Right now, RaiNao’s career is blowing up. The Puerto Rican artist has a fierce passion for art and decided to pursue music after graduating from the University of Puerto Rico, where she studied theater and audiovisual production. The singer-songwriter, actress, and saxophonist, who once dreamed of becoming a surgeon, uploaded her cover of Víctor Manuelle’s “He Tratado” on YouTube in January 2020; four years later, she just performed at Baja Beach Fest, marking a major career milestone. HOLA! USA spoke with the singer after her set, and she was still glowing. “It went really well for me. I enjoyed it all. If I don’t enjoy myself, then it doesn’t work out, right?” she told us with a smile in Spanish.
Born Naomi Ramirez, the 29-year-old artist has always been unapologetically herself and is a fierce, exciting voice for women in urban music. When asked about changes she hopes to see in the industry, she said, “I think there’s still so much to do, but I believe that women, without pretensions, without anything, for ourselves, for those who come after us, for what we believe in, for what we like, for what we feel like doing, are creating something really beautiful, really transcendent, and really evolving.”
Sending a message to other women, she shared, “Big kisses on the lips, on the forehead, on the cheeks, wherever you want, to all the women who are absolutely killing it in the genre and outside of it, who are absolutely killing it in any discipline—I love you all.”
RaiNao released her debut album, CAPICÚ, earlier this year in February, accompanied by beautiful visuals that showcase her creativity and acting ability. It’s a body of work she hopes will withstand the test of time. “I’m embracing that album, which took me a long time to make and which I believe is transcendent. I hope you can listen to that album now, just like you did 3 months ago, or even a year from now, and that it helps improve your life in one way or another,” she shared.
After releasing the album, she went into a period of rest, enjoying the fruits of her labor, “embracing myself, grinding, and doing whatever I felt like.” But now she’s back in her creative period and promises fans, “You can always expect music, art, and a lot of love from me, as usual.”