Natalia Barulich, a model and artist, recently revealed on a podcast that while she was dating Colombian singer Maluma, she couldn't stop thinking about her ex-girlfriend. This woman was someone Natalia had a clandestine romance with before her public relationship with Maluma began.
The confession came during the podcast episode titled "Dating Maluma While in Love With a Woman" on Wrong Sauce, released on Thursday. Natalia—who performs under the stage name Natalia Marion—appeared alongside Selena Sofia, her first girlfriend and current partner in the musical duo Nat & Stone.
Natalia shared that she met Selena right before her relationship with Maluma became public and that she fell for her at that time. Despite this, societal and industry pressures pushed her to keep the relationship under wraps and to date men instead. "Everyone around me was saying, you have to be with a man. And so, I fell in love with him, but I was always thinking of you," she confessed to Selena during their discussion.
The model admitted that even though she had genuine feelings for the singer, her thoughts often drifted back to her ex-girlfriend: "Even while I was with the man after you, I was always thinking about you."
Natalia disclosed that Maluma sensed something was off: "He would tell me, I think you're secretly a lesbian. And I would say, me? No." She added, "And then at night, I would long for the girls. I longed for you. I cried for you."
An Unexpected Love Triangle
Selena Sofia recounted her experience watching Natalia in the spotlight alongside the artist: "I was losing my mind, not going to lie. I tried my hardest not to look at anything."
Natalia, who has Cuban roots, first met Maluma during the filming of the "Felices los 4" music video in 2017. Their breakup was confirmed in October 2019. Following their split, Natalia was rumored to be involved with soccer star Neymar Jr., though she consistently denied any romantic relationship. In July 2020, Maluma released "Hawái," a track many believed was a veiled reference to Barulich and the footballer, although the singer refuted claims that the song was based on true events.
Breaking Free from Societal Norms
During the podcast, Natalia explained that she dated men because she felt she had no other choice: "I went out with him too because I felt at the time I could never have a future with a woman."
Raised in a conservative Catholic environment, she was taught to suppress her attraction to women and followed those teachings for years. In June 2024, she publicly came out as pansexual on social media, a move she described as liberating: "I never thought I would ever come out, that I would live for others for the rest of my life. And now I'm out and free."
Natalia and Selena shared an on-and-off relationship for around six or seven years, experiencing about eight breakups and reconciliations before deciding to remain friends and eventually become musical partners known as Nat & Stone.
A clip from the podcast episode shared on TikTok garnered over 117,000 views within hours, with hundreds of comments from followers recalling Natalia from the "Felices los 4" era, surprised by the story behind her past relationship.
Natalia Barulich's Candid Podcast Revelation
What did Natalia Barulich reveal about her past relationship on the podcast?
Natalia Barulich revealed that during her relationship with Maluma, she was secretly in love with her ex-girlfriend, whom she met before her relationship with the singer went public.
How did societal pressures influence Natalia's relationship choices?
Societal and industry pressures drove Natalia to keep her relationship with a woman secret and to date men, despite her true feelings.
What was Maluma's reaction to Natalia's situation?
Maluma sensed something was amiss and even suggested that Natalia might secretly be a lesbian, despite her denial at the time.