Track Review: Cafecito // Karina Magallon
I’m not a coffee drinker preferring herbal tea, but I can understand the effects of a warm drink on the drinker. I’m not talking about enjoying the taste or it warming you up but the deeper, more passionate effects. Singer-songwriter Karina Magallon shows us what coffee means to her in the new single ‘Cafecito’.
Embracing a love for music early in life (age 5 to be exact), she has evolved as a multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer alike. Influenced by artists like Whitney Houston, Shakira and Dua Lipa, it is no wonder that Karina’s vocals are pure, honest and enchanting. Featured on Buzz Music, The Nuance Magazine and several online radio stations/playlists, Karina is gathering interest on an international scale. Her creative pop meets Latin music can get your toe-tapping and head-bopping, so let’s delve into her latest release.
According to the US-based artist, ‘Cafecito’ is about a deep romance and inspired by “the feeling of being madly in love…”. So, where does the coffee come in? Karina explains that “coffee not only tastes delicious but it reminds me of home and my family…coffee gives off these warm and fuzzy feelings of love like how I feel towards my lover.” Using her Panamanian-American culture, Karina captures two lifestyles in a single song.
As we mentioned, ‘Cafecito’ touches on a deep romance and that “butterflies in your stomach” feeling when falling for the love of your life. Soft, soothing and languid, Karina tosses you into a flowing river of ecstasy and I’m not talking about the drug; although, you might lose your head in her music. A sonic representation of pure love, the pop track is certainly a soul-stirring one.
What definitely stands out for me is not Karina’s tender vocals, the bi-lingual lyrics or the sincerity of the lyricism, but her vocals at the end. Similar to Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, Karina hits some high notes with ease. Inexplicably beautiful, although I have done my best to describe the track, ‘Cafecito’ is a simplistic sonic representation of passion in its purest form.