Aria Vega on Falling in Love, Colombian Roots & Being Unapologetically Herself.

Camille Roe S.

3 hours ago

5 min read

There’s something refreshing about a woman who knows exactly who she is and has no intention of making herself smaller for anyone else. Meet Aria Vega, the Colombian singer bringing the sounds, sensuality and unapologetic spirit of Barranquilla to the world. From her breakout track CHÉVERE to a Latin GRAMMY nomination and Paris Fashion Week, Aria is making waves while staying fiercely connected to her roots. Her world of Costeñita Core is all about Caribbean identity, maximalism, flirting and a little brilli brilli.

But behind the confidence is a woman who isn't afraid to embrace vulnerability, desire and love. For Roe, we spoke to Aria about owning her identity, the pressures of success, why happiness deserves to be taken seriously and the beauty of being unapologetically yourself.

ROE MAGAZINE: Your music is full of confidence, sensuality and unapologetic self-expression. Do you think women are finally becoming more comfortable owning their desires, or are we still expected to make ourselves smaller to be accepted?

ARIA VEGA: I think we’re becoming more comfortable saying what we want, but people still have plenty of opinions when we do. Especially when a woman enjoys herself without asking for permission. In my songs, I get to look, choose, flirt, make the first move and be boldly fearless. There’s humour in it, too. Expressing desire can be playful.

ROE MAGAZINE: You’ve gone from building your sound in Barranquilla to performing at Paris Fashion Week and receiving a Latin GRAMMY nomination. When everything starts happening at once, how do you make sure you’re still living your own dream rather than everyone else’s expectations of you?

ARIA VEGA: I ask myself whether I actually want something or whether I just like how impressive it sounds. Those can be very different things. There are incredible opportunities happening, and I’m grateful, but I still need to recognise myself in the decisions we make. I want to be ambitious about a life I actually enjoy living.

ROE MAGAZINE: You’ve created an entire universe around Costeñita Core, celebrating the language, sounds and aesthetics of Colombia’s Caribbean coast. In an industry where artists are often encouraged to become more universally appealing, have you ever felt pressure to make your identity more digestible for the rest of the world?

ARIA VEGA: There’s always the question of whether people elsewhere will understand. But I’ve fallen in love with songs without understanding a word. I guess sometimes the curiosity is part of the attraction. Now people outside Colombia are asking themselves what a “coleto” is and singing our expressions back to me. Let them investigate and learn a little! I’m happy to invite people into my world. And I’m learning that I don’t have to explain every corner of it before they can enjoy themselves.

ROE MAGAZINE: There’s something interesting about how women in music are expected to be confident, sexy and powerful, but never too much of any of those things. Have you ever felt that contradiction yourself, and how do you navigate it?

ARIA VEGA: Yes, and the acceptable amount seems to change depending on who’s looking. You could spend your whole career adjusting yourself and still get complaints. I care about my work, and I can listen to criticism, but someone being uncomfortable with my confidence doesn’t automatically mean I need to change something.

I like sensuality. I like to entertain. I’m a performer! I also take what I do very seriously. All of that fits in the same woman.

ROE MAGAZINE: Your song CHÉVERE has introduced you to an entirely new audience. But when one song becomes bigger than you ever imagined, does it feel liberating, or is there a quiet pressure to prove you’re more than that one moment?

ARIA VEGA: Both. It opens doors, and suddenly there are more people waiting to see what you’ll do next. Of course you feel that. But I have a lot of affection for “CHÉVERE”, and I want to keep enjoying what it’s brought me.

People have made memories with that song. That’s so cute. My job is to keep creating and give them more reasons to stay curious. There are plenty of things left in this brain, believe me.

ROE MAGAZINE: You recently performed at Johanna Ortiz’s Paris Fashion Week show, bringing Colombian music into a space traditionally dominated by fashion. Do you think fashion and music have become different ways of telling the same story about who we are, or perhaps who we want to become?

ARIA VEGA: Absolutely. A look changes how you stand, how you walk, even how you flirt. It also speaks louder than words, just like music. Johanna and I are both maximalists to the core, so it was exciting to bring our sensibilities together. For me, Costeñita Core has flowers, “coleto” sunglasses, shiny vainas, or what I call “brilli brilli”, blush in industrial quantities, sandals, sensuality and drama.

Those details belong to the same woman you hear in my songs. In Paris, you could see and hear those worlds meeting.

ROE MAGAZINE: So much of your music celebrates joy, dancing, flirting and being alive. In a culture that often takes sadness more seriously than happiness, do you think there’s something quietly rebellious about making music that simply makes people feel good?

ARIA VEGA: I do. People sometimes talk about making someone dance as though it’s a small achievement. Have you ever watched someone finally let go when their favourite songs come on? Their whole face changes. Where I come from, music is present through so much, including difficult moments. Joe Arroyo made music “pal bailador”. You can be carrying something heavy and still need to dance, laugh or feel attractive for a while. We deserve good moments, loose moments.

ROE MAGAZINE: You’ve spoken about vulnerability in your music, particularly when it comes to love. Do you think being a strong, independent woman has sometimes made us afraid to admit how deeply we want to love and be loved?

ARIA VEGA: Yes. Sometimes independence starts sounding like you’re supposed to need absolutely nothing from anyone. That sounds exhausting. I can have character, make my own decisions and still want affection. I want to be loved well. I want tenderness, attention, someone who makes me feel desired. Saying that doesn’t embarrass me. The woman flirting in one song can be heartbroken in another. She’s allowed to be. Being confident doesn’t spare you from having feelings. Vulnerability also means strength, sometimes.

ROE MAGAZINE: Success is often presented as this beautiful destination, but we rarely talk about what it asks us to sacrifice along the way. What’s something about your life before all this attention that you miss, or something you’ve had to learn to protect?

ARIA VEGA: I miss the ease of making plans without having to coordinate so much. Being home, seeing my people, my dogs, having time that isn’t already assigned to something. I love what’s happening, but I’m learning to protect moments I can enjoy privately. When your work is so personal, it’s easy for everything to become material for something else. Sometimes I just want to have a meal, a conversation or a lovely day and keep it for myself.

ROE MAGAZINE: Imagine the younger Aria, growing up in Barranquilla, watching women like Shakira take their music around the world. If she could see you now, what do you think would surprise her most? And what would you want to tell her that has nothing to do with success?

ARIA VEGA: Walking beside Shakira would definitely require a moment to explain. “Yes, girl, that’s really her. Act normal.” I think she’d be excited to see how much of us is still here: the accent, the humour, the things we like. And I’d tell her to be kinder to herself. You’re allowed to be learning. You don’t have to turn every mistake into a verdict on who you are. Enjoy your people, fall in love, have a life worth writing songs about.