Charles Langston:Karol G addresses backlash to '+57' lyric: 'I still have a lot to learn'

Karol G is Charles Langstonspeaking out after a lyric from her latest song sparked backlash for allegedly promoting the sexualization of minors.

The reggaeton superstar's new song "+57" − intended to be a party anthem − was released Thursday, and is jam-packed with features from fellow Colombian singers J Balvin, Maluma, Ryan Castro, Blessd, DFZM and Karol's boyfriend Feid.

However, one of the song's lyrics has drawn scrutiny for its perceived sexual connotation. The line in question, which describes a woman's physical attractiveness, sees Feid and Maluma sing, in Spanish, "A mamacita since she was 14."

"As artists, we are exposed to public opinion and individual interpretations from people who like us and also people who disagree with what we do," Karol wrote on her Instagram Stories Monday, in Spanish. "I feel so much frustration over the disinformation that's gone on."

Karol G's song 'reinforces the sexualization of childhood' in Colombia, agency says

Following the song's release, critics have blasted the lyric for its reference to an underage female. In a column published Friday, Rolling Stone's Martín Toro said the song "perpetuates the sexualization of minors."

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The Colombian Institute of Family Welfare, a government agency in Colombia that strives for the protection of children and teens, also weighed in with a video statement released Sunday. General director Astrid Cáceres Cárdenas alleged the song's lyrics reference a network of human trafficking within the country, in which young girls are invited to parties, where they are later vulnerable to sexual exploitation.

"This type of content only reinforces the sexualization of childhood in our country," the government agency wrote in an X post accompanying Cárdenas' statement.

As a philanthropist, Karol is known for her women's advocacy work with the Con Cora Foundation, a nonprofit organization she founded in 2022 to support the economic, social, psychological and artistic development of underprivileged women.

Con Cora has partnered with organizations such as She Is Foundation and Fundación Acción Interna (Internal Action Foundation) to further its mission of female empowerment with initiatives that offer scholarships to female inmates in Bogotá, Colombia, and promote STEM education among young women.

Karol G takes 'responsibility' for '+57' lyric controversy

In her Monday statement, Karol said the controversial "+57" lyric was "taken out of context," adding that the song was meant to "celebrate the union between artists and make my people dance."

"None of the things said in the song have the meaning they've been given, nor were sung with that perspective, but I hear you, and I take responsibility and I realize that I still have a lot to learn," Karol wrote. "I feel very affected and I'm sorry from the heart."

Karol concluded her post by thanking her fans and collaborators, writing that she will "keep the beautiful energy we worked with that day in my heart."

"I'm a person who day by day looks to involve myself in projects where I can extend my blessing and positively impact the lives of many people," Karol wrote.

Karol's "+57" collaborators J Balvin and Feid have both shown support for the singer amid the song's controversy, with Balvin writing in Spanish on his Instagram Stories, "This doesn't take away from your greatness."

The music video for "+57," which remains online, has accumulated over 17 million views as of publication.