How a Quarter-Life Crisis Inspired Sofía Reyes’ ‘IDGAF ERA’: ‘I Questioned Myself A Lot’

For more than a decade, Sofia Reyes has earned her crown in the Latin pop realm with her natural charm and sugary viral bops including “R.I.P.,” “1,2,3,” and “Solo Yo” with Prince Royce that hit No. 1 on the Latin Pop Airplay chart in 2016. But now — as she’s about to turn 30 next month — her mindset has shifted, bringing to life her fourth studio album, IDGAF ERA.

“[My album] was born from this whole process of mine, which I called my midlife crisis,” she tells Billboard. “I’m at a very important moment in my career. After so many years making music and in this industry, I started to question myself a lot about what resonates with me right now. Throughout that process, I feel like I’ve entered a small crisis where many changes are also beginning to appear in my life.”

Among those changes were people who came in and out of her life, resulting in the 29-year-old artist wanting to recruit brand new producers for her new LP, such as Casta, Kastelo, and Majestik. 

“I had this desire to create music with new people. I always had my equipment at home, but I felt like exploring new sounds with new people. Much of this [album] originated in Miami, Medellín, and Los Angeles—the entire team is new, and I met them during this process,” she explains. “Having this album is a success because we had a lot of fun making it, and above all, I met wonderful people who I now consider family.”

IDGAF ERA is home to 10 tracks that will take fans on a trippy and experimental journey through Reyes’ mature evolution, healing process, connection with herself, living in the present —and her literal “I don’t give a f–k” mentality. Sonically, the album includes European house, afrobeats, intense perreo and indie pop gems, while reeling in collaborators Alan Walker, DannyLux, Leo Rizzi, Luisa Sonza, and RaiNao.  

“For me, this album is [the color] blue because during this process of undergoing different therapies, many people told me I had a blocked throat chakra, and they recommended I wear blue necklaces and blue stones,” she notes. “It was part of the same process of becoming more loyal to myself, of learning to communicate better, of being more authentic, of letting go. Meanwhile, the shedding of my skin I’ve been experiencing is best represented by the snake. That’s how this whole concept was born.”

But it was the previously-released title track—born during a two-week-long writing camp—that ultimately brought the entire project full circle. 

“This was the last song on the album. It had been intense days, and we didn’t know what to write. I often feel like the songs I like most come from a place where there isn’t much of a mind. I feel like several songs are born from the places where I’m most tired or hungover,” she laughs. “With ‘IDGAF ERA,’ it was like that; it flowed beautifully. The message here is to walk through life lighter, and that the things that weighed me down before no longer weigh me down.”

IDGAF ERA follows Reyes’ Louder! (2017), Mal de Amores (2022), and Milamores (2023). Stream the album below.