Dímelo Flow: The Mastermind Behind Reggaeton's Biggest Hits Releases His First Album

Panamanian music producer, Dímelo Flow has worked with some of reggaeton's biggest artists like Ozuna, Sech, Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, and Anitta, producing smash hits such as "Relación (Remix)" and "Otro Trago." But today, he's coming into his own as an artist with his debut album, "Always Dream," which was released on June 10. Dímelo Flow collaborated with over 30 artists on his new album, including J Balvin, Sech, Justin Quiles, and Lenny Tavárez for his single "Qué Me Contás."

"It's a song that's un perreo sucio, lo que la gente le gusta bailar," he tells POPSUGAR with a laugh. Transitioning from executive producer to artist meant that Dímelo Flow had to tackle both aspects of creating a song. But he also didn't feel the need to put any pressure on himself. Instead, he welcomed the opportunity to work harder.

"There's no disadvantage because before, [listeners] just knew I made that beat or record. Now they can get to know my personality — my ideas. They get to know more of me as a person," he says. For this project, he had a vision of bringing nostalgia to listeners. "I grew up on artists like Mas Flow and MVP; they were albums that marked my dreams, and I wanted to do something like that when I became somebody," he recalls. This album is giving him the chance to do so, and it's also part of the reason why he chose "Always Dream" as its title. "I'm living my dream, so that's why I put this album together — so people can remember what happened back in the day and live it again."

Being born in Panama greatly influenced Dímelo Flow's musical style. "Spanish reggae started in Panama, and I have a lot of influence from the different types of music they do over there," he says. One of those artists is fellow Panamanian El General, whose hits like "Muévelo" and "Te Ves Buena" solidified him as one of the fathers of reggae en español. "I think everybody respects and gives the big up to El General. He's a really big figure to what la música urbana is now," he adds.

Before becoming a producer, Dímelo Flow was a DJ and began working with Justin Quiles after meeting at a club in Florida. The pair became fast friends, and he was able to jumpstart his career through that friendship when the two began to tour together. "I was his tour DJ for a while. Then I started producing for him and producing for everybody else, and the opportunity to become who I am now came from there," he tells us.

Dímelo also acknowledges the importance of having women at the forefront of reggaeton music, something that wasn't the case just a few years ago. "Female artists for the culture es muy importante," he says. "I think it's very important because they give it a different feel." Having worked with Karol G, Natti Natasha, and Becky G, Dímelo says he has noticed how much more detail-oriented women artists are and how that translates into their music. "I think those records make you feel different," he says. "I like to work with women. They're picky, and I like it. I like the challenge."

This shift has made way for women artists not only to be respected as artists but also to express themselves freely. It's something that we now see with artists such as Tokischa, whose lyrical content tend to be bold, edgy, and very sexual. "The world changed, just like the music, and women feel free to say whatever they want," Dímelo says. "There are more women now que se atreven." According to Dímelo, these changes allow for women in the reggaeton genre to have a mindset that says "I can do this" and then actually put their music out there. "Before, it was 'I can rap' or 'I can sing' but 'I don't know if I can do this because there's only one Ivy Queen,'" he adds.

Recently, Daddy Yankee announced his retirement from reggaeton, and working with him on several records was a major milestone in Dímelo's career. "They call him the big boss for a reason," Dímelo explains. "He influenced all of us; he paved the way for us to follow." The producer turned artist feels honored to have worked with him and is sometimes even in disbelief at their relationship. "He calls me now, and I look at my phone and I'm like, 'Yo, Daddy Yankee wants my opinion.'"

For now, Dímelo is focused on the release of his album "Always Dream" and wants listeners to feel inspired to dream big. "Just keep dreaming," he says. "That's why I gave this album that name. Keep dreaming and work hard." As for a word that would describe the new album? Love is what immediately comes to Dímelo's mind. "If I could describe it, it would be love because that's what I did it with — love," he concludes.