Puerto Rican Artist iLe Celebrates Music Being a 'Life Tool'

Puerto Rican artist iLe developed a sound wave that mobilized a generation and entrances listeners with its unique blend of quintessentially Caribbean sounds.

As the island gains visibility through reggaeton stars such as Bad Bunny, Ozuna and Rauw Alejandro, music has become a tool for activism and educating millions of people about life in Borinquén — a derivation of its Taíno name Borikén.

In August, iLe traveled to Brooklyn, New York, to perform in Prospect Park. The musician beams with joy when discussing the Isle of Enchantment's diaspora that thrives in the American city — which has developed a subculture commonly known as Nuyorican.

"I always get excited when I play in New York precisely because of that, because I know there's a big Puerto Rican community and it's like a big family hub for me every time I play here," the Latin Grammy winner exclusively tells OK!. "You know when Puerto Ricans are in the audience, you can feel that and it's super lovely for me because it is a very small island."

"You can feel that community and Puerto Rican energy," she adds.

iLe's tracks often explore topics that highlight the struggles of living and descending from the U.S. territory. Using her voice to spread awareness, the multihyphenate released a duet with legendary rapper Ivy Queen, and when writing "Algo Bonito" iLe used the frustrations she had with the patriarchy, to create a "powerful feminist" melody.

"When you want to do a song with a social theme it's very delicate to play around with it because you have to be very careful and very direct," she explains. "It's important in songs that have a social meaning for them to feel very clear."

The creative understands the way her work is able to leave an imprint on the world.

"Music is a life tool and has a legacy," she declares. "That is what I love about music the most, and it is my way to channel everything that I feel.

"I know that music has power, and we need to be aware of that more," she notes.

When listening to her tunes, iLe's comfort with various genres can be heard, and fans often notice a blend of sounds that captures the historical evolution of West Indian notes.

"I'm definitely a salsa fan, I'm a big fan," she shares. "Caribbean and traditional folklore from Puerto Rico is super interesting. You can keep digging and suddenly you can create this mix of things, and I'm always intrigued by where this style comes from."

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"We have so much rich culture and that music translates to our way of protesting. When you go to protest in Puerto Rico, there is a lot of musicality going on in the streets, and although it is very rough, we're embracing our own culture little by little," the composer concludes.