El Fother

Defying label advice, Kali Uchis keeps the Spanish—God wouldn’t have it English

Interpolating the industry’s frequent chorus of conformity, Kali Uchis steers clear of the expected. She recounts in her Billboard cover story how industry voices urged her to abandon Spanish lyrics for more collectible English hooks.

Insisting on honoring her bilingual heritage, she likens ignoring her dual identity to “spitting in God’s face.” She attributes past rejection to others’ discomfort with her stylistic choices, not their merit.