“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
– Harriet Tubman
What does it mean when a native of your hometown becomes a huge success?
Karol G, a Medellin Native and Hometown Hero
For the poor children and abused young women of Casa de Sueños who have faced difficulty and adversity, seeing Karole G, a Medellin native, gives hope. When someone born and raised in the same town becomes a global celebrity, you have hope that you, too, can follow your dreams and achieve them.
Who is Karole G?
Karole G, born in Medellin, is one of the top female Latin performers in the world. Thirty-three years old, she’s risen to the top of the pop charts, beginning with her first hit in 2017, “Ahora Me Llama,” translated, “Now He Calls Me.” She was the first woman to debut on the Billboard 200 with an all-Spanish language album, titled “Manana Sera Bonito.” The English translation for that would be “Tomorrow Will Be Beautiful,” a title reflecting the hope that she’s passing on to the girls of Casa de Sueños.
Dozens of Karole G’s songs have hit the “Hot 100” list, and she has collaborated with top-tier talent from around the worldt: fellow Colombians, Shakira and J Balvin; other Latin-based singers Nicki Minaj, from Trinidad, and Puerto-Rican Anuel AA. Karole G has also performed and recorded songs with American artists, Pop Smoke, Becky G, and The Jonas Brothers.
A collaborative video of “China” released in 2019, got more than one billion views on YouTube!
Succeeding isn’t easy
Karole G. knew what she wanted to do. She studied music at the University of Antioquia. While going to school, she gained experience and built a network by singing backup for other artists. She met with Universal Records in Miami, but they decided not to sign her because they thought that a woman could not be successful in reggaeton.
Reggaeton is a style of music, the most popular genre in Spanish-speaking nations. It combines elements of hip-hop, Latin, and Caribbean music.
Karole G exemplifies the “never-give-up” principle that the young women at Casa de Sueños can relate to.
When Universal refused to sign her, Karole G vowed not to quit. She and her father decided to promote her career on their own, and Karole performed at clubs, colleges, and festivals all across Colombia.
It was hard work. Believing that her career was not taking off, Karole G decided to come to America and live with her aunt. While in the United States, she decided to take some business classes in music administration. Those classes inspired her and reinvigorated her desire to succeed in the music world.
Persistence paid off. That year, Karole G’s song, “Ricos Besos” (Sweet Kisses) hit the charts in Colombia, and in 2016, she signed with Universal Music Latino. That year, she released three songs to lead up to her first album.
The rest, as they say, is history!
Inspiring and multi-talented:
Karole G didn’t give up on her dreams. She struggled to succeed as a female performer in a genre that had been male-dominated. Often, her work as a performer evoked unwanted sexual propositions, another facet of life that many of the young women at Casa de Suenos understand.
Now, her musical career has expanded. She won her first Grammys in February of 2024. and has added the title of “actress” to her credits. Karole G had a starring role in the Netflix limited series, Griselda.
Those business classes she took while in the United States? They not only inspired her, but they taught her about promotion, management, and marketing. In 2022, the shoe company, CROCS, partnered with Karole G as their first collaboration with a major female artist.
The result? Karole G CROCS sold out!
“Tomorrow Will Be Beautiful” for the girls and women of Casa de Sueños
You’ve heard of “Hometown Heroes,” but do you know the term, “she-roes”? Maya Angelou, the American writer and performer, coined the term when she noted the value of strong women and why we need to acknowledge them. She said,
‘How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our Heroes and She-roes.”
The young women of Casa de Sueños understand “she-roes.” They see them in their teachers, their classmates, and women like Karole G who prove that following a dream is possible with hard work, determination, and persistence. Success is knowing, like Karole G suggests, that “Tomorrow Will Be Beautiful.”
If you want to help other young women succeed, donate to Casa de Sueños, the premier foundation for poor children and abused young women in Medellin.