“You just have to remind yourself of all the things that people

can’t get from anyone else that they could get from you, all

the things you have to offer that are unique… No one could be

a Rico Nasty, no one could be a Kali Uchis. That’s our power.”

Preparing for the release of her highly anticipated sophomore

album, Kali Uchis is thinking about how far she’s come since

she started making music in her teenage bedroom in Virginia.

In conversation with Maryland rapper Rico Nasty for our

Autumn issue, Uchis looks back on how she’s evolved since

then, and how she's never changed who she is to fit in or sell

records. Reflecting on the pressures of an industry that

favours streaming numbers over their vision, they discuss

what they believe artists should stand for and the success of

their new track together, “Aquí Yo Mando”.

While we wait patiently for the rest of the album to drop,

Uchis lets us know what we can expect, how she feels about

releasing her first full project in Spanish, and why it’s

important to her to take risks and keep us on our toes.