Words / Phil Gomez
Photos / Nina Rodriguez
RaiNao, the Puerto Rican artist, producer and musician, has become a powerhouse in the music world, blending hyperpop, reggaeton, R&B, dancehall, and more into a sound that’s unapologetically her own. Her fearless style and boundary-pushing creativity have already earned her collaborations with industry giants like Tainy, Villano Antillano, Álvaro Díaz, and Mora. But RaiNao isn’t just chasing trends—she’s setting them.
Earlier this year, RaiNao dropped her debut album CAPICÚ, and it’s been making waves ever since. The project, which landed her on Best of 2024 list’s, isn’t just an album—it’s a cinematic experience. RaiNao has been releasing a series of visualizers for each track, creating a cohesive story that’s as mesmerizing as it is immersive. She’s not just giving us music; she’s giving us a journey.
In an exclusive interview, RaiNao opened up about her roots, influences, and the process of creating her tantalizing universe. “Music has been a part of my life since I was a little girl,” she shares. “I started studying it at 11, I saw music as a companion or an escape, never as a career path. That changed when I wrote my first song—it was then I realized it was not only what I enjoyed most but also what I did best.”
Growing up in Puerto Rico has been essential to RaiNao’s artistry. “Being Puerto Rican and embracing my Caribbean identity is a deep part of me,” she says. “It lives in the most poetic manifesto of my mind: my music. It’s something I hold with immense respect and treasure deeply.” That love for her roots is obvious in her ability to seamlessly weave Caribbean rhythms into her experimental soundscapes. RaiNao is creating music that’s both fresh and familiar that will start the party as soon as you push play.
Her debut album CAPICÚ is an emotional tapestry. “CAPICÚ is a universe of emotions,” RaiNao explains. “I went through a lot of personal situations while creating it. For example, ‘(des)enfocá’ is a song that made me cry a lot. I made it with someone who was my partner for eight years and who is one of the main reasons for my music. We had a drastic split in the process of curating the album, and it has been one of the hardest things I’ve had to go through in my life.”
Her latest single, “BSUKEO,” pushes the boundaries of reggaeton. “It’s an experimental reggaeton with switch-ups on the rhythm, the chords, and the melodic progressions that fall outside the norm within the reggaeton genre,” RaiNao shares. “The idea behind the lyrics is about a night when I went out to make a dream come true… to meet that person and bring them back into my world of sexual arousal. I want the song to not just be heard, but to be felt, seen, imagined, and touched.”
For RaiNao, collaboration is about elevating her art. “I love collaborating with minds that make me think differently, challenge me, and enhance my sound,” she says. “Working with my friends is and will always be a highlight. Wiso Rivera, Giova de las Águilas, Barba Blanca, and Gano Lugo are some of the producers who have elevated my ideas. Having the opportunity to collaborate with Tainy, one of my favorites since I was a kid, was an experience that blew my mind.”
But RaiNao isn’t just about breaking sonic barriers—she’s also about inspiring others. “I love motivating other minds to create freely. It has never felt like a responsibility but rather a complement to my life’s purpose: improving the world through art,” she says. Her dream collaborations include hitmakers like Juan Luis Guerra, Omara Portuondo, Kendrick Lamar, Justin Timberlake, and Oklou, as well as exploring Caribbean genres like Bomba, Plena, Salsa, bachata, and reggae.
When I ask RaiNao to describe her music as an anime character, she laughs. “It would be Blair from Soul Eater,” she says. “She’s a little witch but also a cat.” And honestly? It tracks. Much like Blair, RaiNao is magnetic, a playful feline dripping with enchantment and a knack for stirring up a little chaos. But beyond the sultry allure of her siren vibe, RaiNao is a creative powerhouse. Her head full with ideas 27192165181901 and counting—every last one safeguarded in her endless voice notes, an insurance policy against the curse of forgetting any of them.
With her latest single ‘BSUKEO’ and its alluring visual now out in the wild, RaiNao assures fans there’s even more magic on the way. “More surprises are coming soon!” she promises. With her unfiltered imagination and untouchable talent, RaiNao isn’t just making waves—she’s building her own island in the music world, one spellbinding beat at a time.
