It’s 5 days after Maluma’s twenty eighth birthday, which he celebrated in ultimate baller style at a $25 million mansion in Las Vegas. And it’s 9 days earlier than “Marry Me,” his charming big-screen debut reverse Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson, opens on Valentine’s Day weekend.
However regardless of all the excitement, he’s the image of chill as he strolls right into a Midtown Manhattan studio for his Alexa photograph shoot. Little doubt, it’s about to get more durable for the Colombian reggaeton sensation to stroll down the road simply minutes away from Occasions Sq. with out getting mobbed by swooning followers. In any case, he’s one of many world’s most eligible bachelors. And whereas his “Marry Me” character Bastian is getting hitched to fellow pop star Kat Velez (performed by Lopez), the fortunately single Maluma isn’t positive if he’ll ever say these “I do’s.”
“I don’t actually know if I need to get married,” says the artist, born Juan Luis Londoño Arias. “In fact, I need to have a household; I at all times dreamed about having kids. However I don’t know if I’ll get married … I’m so younger, you realize, I don’t have to start out fascinated with it. However now I’m specializing in my profession.”

And a muy caliente profession it’s. He’s at the moment bopping throughout the globe on his “Papi Juancho” world tour, which — named after his 2020 album and alter ego — bought out Madison Sq. Backyard final October. Winner of each a Latin Grammy and an MTV Video Music Award, Maluma has collaborated with everybody from Madonna and The Weeknd to fellow Colombians Shakira and J Balvin. Along with “Marry Me,” he voiced the character of Mariano within the Disney hit “Encanto.” And he’s set to launch his Royalty by Maluma clothes line at Macy’s right this moment, after the model’s cologne hit the division retailer earlier this month.
He’s actually discovered loads from watching his “Marry Me” co-star Lopez work her expertise as a grasp multitasker, bouncing from music and films to trend and sweetness.
“I used to be a giant fan of Jennifer, however I turned extra of a fan after I met her in particular person,” says Maluma. “I like the best way she works, the best way she handles each state of affairs, how skilled she is. I like that about her.”

He’d been angling to work with Lopez by way of her ex-husband, Marc Anthony. (The fellows had collaborated on a salsa model of Maluma’s 2017 hit “Felices los 4.”) “I’m tremendous shut with Marc, and I used to be at all times telling him that I needed to work with Jennifer,” he says. “I used to be like, ‘Yo, bro, I don’t know for those who guys speak or no matter, possibly since you guys have kids collectively. However I need to work together with her.’”
Maluma bought his want when Lopez reached out to him to play “douchebag” Bastian in “Marry Me.” The 2 immediately clicked, each as co-stars and music collaborators, releasing the singles “Pa’ Ti” and “Lonely” in 2020. “The primary time that we labored collectively, we had been within the studio, and it was tremendous fluid,” he remembers. “Perhaps it’s as a result of she nonetheless has Latin roots, you realize? So she is aware of how I really feel after I hearken to music that I like. We felt that quick connection.”
Their bond prolonged to taking pictures a giant scene for the rom-com (during which they sing the title tune) on the Bronx-born Lopez’s dwelling turf, throughout Maluma’s sold-out live performance at Madison Sq. Backyard in October 2019. “It was lovely … having Jennifer with me on the Backyard,” he says. “She lived a very long time in New York. She was the native.”

“I like her … I like what she’s carried out together with her life.”
Maluma on his inspiring friendship with Madonna
Maluma has additionally turned to a different famous person pop diva — Madonna — for recommendation. The 2 M’s met on the 2018 VMAs and rapidly fashioned a friendship; he represented his Colombian hometown on their 2019 single “Medellín.”
“She works more durable than me,” he says of the singer, 35 years his senior. “I bear in mind we had been recording in LA; we had been within the studio for 2 days in a row. I needed to f – – king go to the resort, change and take a bathe, and she or he was like, ‘No, we’re gonna keep proper right here.’ So if she’s not complaining, why am I gonna complain?
“I like her,” he continues. “I like what she’s carried out together with her life.”
Like each Madonna and J.Lo earlier than him, Maluma can also be hanging a pose for Versace. He’s the face of the lads’s spring-summer 2022 marketing campaign for the style home. “It jogs my memory of my grandparents loads — they used to like Versace, too,” he says. “After which I confirmed them the marketing campaign, and so they really feel tremendous happy with it.”

And now the “Hawái” heartthrob has his personal clothes line, Royalty by Maluma. So how precisely did he go from crooner to clothier? “I feel that the thoughts is infinite. You possibly can create no matter you need. And I like trend,” he says. “I’d say the inspiration is coming from my roots, my nation, my metropolis, my household … I like denim, I like completely different materials that remind me of the mountains of Medellín. Additionally, the garments that we had been designing for girls jogged my memory a bit little bit of my mother.”
Maluma made positive his line would match and flatter all physique varieties. “I designed issues that everyone can put on — it doesn’t matter the dimensions,” he says. “If you understand how to rock it, you’re gonna really feel snug with it.”
The identify of his model, Royalty, was impressed by the love — and loyalty — he has been proven from his hometown followers. One among his 30-plus tattoos (he’s “misplaced depend”) is a crown on the left aspect of his neck in honor of them. “I bought it due to my followers,” he says. “If the king has a crown, it’s as a result of the individuals from the city gave it to him. I felt just like the individuals in my hometown, they had been loving my music, they had been loving my motion.”

On April 30, Maluma will play for 50,000 followers on the “Medellín for the World” live performance on the Atanasio Girardot stadium. It’s that sort of assist that makes him preserve his dwelling base in Medellín (though he additionally has a spot in Miami). It additionally retains him near his household, who impressed his musical moniker — a mixture of the primary two letters of his mom’s identify (Marlli), his father’s identify (Luis) and his sister’s identify (Manuela).
However the star reps for his nation wherever he goes, which is why it was so particular for him to be part of “Encanto” — an animated movie a couple of Colombian household. (He voices Isabela’s hunky fiancé, Mariano.)
“I needed to be within the film so dangerous that I attempted to discover a technique to report the vocals in the course of the ‘Papi Juancho’ tour,” he says. “I like being a part of one of many motion pictures that’s altering the face of my nation. I really feel related with the film as a result of that’s one thing that I’m attempting to do too proper now, you realize? I don’t need individuals to speak about Colombia and take into consideration medication, about violence, about Pablo Escobar. That’s not Colombia anymore … we really feel happy with being a part of the change.”

Though Maluma sings in English for the primary time on “Marry Me,” don’t anticipate him to surrender on recording in Spanish. Simply take a look at his attractive new single “Cositas de la USA.” “I’m an enormous fan of American hip-hop: 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre. I used to be raised listening to that music,” he says. “However my favourite is Spanish [language] music … and I’m not going to vary it. It doesn’t imply that I’m by no means going to sing in English, after all. However let’s anticipate proper now.”
And whereas he’s additionally holding off on any ideas of marriage, Maluma says he has skilled some “lovely relationships.” He dated mannequin Natalia Barulich after which, after they cut up, was noticed getting cozy with one other mannequin, Vivien Rubin. Lately, the self-proclaimed romantic has been linked with Colombian architect Susana Gómez.
“I don’t need to say that I’m in a relationship, as a result of it’s not like that,” he says. “I’m simply letting issues glide. You already know, I’m simply caring for the those who I like. I’m caring for my profession. Every thing is occurring in a great way. I’m glad, and I’m at peace with myself. I’m simply residing a wonderful second.”
Images by Kurt Iswarienko; Vogue Editor: Serena French; Stylist: Anahita Moussavian; Picture Editor: Jessica Hober; Vogue Assistant: Sean Rodriguez; Groomer: Cynthia Alvarez at The Wall Group