If you’re looking for the ultimate workday procrastination, good news: Gap’s new commercial just debuted, and it’s mesmerizing. (Like, “hit replay five times” mesmerizing.) The ad stars Young Miko, the 28-year old Puerto Rican trap rapper who began her career as a professional futbol player and tattoo artist, and now collabs with Bad Bunny and Stray Kids.
Born María Victoria Ramírez de Arellano Cardona, Young Miko now commands a diehard fan base that calls themselves “Mikosexuals.” (Really.) The crew is so amped on their trap star heroine that they broke the news of her Gap campaign a full three days before it officially released, posting stolen snippets and photos on Instagram and Reddit with “gotcha!” glee.
The thrill is justified. Directed by Bethany Vargas, shot by Olivia Malone, choreographed by Zoi Tatopoulos, and styled by Caroline Newell, the ad blares Young Miko’s hit song “WASSUP” through a blank white room as 26 dancers shapeshift around the performer, all wearing Gap’s signature sweatpants. The effect is hypnotic. The song is addictive. The sweats look great. It’s the kind of “wow, perfect” that every ad campaign hopes to achieve, but few actually nail.
Besides being cool, the ad is quietly groundbreaking: Young Miko is the Gap’s first openly queer Latina face, and this commercial is Gap’s first one that’s entirely in Spanish. (Well, okay…“wassup” is universal slang.)
“I didn’t realize that until I was on set,” said the artist when we called her at home in Puerto Rico. “When you’re doing something for a good cause, that’s obviously important. But when it also gets to be fun, that’s when it can have a really special kind of impact… Of course, that means I can’t mess it up!” (She doesn’t.)
Here’s what else Young Miko told ELLE about her Gap campaign debut, her locker room style hacks, and her secret celeb group chat.
Hi, we’re obsessed with you.
Oh, wow! Okay, thank you. Good to know.
This Gap ad is a major dance performance. You were a professional soccer player, but do you also consider yourself a dancer?
You know what? Yes. Because I think everybody is a dancer at heart. It’s something that’s in our blood. It’s always been a passion of mine. I try to implement it any way I can, whether it’s a music video, a live show, any kind of performance. At the end of the day, it’s a form of expression, which is what art is all about. Maybe I don’t dance like [I’m in] a Step Up movie in the most amazing way, but I’ll defend myself the best I can!
What style hacks from your pro futbol days do you still use now?
Comfort was crucial. If I wasn’t comfortable in what I was wearing, I couldn’t move properly on the field—I’d be thinking about how this shoe is hurting me instead of focusing on the next play. I also learned how to change really quickly in front of anyone, without being embarrassed. We were athletes—30 of us crammed into a locker room. To this day, my [styling] team laughs because I always change so fast on a shoot or backstage. I’m like, “I’m stuck in my ways!”
What styling tricks have you learned as a musician?
With music, I really started to care about stepping out in an outfit I love. Back when [I first started], maybe I didn’t give it much thought—I’d just wear whatever. But nowadays I definitely care more. I still prioritize the comfort thing, though, because being on stage is like a different kind of game. You train for it; you practice; you have your words, your choreography. You can really tell when I’m not feeling what I’m wearing. If a pant is just a little too big, I’m pulling at it throughout the whole show. So I really try to mix comfort and confidence. They go such a long way.
Do you remember the first thing you ever bought at Gap?
It wasn’t actually something I bought; it was something my mom bought for herself, and I wanted to steal it because it was so cute. I think it’s a pretty iconic piece. You know the crazy stripe sweater? I vividly remember Sarah Jessica Parker wearing it, with the puffy bag that matched, and I think there was a scarf too. My mom owned it, and I’d borrow it sometimes.
Wait, are you a Carrie Bradshaw fan?
Come on, of course! Come on. I also remember, I don’t know if it was 2006 or 2007, Zoe Saldaña was on a Gap campaign. I’m still such a big fan of hers. And I remember learning that her mom is Puerto Rican and her dad is Dominican. It was so cool. Representation matters so much, and seeing her in the campaign was so big for me.
When did you realize your Spanish-speaking Gap ad would be historic?
When I was on set, Bethany [Vargas, the director] mentioned it to me, and I thought it was so cool. Visibility and representation are just so important, especially in the times we’re going through right now… To make something you love that lets you be honest to who you are? That’s so special. I want to be able to look back when I’m older and say I genuinely tried to make this world a better place. As Benito [Bad Bunny] said at the Super Bowl, the only thing more powerful than hate is love. I think it’s up to people like us, and brands like Gap who are clearly allies, to do things that also stand for something good.
Who’s in your secret celebrity group chat?
Oh! You know Tokischa?
I mean, not, like, personally.
Ha! Okay. One of my favorite group chats is Tokischa, Bad Gyal, and me. We talk almost every day on that group chat. They always send the funniest TikToks and stickers and memes. Yeah, I think that’s my favorite group. I would leave it just the way it is right now. It’s like the power bubble.
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