Karol G’s summer anthem called “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” (translated to: “If I Had Known You Before”) is lighting up the charts.

Karol performed the song prior to its official release for the first time in London, later explaining on her Instagram that the tribute to the merengue genre is because she owes a lot to The Dominican Republic. “I worked on part of ‘Mañana Sera Bonito’ there, and when I need to disconnect from the world and connect with myself I also go there,” she wrote. “Its culture, its music, its colors, the hospitality, the energy… everything feels very authentic and special there. Its people have embraced me in a way that fills my heart and inspires me all the time.”

Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido was produced in partnership with Coke Studio and is accompanied by a music video directed by Pedro Artola, produced by WeOwnTheCity and filmed in the Dominican Republic. In the visual, Karol portrays a waitress at a beachside establishment, who is challenged and empowered by a fellow waitress to sing at the karaoke bar. The video captures the authentic Caribbean flavor, as all of all the participants dance with the artists throughout the clip.

Take a look at the video for Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido – here.

Editorial credit: Geoffrey Clowes / Shutterstock.com