Colombian singer Maluma has spoken openly about a difficult period in his personal life, revealing that he developed an eating disorder linked to the pressure to maintain a certain physical appearance for advertising campaigns. He made the confession during a discussion about mental health at Billboard Latin Music Week, held in Miami.
The artist explained that he became obsessed with food while trying to achieve a defined physique, particularly a six-pack, to meet the aesthetic expectations associated with fashion photoshoots. Although his public image projected confidence and physical well-being, behind the photographs he was struggling emotionally with a situation he acknowledged he had failed to recognize in time.
“I used to have an obsession with food. I had an eating disorder, and I didn’t know it,” the singer said during the discussion.
Maluma reveals how pressure to maintain a certain physique for advertising campaigns affected him
The fashion and advertising industries frequently use images of well-defined bodies in their campaigns. For people who work in front of the camera, appearance can become a professional requirement, particularly when they are expected to maintain specific physical characteristics to represent a brand.
In Maluma’s case, that pressure was linked to his participation in fashion campaigns, including those associated with Calvin Klein. The singer acknowledged that his goal of achieving well-defined abdominal muscles eventually affected his relationship with food.
Looking back on that period, he noted that how others perceived his body did not necessarily reflect what he was experiencing internally. The image of a successful artist in good physical shape, accustomed to performing on stage, could conceal significant psychological distress.
His confession is relevant because it illustrates how a practice that may initially be presented as physical preparation for work can develop into a persistent concern when food and body image begin to occupy a disproportionate place in everyday life.
Eating disorders are mental health conditions that can involve food restriction, binge-eating episodes, compensatory behaviors, or an intense preoccupation with weight and body shape. They are not limited to people with a particular physical appearance and cannot be identified solely by a person’s weight.
Maluma admits he still experiences episodes of anxiety
During the conversation in Miami, the singer also discussed his emotional well-being, acknowledging that anxiety remains a part of his life.
“I still feel a lot of anxiety,” he said, explaining that it would be dishonest to portray his life as an experience in which everything is always going perfectly. He also described the daily effort involved in acknowledging his fears and finding ways to cope with them.
This is not the first time the artist has spoken publicly about these challenges. In previous interviews, he has mentioned experiencing anxiety, depression, and physical exhaustion, particularly while adjusting to fatherhood and after more than a decade of an international career.
In his latest account, Maluma also described periods when he experienced frequent headaches and high levels of stress. His remarks highlight how, even when someone maintains a successful career and an active professional life, they may face emotional difficulties that require attention.
Therapy and lifestyle changes in his personal journey
The singer explained that professional support is among the tools he uses to look after his mental health. According to his statements, he engages in some form of therapy regularly and has found resources that help him establish healthier routines.
Among them, he mentioned Atomic Habits by James Clear, a book about building habits through small, consistent changes. The artist said these tools have helped him work on his well-being and find a better balance between his personal life, family, and professional commitments.
Fatherhood also plays an important role in this stage of his life. Maluma has spoken about the emotional challenges he experienced when his daughter, París, was born, and how the arrival of his second child, Orion, has allowed him to approach the experience from a different perspective.
However, the singer did not present his journey as a definitive solution to all his difficulties. Instead, he acknowledged that anxiety is still present and that maintaining emotional balance requires ongoing, daily effort.