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In a virtual ceremony, Ivy Queen spoke about how she had to overcome obstacles in reggaeton, a style that is now sweeping the world and that in its beginnings was dominated by men.
“In my genre, I was the first woman to sing reggaeton. Previously there were ‘merenrap’ and things like that, but when I got into rap and reggaeton they told me: ‘Ah, a woman rapping, what is that’.”
Martha Ivelisse Pesante Rodríguez (Ivy Queen) is a Latin Grammy nominated reggaeton composer and singer with over 20 years making music. She was one of the first women to be nominated for a Latin GRAMMY in the Best Urban Music Album category. Through her lyrics she shines a light on important matters such as women’s empowerment, gay issues and racism.
“It is a constant battle in which you have to prove that you are who you are and that no one is going to steal what you were born with. It is a constant challenge”, Ivy stated. In addition, she admitted that it took her a while to realize that “being different and sounding different” was not “a curse” but “a gift.”
“When I started, I had many things that were a disadvantage. My nails were an ‘issue’ (a problem), my colored hair, my appearance, my loose clothes ... Everything was an ‘issue’. Like I had to please others and stop pleasing myself.”
The ‘queen of reggeaton’ used her social media to express her hapinness and gratitude. “I score a great victory in my life. To be honored and recognized by the @latingrammys academy and presented to collect my award from @residente and the beautiful words of the beautiful @cazzu the words of my close friends have me radiating.”
Ivy Queen is a reference in the urbano world and the singer took the opportunity to empower women in the Latin music industry and encouraged them “not be silenced”, to break with the status quo and she also urged them “not to let their legacy and their mark disappear.”