Nathy Peluso Invites You Into Her Greasy World

When Argentina's music scene began to blow up in the late 2010s and early 2020s, making acts like Tiago PZK and Nicki Nicole into household names, Nathy Peluso managed to break through thanks to her clever wordplay, impeccable flows, and undeniable personality.

It's all culminated with the release of Peluso's sophomore album, 2024's Grasa, which took home three Latin Grammys — for a career total of five — the most that any Argentine artist has ever been awarded. Grasa sees Peluso at her best, showcasing her range in genres, from hip-hop cuts that showcase her knack for spitting incredible bars to bolero vibes on songs like "Corleone." There's a lot to digest from what is easily her most personal album to date.

"The process of making Grasa was deeply personal and took me to many places, some of them quite difficult to navigate, like having to cancel an album that was already finished," Peluso tells New Times. "Creating Grasa became the resolution of many personal challenges I faced. Once I found the path I wanted to take, everything came together in Grasa. The creative process itself was relatively straightforward, but the hardest part was being in the right place emotionally and mentally to make it happen. On a creative level, I wrote almost all the lyrics at once and had a very clear idea of the direction I wanted to take."

Peluso is currently in Milan, kicking off the European leg of her Grasa Tour. The sold-out show went off without a hitch, with Peluso expressing her astonishment when fans went bar for bar with her when she played her Bizarrap collaboration.

"I played it,  and people went crazy," she says. "I was like, How is this possible? The years go by, and people still love that session."

Nathy Peluso's Viral Hit

The popularity of "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 36," which dropped in 2020, is what helped propel Peluso, producer Bizarrap, and the Argentine rap scene to new heights. It was one of the earliest viral hits for the "Bzrp Music Sessions" series, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 and charting in several Hispanic countries.

"That moment was really sweet because it was such a beautiful point in my career. I was working on Calambre and had just released the album," Peluso remembers. "We had just come out of the pandemic, which was such a strange and unsettling time for the world, and suddenly, doors started to open — new possibilities appeared. Biza had been reaching out to me for years to make a song, but it wasn't until the right beat came along that I felt inspired. Once it did, everything clicked. For me, the biggest hits happen when there's no intention of making a hit. I just got together with him and made music."

"For me, the biggest hits happen when there's no intention of making a hit."

tweet this

Although she moved to Spain at a young age, she has always held such pride in her Argentine roots and knew that it was both natural and inevitable that her native home would finally get the spotlight it deserved in terms of music.

"Some of my favorite artists — Charlie García, Serú Girán, Piazzolla, and La Negra Sosa — are a testament to that. There's always been so much talent here, and I think it's rooted in our culture," Peluso says. "It's in our roots — the way we write, the poetry of our people, and the way we play. For me, it's only natural that this happens. It makes me so happy that the world can see and appreciate it."

Peluso's range of influences includes Ella Fitzgerald and Tyler, the Creator, who, along with Kendrick Lamar, is one of her dream collaborators.

Nathy Peluso Is Still Surprising Herself

In December, Peluso appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to perform "El Dia Que Perdi Mi Juventud," alongside Blood Orange (AKA Dev Hynes), who collaborated with her on the track.

"It's one of the most personal songs I've ever written, created during such a sensitive time in my life. Initially, I thought it would just be a simple song I'd perform alone with a guitar, but everything happened so naturally," Peluso says. "I was in the studio with Dev, and I played the song for him, just casually, as I would with any other. He loved it instantly and jumped on it without hesitation. That wasn't part of my plan at all, so the song has been surprising me since the very moment it took shape. For me, it's proof of how songs can surprise you and breathe life into you. You never know what's going to happen with a song. You just have to create it from the heart and let the rest of the story unfold on its own."

The other track she performed on the Tonight Show was "Corleone," she coproduced alongside Manuel Lara, who has previously worked with artists like Kali Uchis and Bad Bunny.

"Manu is one of my biggest supporters, and I love him very much. It's such a joy to work with someone you admire and care for," she explains. "At the end of the day, this job is your life, so it's important to share it with people who bring light, support you, and believe in you. I always joke that Manu is like a Maserati; his sound and production style are so refined. We understand each other incredibly well. I also produce, and he's always respectful of my ideas, which I appreciate."

"Corleone" was the first track recorded for Grasa. It was finished in just two weeks, a quick pace for the meticulous Peluso.

"It came together so easily. We knew from the start that I wanted to explore boleros because I've always loved Latin-American folklore. I started improvising over the music, and the lyrics were born from that improvisation," Peluso says. "I really got into character. It was so much fun, almost like stepping into a theater performance. There's this line, 'Esta ambición me está matando' ('Oh, this ambition is killing me'), and it felt so dramatic and alive. As we started organizing the songs into folders, Corleone naturally ended up being the first one. It made perfect sense. It was the first song we created together, and it carried this raw, impulsive energy, like the beginning of something new."

Reinterpreting Herself

After a few months after the release of Grasa, Peluso dropped the accompanying remix EP, Club Grasa. For the record, Peluso handpicked several producers, including Mura Masa, Nusar3000, and Garoto 3000, to remix eight songs off the album and make them new.

"It was something we considered after the album's release because a reinterpretation can breathe new life into the songs. It also gives them a more nocturnal vibe, which I wanted to explore," she says. "I liked the idea of handing over the production of these reinterpretations to people I admire and whose work I respect. The idea came about somewhat spontaneously after the album was finished; it wasn't something premeditated. My team and I selected key people and gave them the freedom to choose whichever song from the album they wanted to reinterpret. I invited them to bring their unique perspective, and I didn't get involved in the production of the remixes."

On Wednesday, March 5, Peluso will bring her Grasa Tour to the Fillmore Miami Beach, inviting fans to step into the world that she's built with the project.

"This opportunity and this moment on tour mean so much to me. It's my first time performing so extensively in such incredible venues across the United States," Peluso says. "I'm excited to bring everything I've prepared to my audience there. I know many people have been waiting for this for years, and that makes it even more special."

Nathy Peluso. 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, at the Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; 305-938-2509; fillmore-miami.com. Tickets cost $64 to $103 via livenation.com.