts "Chantaje" with Shakira and "Medellín" with Madonna have reached the top of the Hot Latin Songs and the Dance Club Songs chart, respectively. He has worked with other international artists, such as Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, J Balvin, Anitta, and The Weeknd. Maluma has won a Latin Grammy Award, an MTV Video Music Award, two Latin American Music Awards, and been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album.
Maluma was born to Marlli Arias and Luis Londoño and grew up with an older sister, Manuela. He took an early interest in football which he started playing as a toddler through middle school, competing in the lower divisions in the reserve teams of Atlético Nacional and La Equidad. Additionally, he developed a keen interest in music during his early teenage years and was famed as a good singer in his high school. He graduated from Hontanares School in El Retiro where he was encouraged by many of his friends to enter local singing competitions.
Maluma got his first musical break when he was fifteen after he composed, together with a close friend, a song titled "No quiero"; a year later Juan Parra, his uncle, offered him the opportunity to record it in a studio as his birthday present. After impressing a group of music producers, he was asked to choose a name that would be easy to remember and be accepted by followers of the urban genre. He chose the stage name Maluma, which is a combination of the first syllable of the names of his mother Marlli, his father Luis and his sister Manuela.
2010–2013: Beginnings and Magia
Maluma began his musical career in 2010, recording singles. After "Farandulera" became a radio hit, Sony Music and its subsidiary label Sony Music Colombia decided to sign the singer to record his first studio album. His next single was "Loco", which was inspired by "rampant and uncontrolled love".
In 2012, Maluma released his first studio album, titled Magia. The video for the single "Obsesión" was filmed at the Antioquia Department Railway Station and featured Colombian model Lina Posada, who had previously appeared in the music video for the song "Taboo" (2011) by Don Omar. So far the video has more than 185 million views on YouTube. Other singles released from the album include "Miss Independent" and "Pasarla Bien", with "Miss Independent" reaching number two on the Colombian National-Report songs chart, becoming his first top five song on the chart. Maluma was also nominated for a 2012 Shock Award as "Best New Artist". The final two singles from his debut album, "Primer Amor" and "Miss Independent"; the latter was accompanied with a music video, recorded in Medellín, gathering 48 million views on YouTube.
In 2013, "La Temperatura", featuring Puerto Rican singer Eli Palacios, was released as the first single from his upcoming mixtape, PB.DB The Mixtape; the song reached number seven on the National-Report charts. It also became his first single to enter the US charts for the Latin audience by Billboard; it reached number 25 on the Tropical Songs chart, number 8 on the Latin Pop Airplay songs chart, number 24 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart and number 4 on the Latin Rhythm Airplay songs chart.
2014–2018: Pretty Boy, Dirty Boy and F.A.M.E.
In 2014, he released the music videos for the singles "La Curiosidad", "Carnaval" and "Addicted". He also collaborated with singer Elvis Crespo, on the theme song "Olé Brazil" recorded for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. On 16 July 2014, Maluma appeared at the 2014 Premios Juventud, where he performed "La Temperatura". That same month, the singer was confirmed as a judge/coach on Caracol Television's The Voice Kids, alongside Fanny Lu and Andrés Cepeda. In August, he made his debut as a host at the inaugural awards Kids' Choice Awards Colombia of 2014.
In early 2015, Maluma released the mixtape PB.DB The Mixtape, a compilation of various singles. His second album Pretty Boy, Dirty Boy was released in late 2015, containing elements of reggaeton, pop and urban music. The singles "Borró Cassette", "El Perdedor" and "Sin Contrato" entered the top 10 on Billboard Hot Latin Songs.
In April of that year he performed at the newly named Riccardo Silva Stadium for the inaugural match of the new NASL soccer team The Miami FC. He then embarked on The Pretty Boy, Dirty Boy World Tour in May 2016.
In 2017, his hit single "Felices los 4" became his fifth top 5 on the Hot Latin Songs chart, followed by "Corazón", which also reached the top 5 on the chart. The music videos for both singles have over 1 billion views on YouTube. He also released the short film X, which featured his songs "GPS" featuring French Montana, "Vitamina" featuring Arcángel and "23".
Maluma recorded the Spanish version of "Colors", one of the theme songs of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and performed in English by Jason Derulo. Maluma returned to the Riccardo Silva Stadium in Miami to record the video, one of a growing number of artists using the city to shoot music videos. Maluma's third studio album F.A.M.E. was released on 18 May 2018. In an interview he expressed its name means "Faith, Alma [Soul in Spanish], Music & Essence". He worked with producers Jay Cash, Vinylz and collaborators Daddy Yankee, Prince Royce and Jason Derulo on the album. He performed "Felices los 4" at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards. With "Mala Mia", he topped the Latin Airplay, Latin Pop Songs and Latin Rhythm Airplay charts for the second time in the year, following "Clandestino".
2019–2020: 11:11 and Papi Juancho
In 2019, Maluma collaborated with American singer-songwriter Madonna, appearing on the songs "Medellín" and "Bitch I'm Loca" from her album Madame X. In April it was announced that Maluma will star in Marry Me alongside Jennifer Lopez. He also featured as a voice actor in Walt Disney Animation Studios film Encanto as Mariano.
On 17 May 2019, Maluma released his fourth studio album 11:11, supported by the singles "HP", "11 PM", "Instinto Natural" with Sech and "No Se Me Quita" with Ricky Martin. Another collaboration with Madonna, "Soltera", appeared on the album. To promote the album, Maluma embarked on the 11:11 World Tour, with concerts around the world between May 2019 and September 2020.
On 26 September 2019, he collaborated with Colombian singer J Balvin on his single "Qué Pena".