Becky G on Her Family's Immigration Story: "We Came Here For the American Dream"

Updated on 2/3/2016 at 2:25 PM

Becky G is a golden goddess on the cover of Latina's March 2016 issue. In her candid interview with the magazine, the 18-year-old singer opened up about what it's like to grow up in the limelight (she still watches Disney — same, Becky, same), the surprising advice she got from Katy Perry, and the meaning behind her superpowerful song "We Are Mexico." Keep reading for exclusive quotes and photos from her chat with the magazine before the issue hits newsstands on Feb. 9.

On the effects of her career: "I'm basically part-time living across the world from my family. It's crazy how much strength it takes. That part has definitely forced me to grow up a lot. There are definitely nights in the hotel room where I have all the lights on and the Disney Channel blasting because I'm scared of the dark."
On her evolving sense of style: "It never mattered to me where the clothes from. It was about expressing myself through the clothes and the style. So, if it came from my mom's hand-me-downs or a thrift shop, cool. Urban Outfitters or Forever 21, cool. It never crossed my mind to think it's the name tag that matters. I'm at an age where I can really express myself. My age and my maturity have lined up with each other. I've always been an old soul. Now I can truly be who I am with no filters."
On Katy Perry's unsolicited beauty advice: "One time, she pulled my hair and said, 'OMG, you have such nice hair. Don't f*ck it up. Always use wigs.' Definitely applying that advice, because I have very nice, thick Latin hair. I don't want to mess it up."
On her powerful song "We Are Mexico": "I've always just been super-proud of where I come from and the way I was raised. My grandparents came from another country, not knowing the language, not having any transportation, any jobs, and just wanting the best for their families. Literally, like, 'We came here for our version of the American dream.' And they did it."