“La Reina del Flow” follows in the footsteps of phenomena such as“RBD”(from “Rebelde”), “Rebelde Way,” and “Chica Vampiro”—that of bringing its soundtrack to stages around the world, which Juan Palau, who plays Drama Key in the series, calls a “historic milestone.”
In an interview with EFE, the Colombian artist admits that he never imagined it: “When this opportunity came up, it seemed incredible to me; it was something very beautiful and historic for us as Colombians. “I think in Latin America, only ‘Rebelde,’ ‘Chica Vampiro en Francia,’ and ‘La Reina del Flow’ have gone on a world tour,” he claims, although other telenovelas like ‘Rebelde Way’ also did so.
Palau (Bogotá, 1993) feels like he’s “living a dream,” since he was already an artist before joining the series, but now he can “combine music and acting in a single project.”
Before kicking off in Latin America in September, the tour is halfway through its 13-date run in Spain. The characters of Charly (Carlos Torres), Yeimy (played as a young woman by María José Vargas), Erick (Juan Manuel Restrepo), Axel (Kiño), Drama, and Cris Vega (Kevin Bury) will perform this Thursday in Madrid, where there will be “a change to the show” and “a very special surprise,” Palau reveals. It isn’t
“Spain has always welcomed us with open arms, fortunately, and we’re very grateful because the Spanish audience has undoubtedly been one of the most enthusiastic for ‘La Reina del Flow,'” says Palau. “The energy has been incredible—at every show, people are dancing, cheering, jumping, and going wild. In short, it’s been magical,” she adds.
Juan Palau and the Opportunity to Combine Television with Music
Palau joined the cast of the second season, which premiered in 2021, playing a young rapper who had just been released from prison and was given a chance by a record label.
It premiered even as everyone was telling him that a second season wouldn’t be as successful as the first, but it moved from Caracol Televisión to Netflix and became one of the most-watched Hispanic series.
“‘Monólogo,’ a song by Juan Palau that I lent to Drama Key for the second season, was getting about 20,000 or 30,000 daily streams on Spotify at the time. I didn’t understand it, and I’d say, ‘What is this crazy thing?’ It’s one thing to watch it from afar and another to be a part of it,” recalls the artist.
The series blends revenge and reggaeton with young people from Medellín’s neighborhoods and features a subplot involving drug trafficking, in which Charly Flow’s uncle is a drug lord wanted by the DEA.
Palau believes that drug trafficking, which is so closely linked to Colombia, “is a complex issue that captures everyone’s attention,” but *La Reina del Flow* “encompasses many different worlds.”
“For me, it has never been a problem to show our reality, because those who do not see their reality are doomed to repeat it. And the beauty of La Reina is that it shows you a dark reality,” but it uses music as a tool to set that aside, explains the Bogotá native.
Palau See auditioned for the role of another character—Juancho—in the first season. However, he wasn’t called back, became frustrated, and put acting on hold.
But “God’s timing is perfect,” and for the second season, they convinced him to audition. “Drama Key was waiting for me,” he confesses.
These two “pelados” (young guys) have a lot in common: “We’re both dreamers, hard workers, we both sing reggaeton, we’re both 100 percent Colombian. Drama Key is very loyal to his people, and I’m very loyal to my people,” he confesses, although Palau “hasn’t been and won’t be in jail” and doesn’t come from a background “as rough” as Drama’s.
“I have a lot of respect for the young dreamers who identify with Drama Key, with Axel, and with this whole world of the neighborhood and the streets—they’re young warriors who charge ahead, and I admire and respect them a lot because they’re proof that you really can make it when you want to, with discipline, with motivation, and when you have the drive,” he explains, adding that Drama has allowed him to better understand the context of his country and how art transforms lives.
Now it’s Palau’s turn to move on from *Drama*; he’d like to continue acting in other series with different formats and keep making music. He’s promoting *Bombonera* and is set to release an EP in November; he has his own concerts lined up and wants to take advantage of his character’s popularity “so that people will discover Juan Palau.”
In addition, since the series ended, he has made two movies and appeared on a reality show—“La casa de los famosos”—although he admits that it’s not really his thing, since he doesn’t like arguments; beyond his on-screen persona, Juan Palau doesn’t like drama, according to Agencia EFE.
