Becky G is framing her fifth studio album, Baraja Bendita, as more than another release. For the Mexican-American artist, the August project represents the lessons, setbacks and creative freedom that have shaped her career — along with the Spanglish, genre-defying identity she says has always been part of her work.
Speaking with Billboard co-chief content officer Jason Lipshutz during a Superstar Q&A on Wednesday, Oct. 21, Becky described the album as a major personal and professional milestone.
“I definitely feel very blessed,” she said. “It was a life-changing year in a lot of ways. I released my album Baraja Bendita, which is my fifth studio album, which is crazy to say out loud because there was a moment in my career where I didn’t think I would ever be able to release even one.”
Creating the record brought its own sense of fulfillment, but sending it into the world carried an additional emotional meaning. “Releasing it was kind of the release — like, literal release — to the world,” she explained.
The meaning behind Baraja Bendita
The album’s title translates to “the blessed deck of cards.” Its central idea is that people may not be able to choose the cards they receive, but they can decide how to play them. That philosophy connects directly to the dualities Becky sees in both the project and herself.
“It’s the fact that I’m a Spanglish speaker. It’s the fact that I’m a genreless artist, and it is a genreless album, and it is a Spanglish album unapologetically,” she said. “I got signed in a time where that wasn’t necessarily as celebrated as it is today.”
That refusal to follow a fixed category also shaped the recording process. Rather than beginning with rigid rules about genre or sound, Becky said she entered the studio wanting to “f–k shit up” and give herself more freedom to experiment.
“I wanted to do fun stuff. I wanted to make fun music,” she said. “It allowed me to make a lot more room for fun, for play.”
Building a bigger table for women
Becky characterized this period of her life as “a season of completion,” with different parts of her career coming full circle. She pointed to one of her early Billboard panels, where she appeared with Karol G, Anitta and Natti Natasha, and reflected on the community women in Latin music have built together.
“Siempre he dicho que juntas somos más. We’re so much more when we come together,” she said.
For Becky, that solidarity was not automatic. She said women are frequently positioned as competitors within the industry, making trust and openness essential to forming real relationships.
“You have to be vulnerable and you have to expose yourself and you have to reach out and sometimes ask for help or ask questions,” she said.
Looking back at the business she entered more than a decade ago, Becky recalled hearing claims that “women don’t sell tickets” and that only one woman could occupy the available space. She believes a more inclusive approach is now emerging.
“There was one seat at the table,” she said. “And I think now the season we’re in is we’re building our own table. And at our table everyone eats.”
She also credited patience and faith for helping her navigate that progress. “God is never late,” Becky said. “Everything happens the way it’s supposed to, and you just have to trust that.”
Acting returns to the picture
Music is not Becky’s only current creative outlet. She recently completed work on a boxing film that she said connected with her on a “soul level.” The film touches on coming of age, community and mental health.
Although music was present throughout her childhood, Becky said acting was her first creative love. “I started when I was 9 years old,” she said. “And it’s something that I love very much, and I would love to do more.”
Her ambitions also extend behind the camera. Becky said she loves the idea of producing and directing, viewing music and acting as different ways to serve the same storytelling impulse.
“In every project that I do, there has to be something more that is bigger than me, but about the we of it,” she said. “Art and advocacy can coexist. I think that’s actually where a lot of change happens.”
She connected that outlook to the importance of depicting Latino joy, describing joy as part of resistance and saying it was the reason she created the song “Epa.”
ShowBiz Take
Baraja Bendita matters because Becky G is presenting its genreless, Spanglish character not as a compromise, but as the album’s foundation. Her comments place the record within a broader story about creative control, perseverance and the value of artists supporting one another rather than accepting limited space.
The album also appears to mark a point of reflection rather than a stopping point. Even as Becky takes time to enjoy life after its release, her interests are expanding across music, acting and possible work as a producer or director. Through each avenue, she says the priority remains storytelling with a purpose beyond herself.
What Happens Next?
Becky did not disclose details of her next project, but she confirmed that its direction is already taking shape. “I already have my next project very, very clear,” she said.
For now, she is allowing herself to appreciate what Baraja Bendita represents. When asked how she remains grounded amid her busy career, her answer was direct: “It’s always been family.” Becky G also appeared on the cover of Billboard Español in April.