Nana Wu
At 15, Mariana de Miguel, the Mexico City-based artist professionally known as Girl Ultra, was a regular fixture in the capital’s underground club circuit. Sneaking past venue security with a counterfeit identification card, she spent her formative years navigating the city’s vibrant, nocturnal landscape. It was in these dimly lit spaces—surrounded by the pulse of indie electronic music and the burgeoning local scene—that she first encountered the music of the Canadian duo Chromeo. Years later, that youthful fascination has evolved into a full-scale professional partnership, culminating in her latest studio album, RRRomeo, which arrives on October 9.
The collaboration represents more than a simple genre crossover; it is a synthesis of two distinct creative philosophies. While Chromeo, led by David Macklovitch (Dave 1) and Patrick Gemayel (P-Thugg), built a global reputation on high-fidelity, polished funk and electro-pop, Girl Ultra has spent the better part of a decade carving out a niche in the Latin alternative space. Moving away from her roots in the SoundCloud R&B movement of 2017 and 2018, her trajectory has shifted toward a more experimental, textured sound that reflects the grit and intensity of her home city.
A Pandemic-Fueled Creative Intersection
The origins of RRRomeo trace back to the digital connectivity of the COVID-19 pandemic. Having previously interacted through social media, Dave 1 reached out to Girl Ultra with a proposal to explore a collaborative project. Initially, the creative framework was intended to lean into the classic R&B and funk sensibilities for which Chromeo is known. However, as the sessions progressed, the project underwent a radical transformation.
"She was very clear that she didn’t want to pursue a standard R&B sound," Dave 1 noted during a discussion at the Del Maguey Single Village Music Series at National Sawdust in Brooklyn on September 29. "We pivoted toward a space where we could explore the intersection of our respective styles."
This pivot was fundamental to the album’s identity. Rather than forcing a traditional pop collaboration, the pair engaged in a process of mutual trust. In a notable break from his usual production habits, Dave 1 provided Girl Ultra with direct access to his Pro Tools sessions and project stems—a rare gesture of transparency for the meticulously controlled Chromeo production style. This allowed Girl Ultra to inject her own aesthetic, which she characterizes as "dark, gritty, and chaotic," into the foundation of the music.
The Sonic Architecture of RRRomeo
The resulting soundscape of RRRomeo is intentionally multifaceted. The album moves fluidly between analog funk, synth-pop, darkwave, and dub, layered with tropical textures that serve as a sonic homage to the diverse musical influences of her youth. Growing up in a household where her father’s rock records and her mother’s radio pop played simultaneously, Girl Ultra developed a non-judgmental approach to genre, a trait that she says is essential to her current artistic process.
"I grew up in an environment where Mexican music, 80s rock, and romantic pop existed on the same shelf," she explained. "I’ve never felt the need to categorize my inspirations. I am a sucker for references, and this album is essentially a collage of those influences."
Key tracks illustrate this range. The opening song, "El Groove de Romeo," sets a cinematic tone, acting as an invitation to the listener to enter what she describes as a realm of "hell, desire, and romance." Similarly, "MentirasMentiras," featuring the Puerto Rican duo Buscabulla, explores the psychological complexity of deception. By framing the act of being lied to as a seductive, albeit dark, experience, the song exemplifies the album’s preoccupation with the friction between pleasure and pain.
Another pivotal track, "Denisse," serves as a narrative anchor for the project. Moving with a distinct reggae-leaning pulse, the song chronicles the experience of a high-school friend moving on from a past relationship. While unconventional in its focus on a secondary character, the song highlights the album’s thematic dedication to "opening portals" through storytelling.
Reimagining Nightlife in a Digital Age
Beyond the music itself, RRRomeo is a critique of contemporary nightlife culture. Girl Ultra observes that the modern club experience has become increasingly "self-conscious" due to the omnipresence of smartphones and social media surveillance. This shift toward constant documentation has, in her view, inhibited the visceral, unpolished nature of dancing and human connection.
"I feel like we feel too seen now," she remarked. "Everything has to be so polished, and that inhibits the ability to truly let go. We’ve lost the freedom to sweat, to make mistakes, and to exist in a space without worrying about how it will look on a screen later."
To combat this, the album’s visual identity is centered on raw, physical intimacy. The cover art features a candid, prolonged moment of affection with Sergio Mayer Mori. The process of capturing this image—a four-hour, unpaid session—was designed to strip away the artifice of professional photography in favor of a raw, "feral" display of desire.
Industry Implications and Future Outlook
The collaboration between Girl Ultra and Chromeo arrives at a time when the lines between global pop, electronic, and regional Latin music are increasingly blurred. By merging the polished, "pristine" funk of Chromeo with the darker, more abrasive elements of Girl Ultra’s production, RRRomeo serves as a case study in effective artistic hybridization.
From a commercial standpoint, the project positions Girl Ultra to capture a wider, more international audience while maintaining the critical credibility she has earned in the Latin alternative sphere. For Chromeo, the album offers a path into new sonic territories, proving that their long-standing brand of funk can successfully accommodate, rather than overshadow, the singular vision of a younger artist.
As the music industry continues to favor cross-cultural and cross-generational collaborations, the success of RRRomeo will likely be measured by how well it maintains its thematic integrity against the pressure of mainstream trends. For now, the project stands as a testament to the power of artistic trust—a rare instance where the "full-circle" moment of a fan meeting her heroes has resulted in a work that effectively recalibrates the expectations of both parties.
The release of RRRomeo on October 9 marks a significant milestone in Girl Ultra’s career, signaling a departure from her previous constraints and an entry into a more experimental, uncompromising chapter of her development. Whether the audience will embrace this shift toward the "feral" and the "chaotic" remains to be seen, but the intent behind the project is undeniably clear: to reclaim the night from the screen and return it to the dance floor.
