Natalie Ann Yepez, better known by her stage name
Maluca, grew up in
Washington Heights, Manhattan. Raised on a steady diet of
bachata,
cumbia,
merengue, and
mambo, as well as
hip-hop and other
club music, Maluca's music has been described as "experimental tropical punk, ghetto tech, and hip-house". Although a bad case of stage fright kept her out of the spotlight for much of her life, a chance meeting with
Diplo while performing karaoke eventually led to "El Tigeraso", Maluca's first single.