Dominican singer-songwriter Marielle Hazlo impressed her audience with her latest single, “Bandida,” with the intention of empowering women and showing her strength as an artist and as a human being.
Touching on themes of gender freedom and the bravery of women, “Bandida” breaks all stereotypes, including with the musical style.
Inspired by and honoring her great-aunt, Ada, who was also an artist, Hazlo mixed Bugalu, a dance genre from the sixties, and trap, to create a special, eye-catching, and fun theme.
Filmed in La Guajira, Riohacha, Colombia, produced by Pandita Films, and directed by Zak Tassler, the video and song follow the story of falling and overcoming his other two singles, “Pensando en Ti” and “Mas”.
Before reaching his current destination, Hazlo took a personal two-year break from music, only collaborating with renowned artists such as Juan Magan, Alkilados, Mike Bahia, and more.
However, the singer returned stronger than ever, with more than 200,000 monthly listeners, a nomination at the 2017 Heat Awards as ” Best Female Artist “, and as the opening act for the Enrique Iglesias concerts.
In an exclusive interview with Impacto Latino, Hazlo shared his start in the industry, his main message as an artist, the story of his latest single “Bandida,” and his next steps forward.
– I always loved music. I feel like the music called me. From a very young age, I played piano, I started singing at the age of seven, and it was very clear to me that I wanted to sing. But, the moment that I said this is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life was when I was recording my first album, which was a Christmas album.
What is the main message you want to share with your music?
– Actually, it is a message that I carry with my name too. “Do it” is not my last name, it is my stage name. Many times we have so many doubts about failure that we don’t even try. The main thing to achieve something is, at the very least, to try. Do it. It is a message that I carry to remind myself that every day I have to get up to fight for my dreams. But, it is also a message for everyone who follows me and everyone who listens to my music.
How was the experience of opening for Enrique Iglesias?
– It was a unique experience. The truth is that he has incredible charisma on stage, very cool stage management, and I learned a lot. He is a showman, more than anything else, and that is something to admire. Obviously, to be sharing the stage with a person who already has quite a long career in the music industry was an honor for me.
How would you describe your style and essence as an artist?
– My essence now is urban, but I will always merge with other genres. I love to take a genre and deconstruct it and turn it into something completely different. I did that with the song “Bandida”, which was there that I combined Bugalu with trap, something that was not so usual. But, it ended up being something very rich, very danceable, super sticky, and also, it carried both essences, like the two parts of my heart in a song.
Tell us more about your personal inspiration for “Bandida” and the creation process.
– It all started in the studio. I saw the word “bandit”, and I said how many times a woman has not been saying “bandit”, they have used it against her. For me, a bandit is not just a daring woman. She is a woman who is a fighter, who is very independent, who does not let men trample her, and I feel that we all have a bandit inside.
I started to compose the song. Later, Chris Marshall, Pedro Polanco and Maritza Maresme joined. In the end, it was a collaboration between everyone. It was something very nice, because everyone did their bit, and the song would not have been the same without the help of my team.
How do you feel that as an artist one can continue to empower women and Latinos?
– Just being a woman, being a Latina. It sounds a bit redundant, but the reality is that when a girl turns on the television and sees me, a Latina, a woman fighting for her dreams, she says “I can do it too”. I also remember that many women before gave me that inspiration. I would also like to be that for the women and for the Latinos who follow me and who have a dream.
What are the next steps for your music?
– Now, after “Bandida” has been a great success, I enter next year with a new single, called “Desacata”, and it will be something very cool, very danceable, like full rumba. The goal is to connect with the public. I love meeting my listeners, and, little by little, to grow as an artist, to be filling stadiums in the very near future, God willing.
