Goyo Talks Debut Album ‘Pantera’ & Why It’s a ‘Safe Place’ for Her

Goyo has unleashed her debut studio album, Pantera, which is inspired by a revolutionary movement, a blockbuster movie and most importantly, her personal experiences. 

Released Thursday (July 10) via Sony Music Latin, the 14-track set — home to previously released singles “Tumbado,” “Salta Por Mi” featuring Luister La Voz, and “Volver a Verte” featuring Zaider — is named after the large, wild cat because “it’s a very instinctive and elegant animal, and all of that resonates with me,” the Colombian artist tells Billboard. 

Beyond its characteristic connection, Pantera is powered by the Black Panther Party, the nationalist and socialist organization founded in 1966 by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale, aimed to protect Black communities, and also Goyo’s admiration for Wakanda, the African nation with advanced technology within the Marvel universe.  

“I learned about the movement through Tupac, because I was a huge fan of his when I was younger and while researching his life, I realized that his mother, Afeni Shakur, was part of Black Panther,” she elaborates. “Learning about the entire political and social movement was quite beautiful for me.” 

On the album, Goyo — who gained fame as part of the Latin Grammy-nominated group ChocQuibTown — explores the sounds of Afrobeats, delivers empowering lyricism and collaborates with key artists such as Pras, Afro B, Greeicy and J Noa, resulting in a very sensual, personal and passionate project. 

“This is a world to me. Ever since I left Chocquibtown, the first thing I thought about for my first album was a panther,” she expresses. “It’s a safe place for me to start finding that artist who was never lost, but always amalgamated into a group. Finding that individuality through ‘Pantera’ was one of the best exercises I’ve ever done.” 

Below, Goyo shares anecdotes to three standout tracks on Pantera.

“KeRoWe” feat. Pras

“This song was produced in London, and I still can’t believe I’m collaborating with one of the members of the Fugees. I really like the lyrics because when I thought about them, I thought about a woman telling her ex-boyfriend to not do the same things to other women as he did to me. That topic interests me a lot.”

“Cuaderno”

“This is an R&B song I wrote in a hotel in London. I was writing in my journal because two years ago, I started therapy, and my psychologist recommended I start journaling. There were many moments in my life where I screamed what I felt, and she taught me how to write down my emotions without having to act them out. I think it’s a really nice resource to learn how to let go. In this song, I try to explain that I was never alone, and in those moments I had my journal. I felt accompanied by my own thoughts.”

“Que Se Prende” feat. DFZM

“This song is a mix of Amapiano and Bounce. Bounce is music from New Orleans, and Amapiano is music from the provincial and it’s where you can rap the most. There are types of Afrobeats where you can create more melodies. My brother [producer Slow Mike] and I were in the kitchen, and he told me that amapiano would go well with bounce. My mom was cooking, and we started creating the song. I invited DFZM because I love his voice. It’s like Snoop Dogg’s voice, and he also comes from the Pacific.”

Goyo is confirmed for the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Week taking place from Oct. 20 to 24 at the historic Fillmore Miami Beach. Spanning over 30 years and recognized as the most influential week in Latin music, the event will once again celebrate the heartbeat of Latin music and culture with four days of panels, marquee conversations, roundtables, showcases, networking and activations.

Tickets are on sale now at BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com. The full schedule and lineup will be revealed in the coming weeks.