Colombian pop star Maluma takes the cover story of American Elle Magazine‘s February 2021 edition lensed by fashion photographer Micaiah Carter. In charge of styling was Alex White, with set design from Lizzie Lang at Walter Schupfer Management, and production by Meghan Gallagher at Connect The Dots Inc. Grooming is work of beauty artist Cynthia Alvarez for Color Wow.
Madonna loves doing things in an organic way—she is very spiritual. When we were doing the ‘Medelli?n’ video, it was almost 48 hours working nonstop, and I was surprised, because Madonna, she was 60 years old, but she looks like she is younger than me. – Maluma
When I first met Maluma, I was drawn to his positivity and good energy, but when I got to know him, what surprised me was his work ethic. Being in the studio with him was effortless, and performing with him on ‘Medelli?n’ was a gratifying collaboration. We proved to be creative kindred spirits and had a fun time doing it. – Madonna on Maluma
For the session Maluma is wearing selected pieces from top brands such as Dior Men, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, and Salvatore Ferragamo. He is the first ever solo male to grace the cover of American Elle Magazine.
I try to make friends in the industry, but it is very hard. Sometimes I feel like they want to be my friends, but once I show them my back, they stab me. I prefer staying safe with my friends, where I always feel comfortable. When I didn’t have any money, they were there for me, inviting me to their house for lunch. They’re the ones who were laughing at me, and now they are enjoying my success. That’s life—just being grateful for everything that has happened. – Maluma
Photography © Micaiah Carter for ELLE Magazine, for more visit: elle.com
