Forget Gorillaz, The Archies, or any other act that's crossed over from the cartoon world to the charts. The first, most prolific, and certainly the squeakiest two-dimensional hitmakers remain Alvin and the Chipmunks. 

The cutesy critters have released a remarkable 38 studio albums since creator Ross Bagdasarian realized that manipulating a tape recorder to play at various speeds can produce novelty music magic. More than a dozen have made the Billboard 200, four of which went top 10.  

While Alvin, Simon, and Theodore are now more renowned for giving the pop hits of the day the helium-like treatment, their crowning glory is, in fact, an original composition, and one which celebrates its 65th anniversary this December: "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)." 

From GRAMMY wins and chart records to Hollywood soundtracks and contemporary cover versions, here's a look why "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" remains one of the most beloved festive singalongs.

It Spawned The Entire Chipmunks Franchise 

Following the chart-topping success of his 1958 novelty hit "Witch Doctor" — which featured the then-uncredited Chipmunks on its memorable "ooh-ee-ooh-ah-ah" hook — Bagdasarian was asked by Liberty Records for a follow-up. Instead of continuing to use the rather mundane pseudonym of David Seville, the songwriter decided that not one but three cartoon chipmunks should take the credit. 

Mischievously named after label execs Al Bennett, Si Waronker, and Ted Keep, Alvin, Simon, and Theodore were first depicted on the artwork for "The Chipmunk Song." And within three years, they were gracing their own comic book, animated TV series and numerous full-length LPs. 

The lovable rodents experienced a resurgence in popularity thanks to NBC's 1980s revival, and then again in the 2000s with the series of live-action movies. And their holiday tune has never been too far from their chubby cheeks.   

It's A Multiple GRAMMY Winner 

When guessing which act dominated the inaugural GRAMMYs of 1958, you'd probably plump for Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, or any number of swing, jazz, and blues legends that emerged during the post-war era. But you'd be wrong: the biggest winners on the night were three squeaky-voiced members of the Sciuridae family. 

Yes, "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" picked up three awards — Best Recording for Children, Best Comedy Performance, and Best Engineered Record, Non-Classical — at the prestigious event. And Alvin and the Chipmunks also joined Ol' Blue Eyes in the Record Of The Year category, although both lost out to Dominico Modugno's Eurovision entry "Volare."  

It Held A Chart Record For 61 Years 

"The Chipmunk Song" became the first-ever Christmas tune to top the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, enjoying a four-week stint there across the 1958 holiday season. Remarkably, everything from Wham's "Last Christmas" and the Ronettes' "Sleigh Ride" to Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock" and Andy Williams' "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" failed to repeat this feat over the next 61 years. 

It was only when Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" finally hit the No. 1 spot in 2019, a full quarter-century after its release, that The Chipmunks got some company in this exclusive club. Carey has, of course, since made a habit of reaching pole position every Christmas, meaning she's surpassed the rodents' total by eight weeks (and counting). And 65 years after, Brenda Lee released her own holiday classic, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" has now broken all kinds of chart records to join the list, too.  

It's Had A Remarkable Shelf Life 

"The Chipmunk Song" could never be described as a passing fad. It returned to the Hot 100 throughout the early 1960s before becoming a staple of Billboard's Christmas Records chart (which has since become the Holiday 100, where the song peaked at No. 26 in 2015). And in December 2007, it enjoyed a revival thanks to the box office success of Alvin and the Chipmunks' first live-action adventure. Indeed, a new remix produced specially for the movie entered the Hot 100 (though it only peaked at No. 66). 

It's A Hollywood Favorite 

Along with chart success and its inevitable inclusion in Alvin and the Chipmunks' 2007 big-screen debut, "The Chipmunk Song" has received several onscreen shouts in both movies and television. 

The holiday hit has appeared in films as diverse as, 1993 family comedy Look Who's Talking, 1997 gangster thriller Donnie Brasco, and 2017 high-octane actioner The Fate of the Furious, but was perhaps most memorably used in the sun-kissed opening credits of Cameron Crowe's 2000 semi-autobiographical Almost Famous. It's also regularly graced the small screen including a 1998 festive "The King of Queens" episode which centered around leading man Doug's love of the song, and his father-in-law's pure hatred of it. 

It Was A Sales Juggernaut 

The teenage audience on American Bandstand might not have been a fan — "The Chipmunk Song" holds the unfortunate distinction of being the lowest-scored track in Rate-A-Record history — yet it seems like the rest of America couldn't get their hands on a copy quick enough. The novelty hit sold an astonishing 4.5 million copies in its first seven weeks, which remained a record until The Beatles' "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" sold five million within the same time frame six years later. 

It's also done big numbers in the digital age, amassing more than 665,000 paid downloads and over 112 million U.S. streams to date. In fact, according to Billboard, the two-minute ditty accumulates $300,000 every year for its publisher. It therefore sits comfortably inside the Top 20 best-selling Christmas songs of all time, but has some way to go to surpass the reported 50 million physical sales and more than 1.8 billion streams achieved by Bing Crosby's "White Christmas." 

It Boasts An Impressive Musical Pedigree 

Hailed as the vocal answer to session musician collective The Wrecking Crew, The Ron Hicklin Singers provided backup for artists as esteemed as Sammy Davis Jr., Johnny Cash, and Frank Sinatra. But did you know their frontman also lent his tones, albeit in unrecognizable form, to a trio of fictional chipmunks? 

Yes, although he wasn't credited on "Christmas Don't Be Late," Hicklin and several other "ghost singers" worked painstakingly on the track, as he later told The Hollywood Reporter: "We'd sing in slow motion for everything. It was one of the hardest things we had to do. What was a four-bar phrase for The Beatles became an eight-bar phrase. You'd run out of breath. The sheer work of doing it was remarkable." 

It Even Impressed The Beatles 

In 1964, The Chipmunks capitalized on the rise of Beatlemania with a tribute album covering the likes of "Love Me Do," "Please Please Me," and "I Want To Hold Your Hand." You might think the Fab Four would take umbrage at hearing their perfectly crafted pop songs performed by a bunch of high-pitched cartoon rodents — but actually, The Chipmunks Sings The Beatles Hits had the full blessing of Liverpool's finest. According to Ross Bagdasarian Jr., John Lennon and co. were so impressed by his father's GRAMMY-winning engineering on "The Chipmunk Song" they gave him the freedom to do what he liked with their early hits.  

It Saved Liberty Records 

In a roundabout way, the likes of Bobby Vee, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, and Willie Nelson all have "The Chipmunk Song" to thank for their early careers. Indeed, even with the success of "Witch Doctor," Liberty Records was in danger of going bankrupt as 1958 drew to a close. 

However, thanks to the multi-million sales of "Christmas Don't Be Late," the company was given a financial reprieve. They went on to give several chart-topping acts their big break and remained a thriving label until they were bought out by United Artists in 1971. And all this from a song that Liberty boss Al Bennett reportedly initially turned down! 

It's Now A Festive Standard 

Smooth saxophonist Kenny G and Latin pop vocalist Jaci Valesquez have both added their own touches to "Christmas Don't Be Late" on duets with the high-pitched trio. But the track has also been covered by artists without any specific chipmunk affiliation. 

Norah Jones served up a typically classy jazz rendition on her 2021 LP I Dream of Christmas. Bryson Tiller and Pentatonix gave it a vocal workout on the former's A Different Christmas album that same year, while on 2016's A Very Kacey Christmas, Kacey Musgraves turned the novelty tune into a charming country waltz. Tegan and Sara, Goo Goo Dolls, and Tamar Braxton are just a handful of other contemporary artists who have put their spin on "The Chipmunk Song" — a further testament to its acclaim as one of the all-time Christmas classics.   

New Holiday Songs For 2023: Listen To Festive Releases From Aespa, Brandy, Sabrina Carpenter & More

Every awards show has to start somewhere and Music's Biggest Night is no different.

More than a decade before the annual GRAMMY Awards telecast debuted on CBS in 1973 for everyone to see, the GRAMMY Awards got off to a swingin' start back in 1959. Though no television cameras were present, there was plenty of awards, black-tie formal wear and star power to go around.

Take a journey back to where it all began and learn about seven things that happened at the 1st GRAMMY Awards.

1. 1st GRAMMYs, Two Locations

The inaugural GRAMMY Awards was a bicoastal affair. On May 4, 1959, a black-tie dinner and awards presentation was held at the Grand Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. Hosted by comedian Mort Sahl, among the music elite in attendance were Rat Packers Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin, singing cowboy Gene Autry, singer Peggy Lee, Tin Pan Alley alum Johnny Mercer, composer Henry Mancini, and pianist/conductor André Previn. At the same time, Recording Academy members convened for a simultaneous function at the Park Sheraton Hotel in New York City.

Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. at the 1st GRAMMY Awards in Los Angeles
Photo: William Claxton/Courtesy Denmont Photo Management

2. The Chairman's First GRAMMY Win

<iframe src="https://tools.applemusic.com/embed/v1/album/724727840?country=us" height="500px" width="100%" frameborder="0"></iframe>
Sinatra was at the top of his acting and music game in the late '50s, so it's no surprise he emerged as the top nominee at the 1st GRAMMY Awards. His six nominations included two nods for Album Of The Year for Come Fly With Me and Only The Lonely, Record Of The Year for "Witchcraft," and two nominations for Best Vocal Performance, Male. Though the Chairman of the Board didn't win any of these categories, he did pick up his first win for Best Album Cover for Only The Lonely.

3. Count Basie To Ella Fitzgerald: Double The GRAMMY Pleasure

Who were the big winners at the first show? A total of six artists shared that distinction with two wins each. Mancini, jazz bandleader Count Basie, singer Ella Fitzgerald, conductor Felix Slatkin, Italian singer/songwriter Domenico Modugno, and Alvin And The Chipmunks music group creator Ross Bagdasarian Sr. (aka David Seville) picked up two GRAMMYs.

4. Mancini's Album Of The Year Mark

<iframe src="https://tools.applemusic.com/embed/v1/album/953533279?country=us" height="500px" width="100%" frameborder="0"></iframe>

As the composer of "The Pink Panther Theme," "Days Of Wine And Roses" and "Moon River," Mancini's ability to create memorable film and TV music was unrivaled. When the composer won Album Of The Year for The Music From Peter Gunn, he accomplished something that has yet to be duplicated in GRAMMY history. The Music From Peter Gunn, the music complement for the TV series that aired from 1958–1961, remains the lone television soundtrack to win the prestigious award. Three film soundtracks have been so recognized. Do you know which ones they are? (If you guessed Saturday Night Fever, The Bodyguard and O Brother, Where Art Thou?, you're right on the money.)

5. Winners Recognized In 28 Categories

Speaking of winners, the 1st GRAMMY Awards crowned them in 28 categories. (By comparison, there are now 84 GRAMMY categories.) Six of the categories, representing nearly 25 percent of the entire field, were of the classical variety. In addition to Slatkin, the first GRAMMY classical winners included the Hollywood String Quartet, pianist Van Cliburn, guitarists Laurindo Almeida and Andrés Segovia, choir director Roger Wagner, and soprano Renata Tebaldi.

6. A Children's Song Gets A Record Of The Year Nod

<iframe width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SAS_JoUw7wA" frameborder="0" gesture="media" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

"The Chipmunks Song," the cuddly brainchild of Bagdasarian, was among the nominees for Record Of The Year. Though it ended up not capturing the award, it holds the distinction of being the lone children's recording to be nominated in the category. (As mentioned earlier, the holiday song did net Bagdasarian two awards. It also earned Best Engineered Record — Non-Classical honors.)

7. Modugno's Foreign GRAMMY Record

<iframe width="620" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f2P-RQ4s_f0" frameborder="0" gesture="media" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The Italian singer/songwriter Modugno's "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)" ("In The Blue That Is Painted Blue") was a huge hit worldwide, landing at No. 1 in the United States. The smooth ballad earned both Song and Record Of The Year honors at the inaugural GRAMMYs. To date, it is the only foreign-language recording to win either of those categories. Can "Despacito" match the mark? The Luis Fonsi/Daddy Yankee/Justin Bieber smash is up for both categories for the 60th GRAMMY Awards.

Want More GRAMMY History? Pick A Copy Of And The GRAMMY Goes To…
 

Long before Twenty One Pilots developed a cult following, the Columbus, Ohio natives were determined to not be put into a box. From their first EP, 2009's Johnny Boy, they've blended elements of emo, rap, alt-pop, electronica, incorporating hardcore and hip-hop into their shows. "No one knew where to put us," drummer Josh Dun told USA Today in 2014. "But we've approached live shows as a way to build something from nothing."

In the decade since, the band's sheer determination and eclectic onstage personality have made them one of the biggest rock groups of their generation. They're equally as spontaneous and intriguing in their music, building an entire world through dynamic soundscapes and visuals — and their new album, Clancy, ties all of it together.  

As the band revealed in a press release upon announcing the album in March, Clancy "marks the final chapter in an ambitious multi-album narrative" that began with Blurryface in 2015. But it certainly doesn't feel like an ending; Clancy further expands on the theatrical style and eclectic sound they've showcased from the start, offering both a resolution and an evolution.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by twenty one pilots (@twentyonepilots)

While the makings of the signature Twenty One Pilots aesthetic began with its original formation as a trio — lead singer Tyler Joseph and his friends Nick Thomas and Chris Salih — it truly took shape when Dun replaced Thomas and Salih in 2011. Dun and Joseph had a common goal to re-formulate the way songs and shows were crafted; the drummer utilized samples and backing tapes at their gigs, helping the band dive deeper into their alternative style by fusing everything from reggae to pop together.

As a newly formed duo, Twenty One Pilots issued their album Regional at Best in 2011 — their last release before they signed to a major label (though, as they told Huffpost in 2013, they since consider the record a "glorified mixtape"). After significant social media buzz and selling out a show at Newport Music Hall in Columbus, the duo was courted by a dozen record labels, which set the stage for their big break.

"We went from no one in the industry caring to all of the sudden it was the hot thing for every label, independent and major, to be interested in some way," Joseph told Columbus Monthly in 2012 upon signing to Fueled by Ramen, which the singer said they were drawn to because they were able to retain "creative control" — a factor that would become increasingly more important with each release. 

Their 2013 album Vessel — which featured a combination of new and re-recorded songs from Regional At Best —spawned the band's first charting single, "Holding On to You," a rap-meets-pop track that oscillates from sensitive indie ballad to energetic anthem. Not only had they begun making a mark commercially, but it seemed to be the album that Twenty One Pilots felt they were hitting their stride creatively, too: "I know some people might not like this, but I kind of view Vessel as our first record," Joseph told Kerrang!at the time.

Though the character "Clancy" first came about with 2018's Trench, Twenty One Pilots actually introduced the world that Clancy would eventually live in with 2015's Blurryface, which focused on a titular character who embodies depression and anxiety. "It's a guy who kind of represents all the things that I as an individual, but also everyone around me, are insecure about," Joseph said of his alter-ego in a 2015 interview with MTV.

To convey the "feeling of suffocation" caused by insecurities from what he creates, Joseph began wearing black paint on his neck and hands in music videos and on stage to represent the "Blurryface" character. As Joseph told the Recording Academy in 2015, the "common thread" of all of the songs on Blurryface was that Joseph's alter-ego would be defeated, and each song wrestled with the dichotomy between darkness and optimism.

While Vessel kickstarted the band's commercial success, Blurryface saw their popularity explode and resulted in the band's best-selling single, the eerie rap-rock anthem "Stressed Out." The commercial success of Blurryface helped their hot streak continue into 2016 with the release of "Heathens." While the song served as the first single from the Suicide Squad soundtrack, its haunting production fits right into the world the pair had begun building with Blurryface. Their acclaim continued to grow, with Twenty One Pilots earning their first GRAMMY in 2017 for "Stressed Out" in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Category — and, in line with their affinity for stunts, dropping their pants as they accepted their award.

Ahead of the release of their 2018 concept album Trench, the lore surrounding "Clancy" really began. Twenty One Pilots began leaving clues for fans on a website known as DMAORG, which featured black-and-white images and letters from "Clancy," who ultimately became the protagonist of the album. Twenty One Pilots fans (often referred to as the"Skeleton Clique") began clamoring to deduce puzzling clues and posting their theories about the narrative's endgame online.

With Trench, they found more characters and a deeper narrative. The overall album depicts "a world where nine dictatorial bishops keep the inhabitants (Tyler included) of a fictional place named Dema from escaping its controlling clutches, with the help of the Banditos — a rebel organization (featuring Josh)." On a larger scale, the album grapples with mental illness, suicide and an expansion on Joseph's insecurities from Blurryface. 

But Trench isn't one cohesive story; rather, it's a series of songs with clues embedded within. For instance, in "Morph," the character Nico is introduced, who is also the subject of "Nico and The Niners." From there, fans gleaned that Nico was one of nine bishops controlling the citizens of Dema, and those nine bishops were represented by each of the songs on Blurryface. The bombastic "Pet Cheetah" references that the house has vultures on the roof which alludes to it — and Joseph's home — being Dema. 

As with Blurryface, visuals became an integral part of the album cycle. This time, they used them to illustrate life in the dystopian Dema, which personifies depression through the trilogy of music videos for "Levitate," "Nico and The Niners" and "Jumpsuit." While Joseph's black-painted neck and hands signaled the Blurryface era, dark green clothing marked with yellow tape signaled the Trench era. During this time, the "Clancy" character remained shrouded in mystery — though through videos and letters shared by the band, fans theorized that it is an opposing force to "Blurryface."

By the time Twenty One Pilots' 2021 album, Scaled and Icy, came around, fans quickly noticed that it paid homage to "Clancy" as an anagram for "Clancy is dead," while also acknowledging the COVID-19 pandemic as a shortened phrase for "scaled back and isolated." While Twenty One Pilots could have leaned into the harrowing events of lockdown, they instead chose to focus on what has driven the band itself, the power of imagination — something that has been behind much of the band's work since Blurryface.

With the album came three singles — the propulsive "Shy Away," the heartwrenching banger "Choker" and the funk-pop-tinged "Saturday — which were recorded when the duo was working virtually during the pandemic. Unlike the past two projects which grappled with this doomed slant, Scaled and Icy pivoted toward a sunnier sound, signaling a shift in the narrative. But it didn't mean the dark world of Blurryface and Trench were completely in the past; upon Scaled and Icy's release, Joseph revealed to Apple Music that there would be "one more record" and "an explanation and book end" before moving onto another story.

Three years following the release of Scaled and Icy, fans began receiving letters from the "Sacred Municipality of Dema" — a reference to the fictional city featured on Trench, signaling what appeared to be a new era diving deeper into the band's lore. Since the previous record featured an anagram about "Clancy" in its title, it seemed natural that the next album would be named after the character. 

"'Clancy' is our protagonist in this story we've been telling, stretched out over the last several records. 'Clancy' is the type of character who, for a long time, didn't know if he was a leader or not, didn't want to take that responsibility," Joseph told BBC Radio earlier this year.

As the singer had hinted in the Scaled and Icy era, Clancy brings fans back to the darker narrative that began with Blurryfacet. After Joseph's character escapes Dema a handful of times, joins a rebellion, then is captured again, he finally has the same abilities as the bishops and aims to free the people of Dema. The album attempts to answer a few conceptual questions along the way.

Clancy's blistering first single, "Overcompensate" is inherently hopeful, and answers the long-lingering question fans have been wondering: Who is "Clancy"? According to the psych-funk number, it's been Joseph all along ("If you can't see, I am Clancy/ Prodigal son, done running, come up with Josh Dun.") As Joseph further explained to BBC Radio, "[With] 'Overcompensate', there's a bit of a confidence and swagger in it that the character needed to embody in order to take on the new role in the story we've been telling, and Clancy is gonna rise up as that person."

But much of the album focuses less on the literal lore, instead tackling the overarching themes of its counterparts: Joseph's struggles with mental health. Despite the darker, anxious nature of the album's lyrics, the majority of Clancy has a self-assured breeziness to it, jumping off of the upbeat Scaled and Icy sound. 

On the ballad-like closer, "Paladin Strait" — named after a fictional body of water off the coast of Dema —Twenty One Pilots really digs into the narrative of "Clancy" the character in a literal way again. What's revealed is the final battle between "Clancy" and "Blurryface" with no apparent winner — alluding to the idea that there is not necessarily a triumph over depression. In the final line, the band offers a callback to a lyric from Blurryface: "So few, so proud, so emotional/ Hello, Clancy."

While the ending may remain ambiguous, it may not be a coincidence that Twenty One Pilots postponed Clancy's release date by a week (from May 17 to May 24) in order to finish filming music videos for each of the tracks, all of which were unveiled upon the album's release. So, there's still hope that fans will find out definitively what happened to "Clancy" — or maybe it means his story isn't completely finished. 

How Andrew Watt Became Rock's Big Producer: His Work With Paul McCartney, Ozzy Osbourne, Pearl Jam, & More

Those who follow underground Spanish music have known the name Nathy Peluso for a while, but in 2020 the Argentine-Spanish artist came to the attention of a broader audience. That year,  the rapper and singer released her official debut album Calambre, which won a Latin GRAMMY for Best Alternative Album and received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album in 2021. 

Four years later, Peluso is back with Grasa [Grease]. Out May 24, the 16 track follow-up is simultaneously bolder, more vulnerable and more revealing than its predecessor, crystalizing the artist's iconoclastic and often cinema-inspired vision.

At Legacy Records, a hotspot for haute Mediterranean fare in Manhattan's Hudson Yards neighborhood, Nathy is draped in an oversized blazer and pants. She looks like a relaxed, elegant CEO and the style becomes her, especially as she balances it with ultra-feminine touches. Today, its long nails tipped in fire-engine red.

Her fashion choices are as pointed as her manicure, on and off stage. In the recent video for "Aprender a Amar," she raps ferociously into a mirror, sharply dressed in a pin-stripe tie, a jacket with exaggerated shoulders, and delicate black lace gloves. These sartorial choices ask, Why settle for a mob-wife aesthetic when you can be a don yourself?

Both visually and aurally, Nathy Peluso is part cinematic diva and part underworld kingpin, with a fair amount of Missy Elliott swagger. Her tough, independent persona was on full display on her now-multimillion streamed 2020 Bizarrap session, which smoldered and crackled with her bombast. It was fully formed on "Business Woman," from Calambre, and returned with a roar on her 2021 single "Mafiosa," a high drama salsa track.  

Her powerful energy is pure hip-hop in steel-toe Timbs, but she performs with the generous spirit of a burgeoning pop star ministering to a big house of fans. On Grasa, Nathy Peluso brings humanity to her braggadocio. This doesn’t stop her from picking up the mafia saga where she left off on Calambre. The opening track is titled "Corleone." 

Ahead of the release of her first album in four years, Nathy Peluso spoke with GRAMMY.com about overcoming creative burnout, taking inspiration from mob movies, and the true meaning of "grasa."

This album is more personal than your previous releases. What led you to open up more lyrically?

I think it just happened because I am growing. I am learning and I need to tell my truth. The way for me to do that is music. It’s been four years, but, when the moment came, I was ready.

Speaking of four years ago, 2020 was a very big year for you. A lot happened. What are your most vivid memories from that time?

Calambre was the moment. It was really special for me. Winning the GRAMMY was the moment, and then touring with that album was an amazing learning experience for me. I grew up on the stage. 

I grew up as a woman, as an artist, as a performer, maybe as a lover too. You are traveling around the world with so much pressure. Physically, it was a difficult show. I was alone on stage, with my musicians, but no dancers. It was a challenge. 

I grew up in so many ways, but when I finished that tour I was broken. My soul was broken. I was empty. I started looking for myself. It was very tough. 

It sounds like you were experiencing creative burnout.

Yes, my brain was broken, but it was necessary in order to start again. I did an album then, but I decided not to go with that album and to start again. So, it was a very long path. 

You wrote a whole album and then discarded it? What wasn’t working about it?

It was working, but it wasn’t the feelings I wanted to share and the music I wanted to share. Sometimes there are projects whose purpose is just to learn from. It was a process of learning for me. That was a very special moment. 

You start feeling like a failure, but no. It was necessary to go through that to get to Grasa. The things I learned were exactly the things I needed to know to then make this music. 

So, how did you overcome this period of burnout and get to the point where you were feeling creative again?

A lot of therapy. A lot of working on my s— and confronting it.

Is there one song on Grasa that is more intense to perform, or more emotional for you than the others?

"Envidia" is talking real s—. Things happen around you and you need to know who you are and what your intention is. You have to be focused on what you want to bring to the world and not care about anything besides your craft. People are going to talk. Things are going to be crazy. You’ve got to know your choice, your path.

Can you tell me about the song "Corleone"? How do gangster movies inspire you?

I have a song called "Mafiosa." It’s a character I love to perform and I see myself in that character. It’s relatable. The mafia have codes that represent me — not everything [laughs] — but, you know, the family, the legacy, working hard, respect. That kind of feeling in music, in cinema, is what I was looking for. I love the aesthetic. I love Tarantino. I love Tony Montana, the character. On stage, I feel like him sometimes. 

I love for a woman to be that type of character. I think it’s interesting. Usually, those kinds of feelings in music or cinema are represented by men. It’s always that way in salsa. If you look at Celia or Gloria, they were always more romantic. Maybe La Lupe was dangerous. For me, it’s important to bring that energy to the music, like, rude, strong, dangerous. Be careful, bitch!

What were some of your specific musical influences while working on this album?

Always folklore and roots, salsa and bolero, but then I was paying attention to Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West. They are a big inspiration for me. 

How do you bridge the gap, or find the connections among your different influences?

I don’t even know. I just do music, really. I go to the studio and I start singing. I just feel it.  I go to the studio, and suddenly I want to sing, and I want to cry. And then another day, I feel powerful and I want drama and aggressive stuff. It’s very honest. The starting point is always the way I feel.

Is it important to you to make music that empowers other women?

Yes. For sure. But it wasn’t ever a strategy, like, "I want to do music for empowering women." I just did my music without direction. Then I discovered people were feeling the power and using it. I feel inspired by that, but it wasn’t the point. 

What does the word "grasa" mean to you?

I chose that word because it’s the strongest word. It’s dirty. It’s funky. But it’s a word that, at least in Spanish, has a lot of meanings. So, I want people to choose the meaning. After listening to the album, you can choose the meaning and maybe redefine it with the album.

How Danna Paola Created 'CHILDSTAR' By Deconstructing Herself

As the world patiently awaits the return of BTS in full force, each member continues to deliver solo projects to show off their individual talents. And 18 months after his last album, RM is back.

With a discography that hops between pop, R&B, and hip-hop, RM returns to the spotlight with his second solo album, Right Place, Wrong Person. The project tells the relatable story of an individual who is a creature of habit, but slowly comes to find solace in foreign spaces.

Below, listen to RM's latest album, and discover more about how he's revealing a new side of his artistry with Right Place, Wrong Person.

The Tracklist

After RM's debut solo album, 2022's Indigo, had 10 tracks (including features from the likes of Erykah Badu, Anderson .Paak), he ups the tally with an 11-song tracklist this time around.

Here is the complete tracklist for Right Place, Wrong Person:

1. Right People, Wrong Place
2. Nuts
3. out of love
4. Domodachi (feat. Little Simz)
5. ? (Interlude)
6. Groin
7. Heaven
8. LOST!
9. Around the world in a day (feat. Moses Sumney)
10. ㅠㅠ (Credit Roll)
11. Come back to me

The Creative Visuals

Two weeks before the album dropped, he unveiled the music video for "Come Back to Me," the lead single from Right Place, Wrong Person. Directed by the critically acclaimed actor Lee Sung Jin, the music video narrates the tale of feeling like an outsider and yearning for a sense of belonging in unfamiliar surroundings.

Then, on the day Right Place, Wrong Person arrived, RM added to release-day excitement with another intriguing visual, this time for "LOST!" The five-minute clip sees RM as the star of "The Lost! Show," where he and a group endure an eerie whirlwind of scenarios they can't seem to get out of. It's equal parts dramatic and slapstick, and another clever display of RM's creative versatility.

Noteworthy Guests

The featured artists on Right Place, Wrong Person — British rapper Little Simz on "Domodachi" and art-pop artist Moses Sumney on "Around the world in a day" — underscore RM's ability to interlace his own musical style with artists from various genres.

The album also has some notable behind-the-scenes collaborators as well. Production credits include Kim Han-joo, keyboardist and vocalist from the South Korean rock band Silica Gel, on "LOST!" and GRAMMY-nominated jazz duo DOMi & JD Beck on "? (Interlude)."

On "Come back to me" — which RM initially debuted last August during a surprise performance at BTS bandmate Suga's encore concert in Seoul — he delves into the album's central theme of wanting to venture into unknown areas, but feeling the intense urge to stay with what's already known. The track was composed and arranged by OHHYUK from the South Korean indie-rock band Hyukoh, but also features credits from artists Kuo, JNKYRD, and San Yawn.

But no matter who RM is working with, his own talent and prowess as a creator always shines. Right Place, Wrong Person presents a diverse array of tracks marked by sheer vulnerability, honesty, and sensitivity — a masterful continuation of a remarkable solo journey.

K-Pop Summer 2024 Guide: ATEEZ, IU, TXT & More Live In Concert & On Tour