Chilean rapper AKRIILA is finding the ‘balance between cute and horny’

Raised in the Chilean capital Santiago, percussion has always been central to AKRIILA’s music. The infectious rhythms of cumbia and reggaeton have long soundtracked the country’s nightlife, and AKRIILA’s fast-footed, introspective rap lyrics over these have cemented her as one of the most exciting artists to come out of the country in recent years. It’s against this backdrop that she linked up with innovative Santiago-born, Stockholm-raised producer-DJ Dinamarca and, together, their headphones ! EP imagines a dreamy, digital future for these Latin sonics. 

“It’s like a break from my own style, a chance to step into Dinamarca’s world,” 20-year-old Akriila tells Dazed. “He was coming to Chile for a show, and I hit him up to hang out. We made ‘tú m kieres’ in one day and the next we made ‘sushipleto’. The dynamic was really fun.” 

This dynamic speaks to Dinamarca’s keen eye for spotting rising talent, previously producing early hits for Shygirl, Rusowsky and Miss Nina. Over the years, through his Stockholm-based Staycore label, Dinamarca has carved out a sound that collides with the party-oriented percussion of his Chilean homeland with the seductive melodies of European dance music. The result of their recent collaboration, as AKRIILA herself puts it, is finding a “balance between cute and horny” – drenched in the kawaii aesthetics of the internet but also rooted in the hedonism that makes Chilean rave culture so special.

Below, Chilean rapper AKRIILA walks Dazed through the inspirations behind her innovative headphones ! EP. 

Hi AKRILLA. What headphones are you wearing?

AKRIILA: I use two types of headphones: big over-ear ones, and, when I want to be more comfortable in the car, I go for AirPods. Now, I’m looking for a new pair because I feel like I need something in between.

Where does your name come from?

AKRIILA: My name doesn’t really make much sense. Honestly, I was just playing around with words and sounds, and when I landed on it, I thought it was amazing. Then I looked up the meaning and it turned out to be hentai porn.

How would you describe this new sound you’ve created?

AKRIILA: Dinamarca’s influence on the project is really interesting. In the end, I kind of transformed into his sound – it’s like a break from my own style, a chance to step into his world. I had always been a fan of his work, so immersing myself in his universe felt way more exciting than having Dinamarca adapt to mine.

The sounds in all three songs are very Dinamarca – the way the synths hit, the overall production. The middle ground comes in with the drums, the reggaetón, and the cumbia  – everything always hitting heavy. I think the only times I’ve stepped in to make changes have been to push the percussion even further. I’d describe the EP as a balance between cute and horny. It tells the story of a girl who’s heartbroken over love but still very much horny.

I particularly like the idea of “Sushipleto” which, to me, seems to mirror the mixing of local and international influences in this EP. Is this a conscious decision?

AKRIILA: The name “Sushipleto” came about when we were in Santiago with Dinamarca. I told him that I had recently eaten a sushipleto. Dinamarca asked what that was, so I showed him a picture and explained that they sell it in Chile. It’s a hot dog, but instead of bread, it’s got rice with panko, topped with avocado, salmon, and cream cheese. It’s really weird.

Using it as the song title was a conscious decision, but also a pretty stupid one. The thing with Dinamarca is that he's a very uncomplicated person. I’m the kind of person who thinks songs should have meaning. Cristian is more of the type to just go with the flow, let whatever comes out happen, and keep it all positive. Probably with someone else, I would have said “Sushipleto” was a funny name for a song and that no one would take it seriously. But with Dinamarca, he’s the kind of person who would say it’s awesome and really fun.

It’s an incredible time in the [Chilean] scene because we’re daring to experiment, and the audience is open to listening

– AKRIILA

You seem to be among a new wave of rappers in Santiago reinventing the music scene out there. What does this feel and sound like on the ground?

AKRIILA: More than just rappers, there’s this really interesting wave of young artists who are starting to make a name for themselves now. It’s the scene of artists who are taking more risks with visuals and sounds. Chile is a distant country, so it’s harder for us to see and hear new things. 

But now, little by little, people are starting to want to hear new ideas. I think it’s an incredible time in the scene because we’re daring to experiment, and the audience is open to listening. It’s really beautiful to be part of that.

I hear a lot about your lyrics but, as a non-Spanish speaker, would you be able to give us a window into the topics you discuss on the project? 

AKRIILA: I really love the lyrics in this project. I tend to overthink them a lot, but this time I decided to stick with the first versions I wrote. Normally, I re-record and tweak the lyrics, but this time, I wanted to leave what I wrote in the beginning. When I listen to it, it takes me back to a moment in my life.

In the first song, I was letting someone go while allowing someone else in, and I was feeling insecure. By the second song, there’s more confidence. By the third, it’s like, it just didn’t work out. I especially love that in the last song, Ávila, who’s from Puerto Rico, is featured. He recites a quote that says, “There are people who don’t have a love waiting for them at home.” It’s funny, but also real.

What I love about this project is that I enjoyed it so much – there are many things that don’t make sense, and so many topics are covered in a single song, but what’s wrong with that?

Dinamarca and AKRIILA’s headphones ! is out now.