Last year, Panamanian singer Eddy Lover teamed up with La Factoría to drop the surprise romantic reggae hit Perdoname. Along with Flex and El Roockie, the 23-year-old with a winning smile is leading a new wave of Panamanian reggae to the top of the charts.

La Factoría and Flex are putting Panamá on the map. Would you say Panamanian music is finally getting its due?

I wouldn't say we're "getting our due." Although the roots of reggae lie in Panamá, los Boricuas took a huge step forward with the commercialization of reggaetón. We feel a certain amount of gratitude because they've opened doors and thanks to them, our music has been able to evolve.

Do you think artists from other countries steal their style from Panamá?

I think the influence of Panamá in what's currently happening in reggaetón around the world is obvious. But I don't want to take any credit away from anyone who decides to become a reggae or reggaetón artist.

What's the scene like in Panamá? In Puerto Rico, artists united, helping reggaetón to grow. Why hasn't that happened in Panamá?

Since the beginnings of reggae in Panamá there were many talented artists who either were only in it for fame or who didn't take their careers seriously enough – almost as if it was a hobby. As I mentioned earlier, in Puerto Rico, the artists approached their music with more maturity. Besides, a few years ago our music didn't have credibility and for that same reason, there weren't producers or people who were willing to invest and take a risk on it. Now, our music has evolved. It's never too late to make one's mark. I think Panamanian artists will have a shot at showing our talent.

What do you think about the controversy between Nando Boom and Don Omar/Wisin y Yandel?

All I can say is that if it happened to me, if someone else covered one of my songs, I wouldn't be bothered by it as long as my rights as a songwriter weren't violated.

How did "Vete," your collaboration with Flex, happen?

We've never collaborated on a song together. That's just some confusion caused by an unofficial remix on YouTube. Someone out there wishes we could collaborate. "Vete" is my song and I'm the only one who performs it.

Reggaetón or reggae? Which do you prefer?

I prefer reggae. The roots of reggaetón.

What's next for Eddy Lover?

There's a lot on the way. Right now, I'm a newcomer to the music industry. After the success of "Perdóname" I decided to give my debut album the same title. It has 12 songs and it'll be out very soon. The lead single is called "No Debiste Volver" and I hope everyone likes the video.