Maquinando is the present participle of the verb maquinar, which means 'to plot' or 'to scheme'. The word comes from máquina (machine), evoking the image of gears turning in someone's mind as they cleverly devise a plan.
In the song, Kali Uchis sings "Me imagino lo que ya estás maquinando" (I imagine what you're already plotting), playfully suggesting she knows the romantic and mischievous thoughts her lover is having from afar. It's a cool, expressive word that perfectly fits the song's telepathic theme.
Ever felt so connected to someone far away that it feels like you can read their mind? That's the whole mood of Kali Uchis's dreamy, bilingual hit, "Telepatía." She opens with the amazing line, "Quién lo diría / Que se podría hacer el amor por telepatía" [Who would've thought / you could make love through telepathy]. The song imagines a romance that crosses borders, where the physical distance doesn't matter because the mental and spiritual link is just that powerful.
This isn't just a sweet idea, though. Kali makes it clear this connection is intensely sensual. She sings about her empty bed under a full moon, thinking about what she'd do if her lover were there. The feeling is so strong that "me prendes aunque no me estés tocando" [you turn me on even though you're not touching me]. It's a song about desire that's so powerful, it can travel across kilometers and connect two people as if they were in the same room.
Kali Uchis, born Karly Marina Loaiza on July 17, 1994, in Alexandria, Virginia, is a Colombian-American singer and songwriter celebrated for her unique blend of contemporary R&B, neo soul, and Latin music. Growing up with roots in both the United States and Colombia, she learned piano and saxophone in high school and began her music career with the genre-defying mixtape Drunken Babble in 2012.
Uchis gained wider acclaim with her 2015 EP Por Vida and broke through with her debut studio album Isolation in 2018, earning critical praise and notable collaborations. She is known for her smooth vocals and fusion of cultural influences, highlighted by her Grammy-nominated album Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otras Cosas) (2020), which cemented her global crossover appeal. With multiple awards, including a Grammy, Kali Uchis continues to captivate audiences with her evocative sound and artistic versatility.