Bilingual Musician Breaks Boundaries in ‘Princesa’

Xochitl Martinez, Assistant Features Editor

Musical art cover of woman holding a crown
Jay Roxxx Album Cover Art

  Amid the chaos of the pandemic, an up-and-coming artist from El Centro, California has risen as the promising future for the Chicano music scene. At the age of 18, Jaylene Terrazas, also known by her stage name “Jay Roxxx,” has gained a large social media following and has gone viral on TikTok for her unique, rich voice and original music.

  The creation of her debut album, “Princesa,” began with an audition with MC Magic that resulting in a record deal with Nasty Boy Records, a Latin Hip-Hop label, according to an interview Jay Roxxx had with CBS 13 news.  

  The album explores a wide range of topics and genres in both English and Spanish. Jay Roxxx expressed that the purpose of her debut album was to showcase that Chicana artists did not have to be limited by any boundaries and could do any genre of music.  

  “Princesa” was released in February and consists of twelve songs. The first track, “Mi Amor,” serves as an introduction to the wistful vocals of Jay Roxxx. The lyrics tell of a story of lovers separated by betrayal with a moody beat and guitar.  

  This track flows perfectly into “Princesa,” a remake of the original by MC Magic. “Princesa” is a romantic duet that expresses the desperate longing between lovers and combines both hip-hop and mariachi. This song stands out among the rest with its passionate vocals and grand instrumentation.   

  The next track, “Mi Diamante,” a cumbia, is injected with raw emotion as the lyrics tell of a love lost. The vocals immerse the listener into a nostalgic experience. Jay Roxxx does this genre so beautifully one would have thought this was her specialty.  

  “Psycho,” a pop song with a dark twist reminiscent of the 2000s, is the very antithesis of what has been done so far. The lyrics reject the admirer in a tongue-in-the-cheek style. 

  “Destrampada,” a reggaeton track, continues the fun mood with a sensual twist.  

  “I Belong to You,” the first English track, shows a completely different side of Jay Roxxx in an R&B love song that shows off her soulful voice.  

  “Hyper” returns the album to a fun, light mood with an EDM beat. 

  The next track, a cover of “Como La Flor,” pays an homage to the late singer, Selena Quintanilla, an inspiration for many Mexican Americans. The cover demonstrates how Jay Roxxx can make any song her own. The next song,  

  “My Demons,” is the most personal. It describes the depths of depression and is amplified by the haunting vocals. The intro of this song explains the events that inspired this song and lets the audience know that Jay Roxxx is a talented songwriter.  

  The final track, “Lagrimas,” concludes the album with a wistful Spanish-rock heartbreak ballad similar to the mood of the first track, “Mi Amor”. 

  From start to end, this album is a beautifully executed introduction into the artist that is Jay Roxxx and highlights her ability to be a diverse artist that is gifted in both vocals and songwriting.