For Puerto Rico's Villano Antillano, femininity is a shield — and a superpower

Villano Antillano opens her debut LP, La Sustancia X, by casting a spell. "Prende las velas, repite el mantra," she sings — "Light the candles, repeat the mantra."

But this isn't the start of a soft, tranquil meditation. It's the beginning of a party fueled by sex, drugs, love and swagger. Instantly, the 27-year-old Puerto Rican artist — also known as Villana — launches into one of her deepest powers: her exquisite wordplay, which warps English and Spanish in distinctly Caribbean ways. She's confident and venomous, claiming her place in the music industry while also making it clear she's out of your league. "I'm not an artist," she brags toward the end of the first track. "I'm a movement."

Across 's 11; the kind of femme fatale, cool girl villain of the story you can't help but root for.