LISTEN: Young Miko Hops on the Remix of KATSEYE’s ‘Gabriela’ – & It’s Gayer Than Ever
Art by Stephany Torres for Remezcla.
The most unexpected collaboration of the year is finally here. Today (Aug. 8), KATSEYE, the six-member international K-pop girl group, released a new remix of their popular song “Gabriela” featuring Young Miko.
Rumors of a collaboration first started after they starred in a TikTok together, recreating the PinkPantheress viral trend. They filmed it at Lollapalooza last weekend, where both acts performed their own sets.
“Gabriela” was originally the group’s first foray into a Latine sound, with a Spanish verse delivered by Daniela — KATSEYE’s Cuban/Venezuelan-American member. The song’s storyline follows the girls warning Gabriela to stay away from their love, with the phrase “hands off, Gabriela” being the catchy hook of the chorus.
For the new remix, Young Miko’s verse comes in at the end, giving the song a Boricua lesbian flair. She raps, “Todos te hacen coro, ¿tú no ves cómo te cantan? / ‘Tás pa’ perrearte con mi cadena dándote en la espalda [Everyone gives you chorus, don’t you see how they sing for you? You’re down to perrearte with my chain hitting your back],” and, “Ven baja pa’ Carolina, pa’ que pruebes una Latina / Hands off, Gabriela, mejor pónmelas encima [Come to Carolina, so you can taste a Latina / Hands off, Gabriela, better off putting them on me].” In the outro, Young Miko also adds two lines, where she refers to Gabriela instead of the lovers the rest of the girls referred to in the original version, saying: “No vino conmigo y conmigo se va / Se siente la presión cuando la ves llegar [Didn’t come with me, but with me she leaves / Can feel the tension when you see her arrive]”
KATSEYE has already transformed the K-pop world with its queer members being loud and proud about their identities, but this remix has transformed this song into an undeniable Latine queer anthem. Not only for its new verse, the collaboration with Young Miko in itself speaks volumes. She is the biggest Puerto Rican lesbian artist right now, never holding back from either of her identities in her songwriting. The group made a very queer statement by adding her to the song — one that people already suspected was a little gay. Now, it’s confirmed fully, and we’re obsessed.
Fans online are, of course, freaking out about the remix and new lyrics, saying: “Obsessed with how Young Miko changed the meaning of the song ugh Katseye couldn’t have picked a better person,” and “no thoughts just young miko’s verse at gabriela remix with katseye.” It’s safe to say, the fans couldn’t be happier (and prouder).
Listen to “Gabriela” below.
