Flavia Abadía would rather live in the moment than stop and smell roses in her energized new single and video YNQF — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Let Miley Cyrus buy herself flowers: Toronto DJ, MC, singer and songwriter Abadía has something a little less sentimental on her mind. On her piquante, percolating new single, the beguiling crossover artist and her crew issue a call to abandon romantic gestures in favour of fun.
It’s a multicultural party anthem with a musical message that transcends language and nationality. The title stands for Yo No Quiero Flores — I Don’t Want Flowers — the perfect slogan for what the Colombian-French Canadian Flavia calls “an energetic, vibrant song about wanting to go out, forget all your problems and have fun!”
The infectious chorus makes that agenda clear (especially if you know just enough Spanish that you don’t need to worry about accessing Google Translate from the dance floor):
“Ya no quiero flores
Yo quiero beber
Salir pa la calle hasta el amanecer
Ahogar mis penas y pasarla la bien
Que se pare el tiempo ya vamos al 100
Or, in other words:
“I don’t want flowers
I want to drink
Go out until dawn
Drown my sorrows and have a good time
Let time stop, we’re going to 100.”
Meanwhile, even the most monolingual among us will respond to the English-language exhortations of Argentinian-Canadian MC Itz Nico P and American-Caribbean rapper Miginomics, who welcome us to “the night of our life” and invite us to get “three shots in” with our “feet locked in.”
Built on an insistent, stomping beat, YNQF is a celebration of unity, forging tight connections through the universal language of music. Dominican-French Canadian producer Medylandia corrals an entire hemisphere of diverse sounds, including live trumpet and trombone by Cuban musician Alexis Baro, and background vocals by Dominican artist Altur Santos and Cuba’s AB2.
Given the global success of artists like Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny and Karol G, the time for this sort of boundary-breaking bustout is clearly now. Flavia reinforces the ability of the music to leap proudly across borders while showcasing the richness of Canada’s amalgamation of cultures.
And really, that’s been part of her plan from Day 1. Born in France but based in Toronto, she’s a master at seamlessly welding musical genres from around the globe, from Latin and Moombahton to hip-hop, house and vogue. Her creativity, taste and positive spirit (not to mention her fluency in English, French and Spanish) have made her an international sensation.
All of those qualities were in full display on Flavia’s 2021 debut album, the aptly named Crossover. Two years later, she upped the ante with her first all-Spanish collection Hacia La Luz, accompanied by several genre-bending singles. In 2024, she’ll be dropping her third album Salvaje. Expect her to once again navigate multiple genres with the greatest of skill, transcending boundaries and welcoming even more converts into a world where unity through diversity reigns supreme.
The reaction so far has been nothing short of ecstatic. Flavia’s music has garnered over two million cumulative streams and placed her on numerous playlists. As a live act, she’s owned the stage from Canada and the U.S. to Barcelona, Paris, Mexico and Portugal. Events at which she’s performed include the Toronto International Film Festival, Fiesta Del Fuego, Canada Day Celebrations at Celebration Square, Celebrate Toronto, Barrio Latin Music Festival, Latin Sparks and PanAm Festival.
Watch the video for YNQF above, hear more from Flavia Abadía below, and catch her on her website, Instagram and Twitter.
