The Story Behind Latin Music’s Viral Summer Smash ‘Gata Only’

This story is part of our Sondio Latino series for Hispanic Heritage Month.
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NOBODY REALLY SAW the dark, low-fi reggaeton hit “Gata Only” coming. The shadowy club hit, by FloyyMenor featuring Cris MJ, started out wrapped up in some mystery, partially because prior to the song’s success, FloyyMenor was a local, hard-to-pin-down Chilean artist whose face and identity had been largely hidden from the internet. He first dropped “Gata Only” as a solo track last December. But in February, he added fellow Chilean and rising star Cris MJ as a collaborator for a new version — and they had magic on their hands.

FloyyMenor says he came up with the song after going through a personal experience. “I wrote ‘Gata Only’ about a year and a half ago, at the time I was missing my significant other, that inspired me to write,” he says. “It was the first time I tried something more commercial. Before that, I was focused on malianteo and I wasn’t sure when would be the right time to release it or if fans would like it.”

Cris MJ was instantly game to become part of the track. “The song’s success was immense when we recorded it and we knew it was going to be worldwide,” he says. “I had faith in that, in that it would become the most listened to Latin song in 2024, getting into important playlists.”

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“Gata Only,” with its snaking reggaeton beat and dusky vocals, blew up on TikTok first with younger fans. From there, it blasted up the charts, becoming one of the summer’s most inescapable club bangers and making the twosome the first Chileans to snag a spot in the Top 10 of Billboard ’s Hot Latin Songs in 25 years. It’s drawn attention to the country’s scene, which has been overflowing with new face s — like the singer-rapper Akriila — making DIY trap, reggaeton, and more.

For FloyyMenor and Cris MJ, this is just the beginning. Both artists are hard at work on new music, eager to keep the momentum going. The two recently dropped a joint EP called MJ , or Mala Junta, that keeps their sound and collaboration front and center.

“So much of this has shown how rich Chile’s music is,” says Cris MJ, who is getting ready to release more songs or his own soon. He’s quick to say that the Chilean music scene could use more movement and that the process is evolving as artists tap into stronger lyrics and sounds. But he’s proud to represent with the viral hit: “It shows the talent we have and that we can make everyone dance.”

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