Becky G
Biography
Rebbeca Marie Gomez, known professionally as Becky G, was born on March 2, 1997, in Inglewood, California. She is of Mexican-American descent, with all four of her grandparents hailing from Jalisco, Mexico. At the age of nine, her family faced financial difficulties, losing their home and moving into the converted garage of her grandparents' house. This experience prompted a young Becky G to pursue a career in entertainment to help her family financially. She began working part-time in commercials and voice-overs. Due to bullying related to her work in the entertainment industry, she was homeschooled.
Career Beginnings
Becky G's career started at a young age. In 2008, she appeared in the short film "El Tux" and the Discovery Channel television film "La estación de la Calle Olvera". In 2009, she joined a girl group called G.L.A.M. Around this time, she began posting cover videos of popular songs on YouTube. One of these covers, a rendition of "Otis" by Kanye West and Jay-Z, caught the attention of producer Dr. Luke in 2011, who then signed her to his Kemosabe Records label, an imprint of RCA Records. She also started writing her own music and taught herself to play guitar at age thirteen.
Rise to Fame
Her official debut single, "Becky from the Block," was released in 2013, featuring a cameo from Jennifer Lopez in the music video. She gained mainstream success in 2014 with her single "Shower," which peaked in the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was certified double platinum. This was followed by her debut EP, "Play It Again," in 2013. Over the years, she has collaborated with numerous artists, including will.i.am, Pitbull, Cher Lloyd, and Cody Simpson. She also toured with major artists like Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, and J Balvin.
Music Career
While she initially found success with English-language pop music, Becky G later transitioned to making Spanish-language music, which she felt allowed her to be more authentic. Her Spanish-language singles "Mayores" with Bad Bunny and "Sin Pijama" with Natti Natasha became massive international hits. The music video for "Mayores" was the most-watched music video on YouTube in 2017. Her debut studio album, "Mala Santa," was released in 2019 and has been certified 8x Platinum in the United States. She has since released other successful albums, including "Esquemas" (2022) and "Esquinas" (2023). Her collaboration with Karol G, "Mamiii," became her highest-charting song on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 15.
Acting Career
In addition to her music career, Becky G has also pursued acting. She guest-starred as Valentina Galindo in the television series "Empire" in 2015. Her major film debut came in 2017 when she played Trini, the Yellow Ranger, in the "Power Rangers" movie. This role was notable for being the first LGBTQ protagonist in a big-budget superhero film. She has also lent her voice to the animated film "Gnome Alone" (2017) and starred in the adventure film "A.X.L." (2018).
Awards and Recognition
Throughout her career, Becky G has received numerous awards and nominations. She has won two American Music Awards for Favorite Female Artist - Latin. She has also received nine Latin American Music Awards, including the Extraordinary Evolution Award in 2019. In 2023, she was honored with the Impact Award at the Billboard Women in Music event. The Latin Recording Academy recognized her as one of the Leading Ladies of Entertainment in 2018.