Kany García Reveals How an Instagram Like Led to Her Carín León Duet at Billboard Latin Music Week

Kany García brought more than hits to Billboard Latin Music Week. At the Faena Theater in Miami Beach on Monday, the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter performed acoustic snippets of“Hoy Ya Me Voy,”“Te Lo Agradezco”and“A La Niña Que Fui”during a Superstar Q&A with Billboard’s Leila Cobo, then peeled back the curtain on how those songs came to life.

The story behind“Te Lo Agradezco”is pure modern romance. García said her 2023 collab with Carín León began with her liking his Instagram posts. The two met in Las Vegas during Latin Grammy week, where she played him the nearly finished track, everything except the title line“Te lo agradezco.”In other words, one of their biggest duets started with a double-tap and ended with a charting anthem.

Then came the emotional moment. García admitted she’s bad at crying, but a fan letter about a husband’s chemotherapy treatments changed everything. That letter inspired“A La Niña Que Fui,”the centerpiece of her album Puerta Abierta, which she now calls her license to cry. Latin Music Week continues through Oct. 22, when the Billboard Latin Music Awards air on Telemundo and Peacock. Which Kany García song hits you the hardest? Tell us in the comments.