KiNG MALA – aka Areli Castro – released her debut album May 2nd, 2025, and it is nothing short of astounding. The album titled And You Who Drowned In The Grief Of A Golden Thing is an unapologetic alt-pop representation of KiNG MALA’s inspirations.
She shares that this album is the “project of my dreams”, and is a culmination of everything that inspires her, – sonically, conceptually, and visually. The main themes of the album are the complications of desire vs. obsession, humanity vs. monstrousness – and the consequences of the push/pull. To celebrate this musical milestone, KiNG MALA dropped the music video for “Ode To A Black Hole,” showcasing her emotional unraveling beneath a glamorous exterior.
“Ode To A Black Hole” is a beautiful, yet tragic hymn pertaining to the pain of what it feels like to still love the thing that’s killing you. MALA states, “There’s this perfect moment between when you realize it’s hurting you and when you leave. Ode exists in that space. It’s so painful and yet strangely romantic to love something that takes everything from you.”
Following the release of the album, KiNG MALA will be on the road showcasing her music opening for electro-pop singer Lights on her A(live) Again North American Tour. The 19-date tour begins on May 8 in Victoria, BC at Capital Ballroom, and travels across North America with stops in cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Nashville, and New York, before concluding on June 7 in Toronto, ON at History.
Since the breakout success of her 2021 viral hit “she calls me daddy,” KiNG MALA has been embarking on her path to global recognition. In 2022, she dropped the honey catching season EP, featuring the track, “cult leader,” another viral hit. The momentum continued in 2023 with the release of her critically acclaimed SPILT MILK EP and her first-ever sold-out tour across the U.S., U.K., and Europe.
KiNG MALA is spreading her gospel, and you don’t want to miss it.
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