Michelle "Malentina" Colon

My earliest memory of music is probably watching Disney movies when I was young. That’s kind of how I started exploring singing. I didn't think it would be something I would actually pursue, but I did enjoy singing along and putting on a show in my living room to Disney movies.

I wanted to be a musician for as long as I can remember, but I didn't think I was going to pursue it. I grew up in Puerto Rico, and the pop culture that I followed was in the U.S., so it always felt very removed from where I was. It was funny because when I moved to the U.S., I started to realize that here, people can just decide to do that. So, after I finished my degree, which wasn’t related and didn’t really satisfy me, I decided to finally listen to that voice I’d always had and go for it.

My first musical gig was in high school. We used to do these carnivals at the end of the year, and my friends and I decided that we would put together a band. We rehearsed for about one week, and we played some cover songs; I remember covering the group No Doubt.  I didn’t think I’d sing again after that, but when I moved to Lafayette, I did a play. A musician in the audience saw me, and though I didn’t sing in the play, my stage presence made them think that perhaps I could. They invited me to accompany them at the Lafayette Farmers and Artisans Market, back when it first started around 2014.

Music makes me feel all kinds of ways, and I think that’s why it’s my favorite medium out of everything I do. I feel like I can really express multiple levels of emotion through it. These days, my main goal as a musician is to make music that people can dance to – something they can crank up in the car. That’s kind of where I’m at with the albums that I write.

My lyrics and my passion for music go hand in hand. I write all my songs, and they’re actually an extension of my stage name. My stage name is Malentina, which translates to “the malicious one” in Spanish. It’s a name I made up because I needed a way to let myself fully be myself. The version of me I wanted to be didn’t follow rules or care about what anybody thought. My passion really comes through when I can write songs as honestly as I do under the name Malentina.

I like to create or play music in any environment – I just love the process. But, I especially like it when I have other people around me. I'm more of an extrovert than an introvert, so I get energized when I’m working with groups or collaborating and bouncing ideas around.  It might sound ironic, but I actually prefer closer settings, like smaller venues, because I feel like I can talk to and connect with every single person there. With big festivals and crowds, it’s hard to know if we really connected because it feels so far away.

The feeling that I would like my music to convey is one of empowerment. I think that's really what the essence of Malentina is. Because of the way I grew up, I thought that my passion was something negative, and now I realize it's actually what makes me, me. And it's very empowering. It's very contagious when I stick to my beliefs and how I feel.

I grew up in Puerto Rico, and the kind of music that I listened to was mostly reggaeton. I was young, and that's what the young kids listened to. It wasn't as mainstream as it is right now, so it felt very cool because it was still underground. But being in Puerto Rico, I was exposed to a lot of American music as well, so I would listen to a lot of pop, a lot of rock – and of course, salsa, because that was playing in every venue in Puerto Rico.

My music style has evolved a lot. I’ve been in several bands, and I’ve been able to explore my career in a lot of different ways. I used to really enjoy being more experimental. My goal was always to bring my Latin roots into what I did, but without sticking to the mold of what people typically think Latin music should be. As I’ve matured, I think I’ve found my sound. Now, I write and compose Latin music that sounds like salsa, but it’s very contemporary.

What I’m listening to now is a blend of a lot of really great new artists. I honestly feel like we’re living in a time with really good music. I’ve been really inspired by Doechii, this rapper who just won Best Album at the Grammys. She’s from Florida, so it also feels like she’s not that far away. I really like how conceptual she is. It’s very much in line with what inspires me as Malentina: to go in, be bold, and not care what people say. That’s such a clear message in her work, and I’ve been listening to it a lot lately to remind myself of that.

I love to collaborate with other artists. I’m extroverted, so I really feel energized by working with people. I like to write my songs on my own, but when it comes time to realize them, I love bringing in other people. As long as I know my vision is clear, I enjoy hearing how everyone else interprets the idea.

I feel like I’m working on all the projects I’ve always wanted to work on. I’ve been acting, and I’m currently working on my full-length album. It’s an 11-song album, and we’ve already recorded all of it. Right now, I’m in the post-production stage, which is totally new to me – so it really feels like I’m checking everything off my list. The album is projected to come out in August of 2025. That’s our hard deadline, and it also happens to be my birth month, so it feels ideal.

Performing has transformed my life because I dared to be myself. I pursued a degree in interior design at LSU because I knew I was creative, but I still didn't believe that my dreams were ever going to be real. Once I graduated, I worked in the industry, and I realized that I wasn't happy. I decided to give myself a chance and see if, by being more honest with myself and pursuing my actual dream, I would be happier. And the answer is ‘yes.’ I'm much happier.

That's the message that I want my shows to convey to audiences is one of empowerment, because growing up, I always felt like my strong personality was a negative, and now I realize it's who I am. It's an asset, and I think a lot of people would benefit from realizing that too.

I’m influenced by a lot of artists, a lot of movies, and a lot of music in general. It’s hard to pin down specific people because inspiration comes in seasons, but I can name a few current ones. In terms of music, like I mentioned, Doechii is someone I’m following really closely right now. I also just watched the Oscar-winning movie Anora, and that really inspired me. Lately, I’ve been watching a lot of classic ’70s films like Casino, because the world I’ve created for my album has a lot of masculinity in it, but I’m the central figure. So, it’s a cool flip of that world, where instead of the men in suits holding all the power, it’s the woman.

The goal I set for myself as a musician is to always finish my music with full integrity. That means being open to feedback and constructive criticism, but at the end of the day, having the guts to stick to my own vision.

Lafayette has been a very formative part of my career as an artist. When I moved here and started to go to the festivals, I was celebrating Cajun music – and I saw this pride that people have in their roots. It made me want to dig into my own roots, learn more about them, and eventually, that led me to write my own music. This is the place where I’ve learned the most about the music that I'm singing right now.

Malentina was a stage name that I created because it meant “the malicious one,” but it was never out of negativity, other than breaking the rules. Growing up, I had followed so many rules and never truly felt fulfilled. So, when I finally decided to go after what I wanted, I needed the reminder that I make the rules in my own life. That's kind of the message in most of my songs. Even in my performances, I carry this really strong sense of power, and I think that's what comes through the most – even with people who don't speak Spanish.

What I would tell any young person wondering what to do is, ‘You've always known what that is. It's just hard to admit it because it might feel really far away. But give yourself a chance because anything really is possible. As cliché as that sounds, if you really let yourself hear yourself, you'll find the path.'had followed so many rules and never truly felt fulfilled. So, when I finally decided to go after what I wanted, I needed the reminder that I make the rules in my own life. That's kind of the message in most of my songs. Even in my performances, I carry this really strong sense of power, and I think that's what comes through the most – even with people who don't speak Spanish.