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Peso Pluma has changed the game for Mexican corridos with his trap-infused twist on the genre. The Mexican superstar is now ready to make regional Mexican music go global with his new album Génesis. On his breakthrough LP, Peso Pluma teams up with his corridos contemporaries like Natanael Cano, Junior H, and his cousin Tito Doble P. He also pushes his sound into a new direction with Puerto Rican rapper Eladio Carrión.
In the past year, Peso Pluma has become one of the most-streamed Latin acts in the world alongside reggaeton stars like Bad Bunny, Feid, and Karol G. In a rarity for regional Mexican music, he has scored countless hits on all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, including “Ella Baila Sola” with Eslabon Armado, “Chanel” with Becky G, and “BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 55” with Bizarrap. Peso Pluma is proving there’s nothing regional about the music from Mexico.
“I’m happy to see how this project has grown in an incredible way in just a few months,” Peso Pluma says about his success. “I’m grateful for all the people who have supported me on this project since the beginning.”
Peso Pluma recently notched another Hot 100 hit with his breakup ballad “Bye” and is currently performing in concerts across the US on his Doble P Tour, which added arena shows due to popular demand. Over Zoom, he caught up with Uproxx about his LP, the big hits, and his thoughts on the future of corridos in our latest Q&A.
How do you feel to be representing regional Mexican music and corridos around the world with your music?
I’m very shocked to see how música Mexicana and corridos have reached such a level that people who didn’t like them at all are now the same people who are asking for corridos in the nightclubs. They’re the same people who are asking for this music everywhere. We’re very grateful that this has become something that’s global.
You made the word “bélico” popular with your corridos. What does that word mean to you?
To me, bélico means chingón [bada*s]. If I can’t use a vulgar word to describe it, I would say it means “flashy” in English. It’s standing out in a way that you like. It’s something that’s aggressive, but in a way that you like. I’m not the first person to do that type of corridos, but thanks to God, it’s been on me to extend the reach of this on a global level. I’m very grateful that now everyone is bélico.
One of the biggest songs in the world right now is “Ella Baila Sola.” What’s the story behind that song with Eslabon Armado?
It’s a very beautiful song that was written by my friend Pedro Tovar. He has his group Eslabon Armado. He invited me to a part of their album Desvelado on that song. Thanks to God it was the song that performed the best on the album. It’s the song that’s racked up all these numbers. I’m very grateful and happy that they had me be a part of this and that everyone has liked it. Now there are remixes of it in all genres. I’m very proud to be Mexican and to raise the Mexican flag high up.
Another big song this year is “BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 55.” How would you describe the experience of working on a corrido with Bizarrap?
It was an incredible experience. Since I met Biza, we talked [about working together]. He is an incredible person. He’s a man who is very serious about his work. He gives his full attention to what he’s doing. That’s something that I like a lot when I work with artists. I was also very attentive to what the song needed. Above all, he let me offer my ideas and give my opinions about it. Biza is a monster. In terms of the production, he took care of that and made a huge song.
Why did you decide to name your third album Génesis?
I named the album Génesis because it means a new beginning. It’s a new beginning to this new era. Now only for us as a group or as artists, but it’s a new era for the industry. The Mexican industry is starting to break through and we’re the leaders of this [movement]. We’re the leaders that have made this happen, for música Mexicana to be heard everywhere. That’s why I named the album Génesis. It’s the genesis of this story.
On this album, you work with other corridos artists like Natanael Cano, Junior H, Gabito Ballesteros, and Luis R Conriquez. I love how there’s a sense of camaraderie among you guys.
It was very easy [to work with them] because we’re all friends. We all support each other. At different times, we’ve all spoken with each other and said that what we can do as artists who are raising the Mexican flag up high is come together and support each other on different projects. The most important thing is to come together as Mexicans and represent our flag very well. Like how they have collaborated with me, I’ve collaborated with them. I’m on Nata’s album [Nata Montana] that’s coming. We don’t fight over release dates. We don’t fight over who is going to release music first. What’s important is that we’re in this together. We’re all proud to be raising the Mexican flag up high.
You write your songs with your cousin Tito Doble P and he also features on a few of them. What’s the experience like to work on music together?
Making songs with him is something that I do daily. We can be in a hotel writing together the whole night. It’s a part of our lives to write about these cities we pass through, what we see, what we feel, and what we want to put out there. He’s like my brother. I’ve been with him since I started this project. Now I’m very proud to be able to say now he’s coming out as an artist. He released his first single, which is a dembow song [“Dembow Bélico“], and it’s something that’s very different for him. I’m very proud that each person on the Doble P team is finding their own space, their own path, and that’s what we want to do with my record label Doble P Records.
Eladio Carrión made his corrido with you in the song “77.” How did that unique collaboration come together?
It was something that was very different. We’re the first ones to be attracting people from different genres to make music with us. Eladio is someone who is very versatile. He is very talented. You can put on whatever kind of beat and he’ll hop on it. In fact, when I heard his verse, I was shocked about how he can rap to different tempos and different types of music. That’s what’s beautiful about it. It’s a mixture of cultures and genres.
What’s the inspiration behind your song “Lady Gaga” with Gabito Ballesteros and Junior H? Are you a fan of hers?
Yes, I’ve listened to Lady Gaga, but we really named the song that because there’s a verse that says that she wears sunglasses on her face like Lady Gaga. I remember Lady Gaga wore extravagant sunglasses at different types of galas. Like exotic [sunglasses]. It’s an exotic corrido and that’s why we called it “Lady Gaga.”
Some of your fans in the LGBTQ+ community were writing on social media about how they hoped “Lady Gaga” was a song for them and Pride month because it’s named after an LGBTQ+ icon.
Yes, she’s an icon for the LGBTQ+ community. I knew that. I was just talking with my tour manager about how the LGBTQ+ community is very excited about that song, but no, it’s not about the LGBTQ+ community. Well, I’m very happy that everyone is keeping an eye out. However you identify, my music is for everyone. Everyone can listen to my music. It’s a very diverse album that has a mix of cool cultures. The idea of Génesis is to bring everyone together.
What can we expect from you next that you can tell us?
You can expect a lot of fire. A lot of new music. Expect to see me jump into different genres. Expect a lot of very cool collaborations that we have coming soon. We’re excited to release a lot of new music. Expect my tour throughout all the United States.
What do you see for the future of corridos and regional Mexican music?
The future I see for música Mexicana is incredible. In this genre, it’s a genesis that’s just getting started. I believe what’s most interesting is when something gets started, we all have big expectations. I believe we’re all expecting very good numbers. We’re expecting to be received well by the public. It’s only the beginning. Expect everything that’s yet to come. We’re planting a seed for tomorrow’s young artists who are coming up next. The artists are not only Mexican. Now there are Cubans doing corridos. There are Puerto Ricans doing corridos. There are people in Europe listening to corridos. That’s what we hope for with this type of music.
Génesis is out now via Doble P Records. Listen to it here.
Some of the artists mentioned here are Warner Music artists. .
