Kris Floyd Talks Writing For Selena Gomez, J Balvin, And Working “7/24” As Reggaeton’s Secret Hit Weapon
In his new video for “7/24,” Kris Floyd sings about working hard every day that he doesn’t have time for anything else. That reflects the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter’s real-life as reggaeton’s secret pop weapon. This year, he’s written for J Balvin and Selena Gomez on top of creating his own music with Boricua hit-maker Tainy. In an exclusive interview with Latido Music, Floyd talked about working with Tainy, the hits he’s written, and representing the next wave of reggaeton artists.
Kris is part of Tainy’s NEON16 collective.
“When I write for myself, I’m thinking more about what I’ve lived,” Floyd tells mitú. “When I’m writing for another artist, I’m 100 percent putting myself in their situation. I say things that other artists wouldn’t say.”
Floyd is a rising star in Tainy’s NEON16 collective. Through a mutual friend, Floyd got to know Marco “Tainy” Masís in Puerto Rico. They struck up a friendship and in Miami is where the two bonded more over music. Tainy signed him to NEON16 as a songwriter and artist.
“Not everyone has the No. 1 producer working with you,” Floyd says. “All the days we spend in the studio, it’s a blessing. It’s super to work hands-on with someone who is not only a great producer but who is also a great person.”
Kris wrote on a majority of Selena Gomez’s Spanish EP.
When Gomez trusted Tainy to guide her through her first Latin EP, Revelación, he enlisted Floyd as one of the songwriters for the project. Kris wrote on a majority of the project, including the hit singles like “De Una Vez,” “Baila Conmigo” with Rauw Alejandro, and “Selfish Love” with France’s DJ Snake.
“That was an experience that I’m equally blessed and thankful for,” Floyd says. “Working with a great team felt good. The process in general was awesome. Working between two worlds with Selena and supporting her first time singing in Spanish with great music, I enjoyed that process so much.”
Revelación debuted at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Latin Albums chart. Gomez’s Latinx fans in the U.S. really connected with the singles, sending both “De Una Vez” and “Baila Conmigo” to No. 4 on the Hot Latin Songs chart.
“Selena has such a big reach,” Floyd says. “To know there’s a lot of her fans singing those lyrics that we helped write, there are no words that can 100 percent explain that feeling. It’s something that I didn’t expect in my career.”
Kris wrote with J Balvin for the Colombian superstar’s new album.
More of Floyd’s recent co-writes include Mexican pop icon Thalía’s “La Luz” with Myke Towers and Chilean-American singer Paloma Mami’s “Religiosa.” He also had a hand in writing Colombian reggaetonero J Balvin’s recent hit “Tu Veneno.”
“We wrote that at a writing camp in Miami,” Floyd says. “[J Balvin] was there and between everyone, he was very involved. We were collaborating. That’s what I’m seeing more of in this genre, that people are more open to collaborating and working with different writers and receiving new ideas. It’s like creating a painting where everyone adds a different color to it. Working with Balvin was super duro.”
Kris has also released his own music through NEON16.
With Tainy and the NEON16 collective, Floyd spent 2020 releasing his own songs. His breakthrough was the hypnotic “Malos Habitos” with Tainy for The Kids That Grew Up on Reggaeton mixtape. He also featured on Tainy’s alluring “Falta” with Dominican-American singer DaniLeigh. Floyd’s flow can float like a butterfly with sensual touch or sting like a bee on his swaggering cuts.
“That’s what I like,” Floyd says about his dynamic flow. “I’m a fan of all kinds of music. I don’t just listen to trap or just listen to romantic songs. I listen to everything and that’s reflected in the music I make.”
“7/24” reflects Floyd’s grind as both an artist and songwriter.
In “7/24,” Floyd harnesses both of those sides to his advantage. He lets a lover down gently with the enchanting trap track. Floyd is working 24-7 to keep up his lavish lifestyle at the expense of everything else, but he hints there’s always time for a quick fling. “Pa’ mi es perfecto, babe,” he sings.
“That happens to me when I’m fully dedicated to the music,” Floyd says. “When you don’t have time for things like relationships. That’s what I was feeling. Right now it’s more about work.”
As Floyd’s first single of 2021, he’s stepping more into the spotlight with “7/24.” While his past videos were dark with the singers in the shadows, Floyd is more up-close and personal in this colorful visual. In a Bogotá mansion, he can be seen walking on a treadmill and flexing in the bathroom mirror.
With Floyd as a fresh face of reggaeton, the future of the genre is in good hands.
Floyd lists Puerto Rican OG Arcángel as someone he would like to work with next. He also mentions J Balvin again but in an artist-with-artist capacity.
“Like [Balvin], I want to work with artists who want to grow and who are hungry. Wherever my path takes me, I’ll work with whoever wants to work with me.”
Floyd promises that there’s more music and collaborations on the way. He wants to continue to generate a buzz with his own songs.
“I want to first put my music in the streets so that people can see what I’m doing and understand my vision,” Floyd says. “When someone connects and identifies with the two or three minutes of my songs, that’s something that’s super duro for me. I want my music to have a positive effect on people.”
As a new face and voice in reggaeton, Floyd is keeping the genre fresh. He sees a bright future for reggaeton despite the naysayers.
“There’s always people saying that reggaeton is coming to end and we’re showing that it’s here to stay,” Floyd says. “I think the genre is only getting stronger. It’s everywhere. Reggaeton is cultural now.”
Click here for Latido Music, 24/7 Latin music videos & more
