Karol G
Musician
The Colombian reggaeton singer is shaking up fashion’s celebrity marketing playbook by shining a light on the growing influence of Latin music on the industry.
Karol G is a Colombian singer of reggaeton, a dance-ready genre of music blending reggae, rap and dembow that has been infused with pop. Born Carolina Giraldo Navarro, Karol G became a household name across much of Latin America before crossing over to audiences in North America and Europe. A burgeoning style icon in her home region with an increasingly global fanbase, she was tapped by Vogue Mexico for its March 2022 cover. In 2023, LVMH-owned Loewe cast her as a model for an ad campaign for the luxury brand’s “Paula’s Ibiza” collection. “Karol G is one of the biggest stars in contemporary Latin music and her bold, eye-catching style is a major part of her persona,” Charlie Smith, Loewe’s chief marketing and communications officer, told BoF at the time. Karol G has since caught the attention of other designer brands including Jacquemus, who invited her to appear at shows, and Roberto Cavalli , who designed some of her concert costumes. The US edition of Elle magazine chose her for its cover of the June/July 2023 issue.
With 65.6 million followers on Instagram, Karol G ranked 62nd in terms of follower numbers in 2023, but 11th for average engagement rates, according to a Launchmetrics analysis of the top 100 global celebrity and influencer accounts. With an impressive 28 songs across all genres on the Billboard Hot 100, she was the female artist with the most Spanish songs to grace that chart in 2023. Her fourth studio album, "Mañana Será Bonito," became the first entirely Spanish-language album by a woman to debut at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. Karol made history once again in 2023 as the female with the most entries on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart. In the same year, she won an MTV Video Music Award for her collaboration with Shakira for their song “TQG” and secured the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
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What is The BoF 500?
The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.
ExploreWhat is The BoF 500?
The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.
ExploreKarol G: From Latin Music Icon to Fashion Star
As the chart-topping Colombian reggaeton singer and BoF 500 cover star becomes a global pop sensation, she is shaking up the fashion industry’s celebrity marketing playbook.
In Paris, Global Fashion Community Fetes The BoF 500 Class of 2023
Members of the industry index including Pierpaolo Piccioli and Francesca Bellettini connected over cocktails and canapes in Paris, celebrating new entrants including Pharrell Williams, Karol G and Sabato De Sarno.
Pharrell Williams, Isamaya Ffrench, Karol G and Lorenzo Bertelli Are This Year’s BoF 500 Cover Stars
On Friday 29 September, The BoF 500 Class of 2023 will be unveiled. To mark the occasion, The Business of Fashion sat down with four members of The BoF 500 to discuss how they are shaping the future of the industry.
Pharrell Williams, Isamaya Ffrench, Karol G and Lorenzo Bertelli Are This Year’s BoF 500 Cover Stars
On Friday 29 September, The BoF 500 Class of 2023 will be unveiled. To mark the occasion, The Business of Fashion sat down with four members of The BoF 500 to discuss how they are shaping the future of the industry.