Reyna Tropical announces her long-awaited debut album, Malegría, out March 29th via Psychic Hotline, and presents the lead single, “Cartagena.” Led by guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer Fabi Reyna, Malegría marks Reyna Tropical’s transition from the duo of Reyna and Nectali “Sumohair” Diaz to Reyna’s solo project following Diaz’s passing. Founded on the feelings of duality between bad and good, bitter and sweet, grief and love, and death and rebirth, Malegría is a contemporary celebration and continuation of wide-reaching cultural traditions. From Congolese, Peruvian, and Colombian rhythms to revolutionary artists like lesbian guitarist-singer Chavela Vargas, these influences meld and are remixed through the distinctive lens of Fabi Reyna. Malegría traverses themes including queer love, feminine sensuality, and the transformative power of intentional relations to the earth and spotlights narratives often pushed to the margins, offering them a sonic homeland.

From the interludes to the found sounds, Malegría offers a home to diasporic beings de aquí y de allá, diasporic beings who are in the process of searching for and returning to ancestral roots. It documents the grief of letting go to who you were taught to be, the relief of finding who you are, and the power that results in belonging to yourself. On “Cartagena,” Reyna’s bright, multi-layered rhythms and vocals sing of feeling nurtured and energized by the elements, and, at the core, there is the sense of a mutual exchange of trust and care between her and the land.