Even with 67.6 million followers, Karol G’s Instagram bio remains simple: BICHOTA SEASON.

Coining the term in her seductive 2020 track “Bichota,” the multiplatinum musician puts her own spin on the Puerto Rican slang word bichote, which refers to a man who’s an influential drug trafficker. But Karol G’s track is less about drugs and instead focuses on empowering women to influence the world with their hard work — while, of course, looking good as they do so.

The Colombian singer’s anthem created a movement with its lyrics, but long before bichota was even a word, Griselda Blanco was already living that lifestyle. Sofía Vergara steps into the titular role in Griselda (she also serves as executive producer), and it’s only fitting that Karol G plays one of her trusted confidants.

In the new limited series, Karol G trades her signature pink hair for retro bangs as the character Carla. Amid the glitz and glamor of ’70s and ’80s Miami, Griselda is a single mother who’s determined to use her lethal blend of unexpected savagery and charm to build one of the most profitable cartels in history. With her stylish entourage of women including Carla, the ruthless Griselda is about to rise to the top of the industry and earn herself the title of “the Godmother.”

Just like her on-screen leader, Karol G’s a boss in her own industry, dominating the Latin charts with her reggaeton and trap hits. From Bad Bunny to Nicki Minaj, the singer-songwriter has collaborated with some of music’s biggest names — and now, she’s joining forces with the team behind Narcos and Narcos: Mexico.

“We have Sofía, and now we’re going to have Karol G, both Colombian superstars [and] amazing artists,” creator, director, and executive producer Andrés Baiz and creator and executive producer Eric Newman tell Tudum. The duo have been on a streak casting music sensations in their shows, with Bad Bunny previously appearing in Narcos: Mexico. This time, they credit executive producer Luis Balaguer for bringing Karol G on board. “[Luis] mentioned it casually one day like, ‘Hey, what if we got Karol G to be in the show?’ And I don’t think I thought about it again until he came back and said, ‘She’s in,’ ” Newman shares. 

Griselda marks Karol G’s acting debut, but it’s evident from a simple YouTube search that she’s already been dominating screens. With billions of views and counting, Karol G’s music videos are shot in colorful, dreamlike paradises. In the limited series, she sports a much more vintage look with oversized sunglasses, neutral tones, and a cigarette in hand. “[She was] fun to work with and completely humble on set. She gave the show a very specific authenticity and an energy,” adds Baiz.

Throughout the six-episode series, Carla pledges her allegiance to Griselda but also shines in her own way with her nonchalant attitude and scathing one-liners. “She loved her character because she’s a misfit. She comes from Medellín, so she felt comfortable portraying someone from [there],” Baiz shares. Newman adds that Karol G even put her own spin on Carla, changing certain language and adding curse words that felt authentic to her character.

Aside from her Medellín connection, Karol G’s reggaeton roots also have a big influence on the limited series. “Like rap music in America, [reggaeton] comes out of neighborhoods where whatever power system that exists generally [isn’t] driven by the cops or the political machine,” says Newman. “There’s always been a tradition in a lot of these places — in Puerto Rico, particularly, where a lot of this music comes from — that there are neighborhoods run by bosses. Something we try to do in Narcos, and with Griselda as well, is to understand that dynamic of who do people who can’t go to the cops go to? And what holds these things together, these places, these neighborhoods, these organizations?”

At its core, Griselda illuminates the political and societal factors that drive its characters to do the things they do. Baiz adds, “In reggaeton, you can find political or activist lyrics. In the case of Karol G, it’s female empowerment — absolutely la bichota.” 

Griselda is now streaming on Netflix.

Becoming Griselda