Marcos Hassan Levy

Music critic/writer, officially since 2007. Crítico y escritor de música. He colaborado en medios desde 2007. Más de mis escritos en http://oscilador.wordpress.com

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'Dulce Beat': Belanova’s 2000s Synthpop Masterpiece

Belanova’s 'Dulce Beat' captured Mexico’s 2000s synthpop moment with hits like 'Rosa Pastel' and 'Por Ti.' It still sounds great today.

Published on November 6, 2025

By Marcos Hassan

Cover: Courtesy of Universal Music Mexico

During the 2000s, the Mexican music scene became a game of niches, with each genre growing their respective crowds with few chances of crossing over. However, one electronic trio managed to find their fans within many different camps, becoming one of the definitive acts of the era, and almost 20 years later, made one of the most unlikely comebacks in Mexican music history. Belanova released Dulce Beat, their second album, in 2005 — a synthpop album influenced as much by what we now call “indie sleaze” as well as predicting mainstream music that would dominate the late-’00s — Kesha, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry, to name a few. Their singles like “Por Ti” and “Rosa Pastel” became chart hits as well as cult favorites. While the band couldn’t transcend their momentum, in the early 2020s, social media helped a new generation discover Belanova, sparking appreciation for a band that, as much as it represented its own time period, proved to be timeless.

Belanova was formed in the year 2000 by Denisse Guerrero, Ricardo Arreola, and Edgar Huerta in the Mexican city of Guadalajara. Arreola had been a member of funk rockers La Dosis during the Mexican rock heyday, while Guerrero and Huerta were younger and less experienced. Their passion for electronic music led them to form Belanova, signing to an indie label, Virus, and releasing their debut album, Cocktail. After signing with Universal, this led to their single “Tus Ojos” becoming a big hit in Mexico.

The music scene and Cachorro López

Latin pop music was in a transitional period back then; the biggest ’90s pop stars were still ruling the charts while the next generation was yet to make their mark. On the other hand, the Mexican rock scene, which had become a huge market, had dwindled down to producing just a few major new acts. Electronic music — while popular in its own niche — had yet to become a major commercial force. There were few artists like Belanova back then, and they seized their uniqueness to make their mark.

In 2005, they released Dulce Beat. The album was produced by Cachorro López, a veteran who helped break rock en español into the mainstream by producing powerful yet melodic albums by Miguel Mateos, Caifanes, and even pop stars like Stephanie Salas and Diego Torres. López once described himself thusly: “I’m not an artist, I’m like a song craftsman.” This quality helped him land some of his biggest hits as a producer, helping Julieta Venegas and Natalia Lafourcade zero in on their respective uniqueness as singers and songwriters and harnessing that into a chart-topping goldmine, as heard on heartfelt and melodic albums — if harmonically different — like Venegas’s Sí and Lafourcade’s Hasta La Raíz.

The album

Dulce Beat similarly breaks away from the group’s past, embracing a wide variety of sounds, focusing on punchy rhythms and the most memorable melodies in concise songs that hardly go beyond the 3:30 mark. Lyrically, Guerrero goes the confessional route, talking about love and heartbreak with a melancholic bent that gives most of the songs on Dulce Beat pathos, even during its brightest moments.

The album opens with “Niño,” a song that demonstrates what electroclash would have sounded like if it ever crossed paths with emo — hurried beats and bright synth lines are the springboard for earnest feelings and big choruses from Guerrero’s high voice register. “Rosa Pastel” is defined by its glam rock stomp and bright choruses with lyrics like “And everything ended / there’s nothing left / we’ll be two strangers / I’ll forget you / you’ll forget me / so long,” perhaps making it their defining moment as artists. “Mírame” embraces a traditional bossa nova sound, with gentle plucked guitar chords and exquisite percussion, with occasional synth lines to give the song a contemporary texture. “Miedo” seems to orbit the same galaxy as bands like Metric, with a guitar riff commanding the track around Guerrero’s sassy delivery swinging around the groove. “Escena Final” seems to apply the Depeche Mode formula into a different approach, with dark synth chords around the verses, while keyboard lines uplift each section as they appear. “Por Ti” boasts the biggest hooks on the whole album — from intertwining melodic lines that lead into an explosive singalong. Even an obvious experiment like “Sexy” — with its over-the-top delivery and lyrics — possesses enough charm and catchiness to be enjoyable.

While Cocktail had been a success, nothing could prepare Belanova for Dulce Beat’s impact. “Por Ti,” “Me Pregunto,” “Rosa Pastel,” and “Niño” became massive radio hits, entering the Billboard charts while keeping the album there for months. It broke the band beyond Mexico, harnessing fanbases in the U.S., Argentina, Chile, and Spain, where they toured. The album was certified double platinum in Mexico.

It was also a smash with the critics. AllMusic’s Jason Birchmeier wrote: “There’s no single quality that makes these songs so magnetic; rather, it’s a combination of Guerrero’s pixieish voice as well as her baby-doll swagger, Huerta’s swirling layers of soft-hued electronics, and Arreola’s driving basslines, not to mention the Midas touch of Cachorro López.” Rolling Stone México’s Alex Carranco praised the album, saying that “it was a challenge for Belanova to surpass their past with this album where, fortunately, they didn’t shed their unique style; rather, there was an upgrade in the production department, with arrangements that engage our attention in each song.”

Belanova released their follow-up in 2007. Fantasía Pop saw them team up again with Cachorro López. It paid off with one of their biggest hits, “Baila Mi Corazón.” While the album had a stellar opening week — reaching No. 1 in Mexico and gold status shortly after, as well as winning them a Latin Grammy for Best Pop Album by a Duo or Group With Vocals in 2008 — it didn’t quite match its predecessor’s success. Steadily, the band’s sales declined even as they kept working until 2018, when they went on hiatus.

Things changed in 2023, however, when social media helped them find a new generation of fans. “Rosa Pastel” became a trending song on TikTok, with young fans making videos using “Rosa Pastel” to express disappointment with their love and even professional life. Soon it went viral beyond the web, with speculations of a return of Belanova to the stage, which finally happened in 2024 with appearances at festivals in Los Angeles and Mexico City.

Belanova managed to do something few artists can: define their era and make timeless music. Perhaps their biggest contribution to Latine music is that, armed with songs as catchy as the ones found on Dulce Beat, one can go supernova multiple times.

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What Is ‘31 Minutos,’ the Puppet Show That Took Over NPR’s Tiny Desk?

Chilean show "31 Minutos" is going viral after its Tiny Desk performance. Here's everything you need to know about the Latin American icon.

By Marcos Hassan

10.08.25

31 Minutos is reaching a whole new audience. On Oct. 6, the Chilean puppet ensemble performed on NPR Music’s ‘El Tiny’ Desk series, playing seven songs that perfectly illustrate what has endeared it to generations of Latin Americans. The third puppet ensemble to perform in the popular concert series, their video has surpassed expectations, earning more than 3.8 million views a day after it was shared. 

31 Minutos was created by Álvaro Díaz — not to be confused with the Puerto Rican reggaeton artist — and Pedro Peirano, who co-founded the Aplaplac production team. It debuted in 2003 through Televisión Nacional De Chile, an NPR-like public broadcasting network. The show parodies a broadcast news program featuring coverage of topics ranging from schoolyard happenings (featuring real schools and children) to war and pollution. In each show there were segments that included the adventures of a superhero (Calcetin con Rombos Man, or Argyle Sock Man) and sports sections, and most popularly, a hit parade with original songs. 

The show became hugely popular in Latin America, especially in Chile and Mexico, and lasted for three seasons, with a fourth produced by Netflix in 2014. It also spawned a feature-length film, a few TV specials, original live musicals, books, comics, a museum expo, a tribute album with covers by acts such as Belanova and Natalia Lafourcade, and touring live performances featuring musicians such as Pedropiedra and members of Chancho En Piedra, even playing the 2020 edition of Vive Latino festival in Mexico. 

The show made its mark thanks to its highly creative visuals — Aplaplac claims that any object can become a puppet if you use your imagination — and its use of an absurdist yet biting brand of humor to discuss complex topics with children, building a self-contained lore. Their inventiveness, wittiness, and outspokenness have forged an unbroken bond with fans who grew up watching the show, as well as attracting teenagers and young adults who watched alongside the younger generation.

Like most Tiny Desk performances, 31 Minutos focused on the music, featuring the live band on camera, wearing shirts that mimicked the shelves in NPR’s office space so they could blend in, as well as the puppets from the series. Dimwitted yet egocentric host Tulio Triviño made interventions between songs, interacting with producer Juanín Juan Harry, no-nonsense star reporter Juan Carlos Bodoque, and young journalist intern Patana Tufillo, resulting in hilarious banter.

For their opening number, they go back to season 1’s “Mi Equilibrio Espiritual” by afroed rockstar Freddy Turbina and feature a — literally — smoking guitar solo. Next up was “Baila Sin César” by Latidos Latinos Urbanos Emergentes Hip-Hop Hermanos Brothers, or LLUEHHHB, making a pun of the word for “stop” and the name “César” in Spanish. Prefaced by a brief interpretation of the Better Call Saul theme song, singer-lawyer Juan Pablo Sopa takes the stage to perform “Objeción Denegada,” a fan favorite thanks to its “hablo como idiota” chorus. “Calurosa Navidad,” the title song from their forthcoming movie, reminds us that in Chile and the entire Southern Hemisphere, Christmas is the hottest day of the year, while Flor Bovina’s “Mi Muñeca Me Habló” and Bombi’s “Arwrarwrirwrarwro” got their moment. The set closes with their theme song, “Yo Nunca Vi Televisión (Y Luego Sí Pero Después No),” sung by all the musicians and puppet, paying a small homage to politically charged Chilean rock legends Los Prisioneros, bringing an emotive finale to the performance.

There were many political commentaries throughout the performance, delivered with characteristic humor, which is an important aspect of why 31 Minutos’ Tiny Desk Concert has people talking online. Tulio makes a reference to their visas expiring, while an ICE alligator agent makes frightening appearances, with Juan Carlos Bodoque commenting that he is just “a nice man” making sure they will return home safe, and altered the lyrics of “Objeción Denegada” to include the phrase “alza la mano si te venció la Waiver/alza la mano si tu eres ilegal.” While some unfamiliar with the show have accused it of going woke, fans are relishing their typical outspokenness.

This Tiny Desk Concert is part of NPR Music’s “El Tiny” takeover. Other performances from the series include Fito Paez, Rubio, Carlos Vives, and Adrian Quesada, among others. 

Check out 31 Minutos’ NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert below.

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Indie Music Festivals Aren’t Dead, They’re Just in Mexico

For every Coachella & Lollapalooza, many indie music festivals are shutting down or struggling to survive. In Mexico, the opposite is happen

By Marcos Hassan

10.08.25

Photo by Bere Rivera.

Depending on who you’re talking to, music festivals are either thriving or struggling. For every Coachella and Lollapalooza, there are dozens of smaller, indie music festivals that are shutting down or struggling to stay afloat. Even big indies like Pitchfork Fest in Chicago, IL, called it quits after 19 years. Others, like Barcelona’s Primavera Sound, have skewed towards the mainstream, booking Charli xcx, Chappell Roan, and Sabrina Carpenter as headliners in 2025. However, the opposite seems to be happening in Mexico: we’re seeing independent festivals become bigger and more prominent. As the music industry gets absorbed into massive enterprises — from streaming to the live setting — niche festivals become beacons of light for passionate fans to connect to the present and artists that will headline future events.

Hipnosis is a prime example of this phenomenon, Mexico City’s psychedelic and alternative rock festival. Since 2017, Hipnosis has offered a wide selection of artists to fans of trippy rock and beyond, including hosting acts such as Air, The Flaming Lips, and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. They also offered the stage to Latine bands ranging from The Mars Volta to Mexican rock pioneers Los Dug Dugs to Chile’s The Holydrug Couple, Brazil’s Boogarins, and Mexico’s Lorelle Meets The Obsolete. Taking place on Nov. 1 and 2, the festival has expanded to a two-day event this year, expecting 15,000 people to show up. It might be a fraction of attendees compared to bigger festivals, making it a special event for people who care about this type of music.

Indeed, the festival’s success isn’t about luring in the biggest crowds possible. “We decided to grow in equity instead of capacity,” says Hipnosis director Paco Barba. “Growing is not about becoming massive or having impressive headliners. It’s about staying independent.” Hipnosis functions year-round as a platform, producing about 50 shows annually — 20 of them free. Moreover, as the national festival circuit turns to the Global North for its talent, especially headliners, many of their events spotlight Mexican and Latin American talent. For Barba, the magic lies in curating lineups where different communities converge into one.

Mexico’s live music market is increasingly diverse. There’s the nostalgia-driven ‘90s Pop Tour; reggaeton’s Flow Fest; heavy music gatherings of all sizes, including Off Limits, Doom City, and Candelabrum; the long-running Mutek franchise with lineups featuring cross-sections of dancefloor fillers and avant-garde artists; and mega-festivals like EDC and Corona Capital. While other markets are zeroing in on appealing to the biggest crowds, Mexico is tending to a year-long wide variety of mass events. While none of these festivals represent direct competition for Hipnosis, there’s only so much a music fan can spend on festivals each year. Therefore, one of the main challenges of indie music festivals like Hipnosis is presenting something of value to the public while earning enough money to remain a prosperous venture. “It has to be a business we can continue,” Barba explains. “But we also have to honor each band by placing them in their own context. To do that, we need to remain 100 percent independent. After all, we serve the cultural memory.”

“Growing is not about becoming massive or having impressive headliners. It’s about staying independent… After all, we serve the cultural memory.”

However, not everything has been an upswing for festivals in Mexico. Earlier this year, two members of the press died at Ceremonia, prompting outrage at the lack of safety protocols and lack of responsibility from the organizers. Also of note is Bandemia — a small festival showcasing new rock talent such as Mengers, El Shirota, and Belafonte Sensacional, among others — which was cut short due to organizational failures. Safety has become an ongoing discussion among the music community, and Barba says Hipnosis has strengthened security and deepened collaboration with local authorities: “For the first time, I see transparency and willingness to adapt within large-format festivals in Mexico City.” 

With the huge influx of immigrants from the Global North to Mexico, and festivals becoming more diverse and cheaper than in the U.S. and Europe, it seems like the country will become a festival destination for fans of specific genres. However, Barba notes that it hasn’t been reflected in Hipnosis’s numbers. So far, this demographic only represents three percent of their ticket buyers. And it’s not a priority to cater to them. “Our commitment has to be towards those who buy a ticket every year,” he says. “We have to give them the most value for their money, and building a community comes first.” This is an essential part of music festivals of this caliber: it’s how organically grown scenes take the next step towards cultural importance, and towards a healthier musical landscape

Perhaps this communal aspect is the reason these indie music festivals persevere. No matter what size they are, as long as people are connected to the music, artist, and experience of attending, gatherings like Hipnosis will weather any storm ahead and will inform the future of live music in Mexico and anywhere in the world, and offer a balance in a rapidly growing, corporate-affiliate festivals threatening to take over.

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Merengue Magic: From Santo Domingo to Puerta Plata, Unlock the History Through Musical Exploration

In 'Sonido Viajero,' musician Yasser Tejeda travels to the Dominican Republic to trace the beat of merengue through culture, food, and dance

By Marcos Hassan & Michaela Vargas Caro

10.08.25

Imagine stepping into paradise, where the city’s pulse syncs with the rhythm of Caribbean beats. In the Dominican Republic, merengue isn’t just a musical genre; it’s the heartbeat of its own culture. Whether walking through the historic streets of Santiago De Los Caballeros or feeling the ocean breeze in Puerto Plata, you’ll be captivated by its intoxicating rhythms. With this guide, we’ll explore the soundscapes of merengue in its birthplace and discover why it has become a vital pillar of Latin music.

Along the journey, we’ll also show you how you can enjoy stays at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card. With the card, you can earn points on every purchase and redeem them to stay at impressive hotels only moments away from merengue’s iconic music venues and culturally significant hotspots. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card is your key to unlocking new ways to experience this genre of music and its cultural impact.

Origins

Merengue originated in the Dominican Republic in the mid-1800s and slowly became the sound of the country’s identity. From colmados to esteemed dance halls, merengue has become one of Latin music’s cornerstones thanks to innovative merengue artists.

In the 1960s, Wilfrido Vargas and Johnny Ventura modernized merengue by slimming down orchestras and creating catchy hits, shaping the genre while touring Latin America. A couple of decades later, Las Chicas del Can became one of the first female merengue artists from the Dominican Republic, paving the way for women in a genre that was otherwise male-dominated. Last but not least, one of the best-selling and arguably most popular merengue artists of all time, Juan Luis Guerra, reached a new level of fame unlike any that had come before him. His experimentation and interweaving of styles, such as salsa and vallenato, reinvigorated and internationalized the genre. These artists came from around the country and introduced us to the unique variations we know and love today. To gain a deeper understanding of the history and evolution of merengue, let’s begin by exploring the city that many believe is the birthplace of the genre.

Santiago de los Caballeros

Start your journey in Santiago de los Caballeros, the city at the heart of El Cibao, the province widely considered the birthplace of merengue típico, also known as perico ripiao. With its fast-paced tempos and undeniable melodies, merengue típico captures the essence of the country’s spirited way of life, from el campo to the city. As the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic, Santiago de los Caballeros is the native land of merengue legends, such as Eddy Herrera, Juan “Krisspy” de los Santos, Nico Lora, and Johnny Pacheco, who blended Cuban soundscapes with Dominican merengue.

When you visit, stop at Parque Duarte to hear local bands keeping the traditions of merengue típico alive. Next, visit the all-white architectural masterpiece Catedral de Santiago Apostol; it has stood the test of time, weather, and war since the 1900s. For a hotel close to this landmark and the Cultural-Historical Center Fortaleza San Luis, book a stay at the new Residence Inn by Marriott Santiago de los Caballeros. In the mornings, head down to the lobby to enjoy a complimentary breakfast with a Caribbean touch, and in the evenings, head up to the rooftop terrace, where you can enjoy spectacular city views.

The modern design in this hotel and throughout Santiago de los Caballeros also extends to the city’s cuisine. Here, you’ll find traditional dishes with innovative spins on island favorites. If you’re looking for a classic dish, head to La Parrillita, where you can order mofongo con chicharrón—a traditional dish made with mashed plantains and crispy pork belly. After you cap off your meal with flan for dessert, pay with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card. On all dining purchases, you can earn 3x points and then use those points to redeem on your next trip to the Caribbean. Paying for dinner has never been sweeter.

Joining us on this journey to Santiago de los Caballeros is musician Yasser Tejeda, who returns to the Dominican Republic to reconnect with the rhythms that shaped him. During his trip, he traces the heartbeat of merengue through music to food—reminding us that merengue is more than a genre; it’s memory in motion.

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Puerto Plata

Next, take a trip to Puerto Plata, widely recognized as the city where merengue became an integral part of the country’s national identity due to the rise of merengue de orquesta in the 1930s. To this day, venues like Anfiteatro La Puntilla host performances by merengue legends such as Johnny Ventura and Fefita la Grande, as well as rising stars like Manny Cruz and Gabriel Pagán. This outdoor amphitheater, facing the Atlantic Ocean, is one of the country’s most beautiful and unique music venues. It’s a must-see.

Puerto Plata offers more than its rich history of merengue. For a serene retreat, stay at The Ocean Club, a Luxury Collection Resort in Playa Sosúa—one of the most beautiful beaches in Puerto Plata. Perched beside a sweeping private beach on Costa Norte, this beach resort is inspired by the beauty and allure of the ocean. When you visit, plan to spend a day lounging beside the infinity pool or getting spa treatments at Ocean Spa in the hotel. You’ll thank us later. You can dine at the hotel or venture out into the city for dinner. You won’t need to go far to try classic dishes, such as conch, Dominican-style sancocho, and la bandera Dominicana.

Within a 10-minute walk, you’ll find popular Caribbean restaurants such as Restaurante Waterfront Playa Alicia. Here, you can savor fresh seafood paired with the region’s renowned rum, considered one of the world’s finest. Looking for a nightcap? Head back to the hotel and enjoy a charming and romantic visit to the La Cave Wine & Cigar Cellar. Be sure to close out your tab with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card. With the card, you’ll earn 17x at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy, like The Ocean Club, a Luxury Collection Resort. Since this wine & cigar cellar is at the hotel, every drink will earn you 17x points to redeem for free nights on your next vacation. Salud to that!

Santo Domingo

Lastly, you can’t miss a visit to the capital and largest city of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, where merengue continues to evolve and reinvent itself. Since the 1970s, Santo Domingo has been home to some of the genre’s biggest stars, including natives Ramón Orlando and Milly Quezada. You can catch a performance every day around La Capital. Still, we recommend visiting iconic venues like Jet Set Club and Ferro Café, which capture the energy of live merengue every week. Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to get out on the dance floor and learn a few merengue moves. There’s no better way to dive into the experience and culture of this musical genre than to dance.

Between experiencing all the live music, we recommend heading to the heart of Santo Domingo, the historic Zona Colonial, to marvel at its cobblestone streets and historic landmarks. Understanding the history of the Dominican Republic will provide insight into why merengue is so beloved and vital in this Latin American country.

After exploring museums and walking tours, head to Calle del Conde, the oldest shopping street in the Americas, to pick up a few souvenirs for yourself and others. You’ll find shops selling handcrafted wooden dolls, coffee, and jewelry made from larimar, a rare, light blue gemstone found only in the Dominican Republic. With the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card, you’ll earn 2x points on these souvenirs and other everyday purchases, which means buying those larimar friendship bracelets brings you a little closer to your next trip with your best friends.

After a long day of shopping, unwind at the JW Marriott Santo Domingo, which offers breathtaking city views on the rooftop terrace of Vertygo 101 Lounge and Bar. This award-winning, luxurious hotel is located near the Catedral Primada de América, the Alcázar de Colón, and notable restaurants. Within just a few blocks, you can indulge in the rich flavors of modern Dominican cuisine at Adrián Tropical, Ajualä, or a local gem, Barra Payán. Here, we recommend ordering the Payan Especial, which includes pork leg, ham, cheese, tomato, mustard and mayo on toasted bread. Pair it with a refreshing morir sonand, an iconic Dominican drink made of orange juice and milk, for a perfect meal you’ll dream about months later.

The Dominican Republic continues to nurture rising, innovative merengue artists. New sub-genres like merengue de calle and merengue electrónico have advanced the genre thanks to artists like Omega and Mambo Flow. Others, like singer-songwriter Fuego, infuse merengue with hip-hop and trap influences, while producers like Mediopicky incorporate experimental metal styles. Even rising musicians, including El Rubio Acordeón and Dahiana from Dahian el Apechao, who collaborated on Bad Bunny’s “Después de la Playa,” keep traditional merengue alive.

With this guide and your Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card, you can experience merengue like an expert. Once you hit the streets of the Dominican Republic, you’ll start feeling the rhythms flow through you as you learn the history, savor the local cuisine, and dance to live merengue. Experiencing merengue with all your senses in its birthplace is a memory you’ll never forget.

Additional research by Michaela Vargas Caro.

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Traveling to the Beat of Cumbia: From Colombia to Mexico, Unlock History Through Musical Exploration

Vanita Leo invites us to travel to Mexico City to learn, listen and, dance with the genre that soundtracks her life: Cumbia.

By Michaela Vargas Caro By Marcos Hassan

09.25.25

Born on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, cumbia has become the sound of Latin America. From the streets of Barranquilla to the historic dance halls of Mexico City, the nightclubs of Buenos Aires to the underground venues of Lima, cumbia lives everywhere. In this guide, we’ll explore how cumbia has taken root in many Latin American countries and how it has united our communities. We’ll also show how it has evolved and adapted to each culture. 

At the same time, you’ll discover how to experience this musical genre through travel, while staying at some incredible hotels using the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card. This card is your key to connecting to culture and the authentic cumbia experience. Before and during each trip, you can earn points on every purchase and redeem them for free nights at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy in the cities that shape the soundscapes of cumbia. Every song you hear on your trip will sound even sweeter when you unlock free stays. Let’s start our journey by highlighting the birthplace of cumbia.

Barranquilla, Colombia

Cumbia originated along the Magdalena River, between Barranquilla and Cartagena, in the late 1700s and 1800s. It began as a courtship dance among Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities. Here, different communities made unique musical contributions that became the elements of cumbia: Powerful percussion instruments, such as maracas, tambora, and the llamador, were provided by enslaved West Africans, while Indigenous groups contributed emotive gaita flutes and the guacharo; lastly, Spanish and European influences added lyrical structures, accordions, and string instruments. A genre evolved to symbolize Colombia’s struggle for independence and cultural resistance to the Spanish colonial rule, to the point that authorities fought to suppress cumbia’s characteristic drumming sounds in public spaces. Originally, cumbia was one of Colombia’s many typical styles and dances from different regions, like vallenato, porro, champeta, pasillo, and cana. Although these styles have been preserved in their places of origin for centuries, modern cumbia took its current form in the ’90s—rescuing the genre’s signature rhythm with new instrumentation and innovative melodies. 

When visiting Barranquilla, we recommend marveling at the architectural wonders at La Plaza de La Paz and sampling classic Colombian cuisine at La Cueva—once a favorite hangout of esteemed author Gabriel García Márquez. You can’t visit Colombia without trying arepas and sancocho! Once the sun sets, head to La Troja. This 50-year-old establishment demonstrates how cumbia has evolved from a regional folk dance to a beloved worldwide genre, featuring performances by legends such as Sexteto Tabalá and Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto. Through Barranquilla’s nightlife, you can experience artists such as Carlos Vives and Bomba Estéreo, whose influence has led cumbia to the international stage.

If you want to experience cumbia’s roots and variations, plan to attend Carnaval de Barranquilla—the second-largest carnival celebration in South America. It’s a 4-day, around-the-clock spectacle of vibrant costumes, breathtaking dance moves and authentic cumbia music. When you visit, stay at the Barranquilla Marriott Hotel; it’s the perfect oasis in the heart of the city. Plus, if you have the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card, you’ll receive Priority Late Checkout* with automatic Silver Elite status, which means that after a long day (and night) of dancing and celebrating, you can enjoy sleeping in a little longer the following day before you check out. 

Mexico City, Mexico

Let’s travel up north to Mexico City. Here, you’ll hear cumbia everywhere, from bustling street parties to family celebrations, reflecting the genre’s deep integration into Mexican life. Brought from Colombia in the 1940s by Luis Carlos Meyer Castandet, cumbia eventually merged with Cuban-inspired music, resulting in a distinctive sound. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, Mike Laure and Rigo Tovar incorporated rock instruments and humor into the genre, further expanding its popularity.

Throughout the decades, Mexico has been a hotbed for new subgenres, including country-inflected cumbia norteño and tecnocumbia—a style created by adding electric instruments like synthesizers and samplers. Cumbia norteña was led by Tucanes de Tijuana and Los Invasores De Nuevo León, while bands like Bronco, Los Bukis, and Los Acosta spearheaded tecnocumbia.

Even today, Mexico City is one of the hottest destinations to experience cumbia, so here’s a tip on how to get there faster: With the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card, you’ll receive a Free Night Award (valued at 35,000 points) every card anniversary that you can redeem at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy, like City Centro By Marriott Ciudad De México, in the heart of the city. You’ll be just a short ride from dance halls like Salón Los Ángeles and California Dancing Club—where Los Ángeles Azules, Los Socios del Ritmo, and Los Askis have performed. It’s the perfect hotel to call home when exploring cumbia around Mexico City.

Joining us on this journey to Mexico City is singer-songwriter Vanita Leo, who reconnects with the pulse of cumbia in the city—the place where her story and the genre’s legacy intertwine. Through her perspective, we’re invited to listen more closely, move more freely, and explore how music carries memory through generations and geography.

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Lima, Peru 

Next stop? Peru. As Andean migrants moved to Lima, they brought their musical traditions, combining cumbia’s rhythms with strummed electric guitars inspired by surf rock and the charango melodies of Huayno music, a traditional Andean style of music and dance. Enrique Delgado and Los Destellos pioneered this sound, and bands like Los Mirlos and Juaneco y Su Combo later added elements from the Amazon, incorporating Indigenous tropical rhythms from the jungle. These artists established cumbia chicha—a psychedelic rock version of the genre named after the traditional corn-based alcohol. The genre’s trippy, otherworldly feel reflected the 1960s hippie era, creating a style of cumbia unique to Peru. 

The heart of Lima’s culture and music lies by the ocean, where you can stay at the JW Marriott Hotel Lima and enjoy world-famous ceviche at La Mar Cebichería or El Mercado. When you’re enjoying all of Peru’s iconic dishes, pay using the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card. You’ll earn 3x points on dining purchases, which means eating delicious food is rewarding for your taste buds and future travel plans. After you’ve sampled all the cuisine that Lima offers, you can sweat it all out to Peruvian cumbia on the dance floor of La Candelaria, where you can learn dances from up to 10 different regions of Peru. It’s a fun, immersive experience to connect with the country’s rich traditions.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Heading to the southmost point of South America, you’ll land in Argentina, where Buenos Aires has become a vital hub for modern cumbia. Here, they adopted the genre from Peru and transformed it into cumbia villera, a slow electronic take on cumbia developed in the villas miseria, or working-class neighborhoods, of Buenos Aires. The subgenre’s daring tempo, digital elements, and memorable hooks became an infectious expression for young people that permeated music, fashion, and even Argentina’s football culture. Bands like Damas Gratis and Yerba Brava synthesized barrio attitude with catchy melodies, making it as much a part of the national identity as tango. Although its roots are associated with street life, cumbia villera has remained a celebrated sound in Argentina and continues to gain popularity in surrounding South American countries. Modern reggaeton and pop artists like Nicki Nicole and María Becerra have incorporated cumbia villera into their sound and even collaborated with those pioneers of the ‘90s.

If you want to experience cumbia-fueled nightlife, we recommend booking your Buenos Aires trip and visiting nightclubs like Niceto Club or La ExtraVagante, where you’ll encounter authentic cumbia villera. After you dance the night away, you won’t find a better place to rest your head than Park Tower, A Luxury Collection Hotel in the heart of the Retiro district. It’s just minutes from major attractions like Florida Street, Teatro Colón, and Puerto Madero. You will enjoy the location, elegant design, and luxurious amenities and earn up to 17x total points with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card. Every stay at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy becomes even more rewarding when you know you’re racking up points you can redeem for future stays. 

All around Latin America, cumbia remains a vital art form to this day. Mexican pop acts, such as Belinda, and rappers like Santa Fe Klan have collaborated with the legendary Los Ángeles Azules. At the same time, new genres like cumbia funk and nu cumbia have introduced us to artists from all over Latin America, including Nicola Cruz, Nidia Góngora, and Chancha Vía Circuito. Alternative bands like Bomba Estéreo and Systema Solar strike a balance between tradition and fusion with pop and electronic music, while bands like Sonido Gallo Negro, Frente Cumbiero, and Meridian Brothers experiment with established cumbia soundscapes and avant-garde elements. 

Traveling to the beat of cumbia is an opportunity to nourish your knowledge of Latin America and the diverse cultures found in each country. With this guide and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card, you can experience cumbia in all its rhythmic glory.

Additional research by Michaela Vargas Caro.

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In partnership with vitaminwater, NeighborHue features Latina artists restoring color, memory, and belonging across three NYC-based murals.

By Marcos Hassan

09.09.25

It’s hard to imagine New York City—especially neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens—without the vibrancy of its murals. Through bold characters, saturated colors, and layered symbols, they connect neighbors to their surroundings, celebrate cultural heritage, build shared memories, and foster a sense of belonging. Which is why keeping them as vivid and intact as the day they were painted is so essential.

In partnership with vitaminwater, we present Neighborhue. This collaborative program not only revives iconic NYC murals with bolder, brighter colors but also reignites the spirit of unity and resilience that has always defined these communities. The project celebrates Latine neighborhood narratives while highlighting the role of public art in Latine communities.

The focus of Neighborhue is on accurate, caring restoration—led by three celebrated artists: Marissa Molina, Lina Montoya, and Magda Love. Each mural they touch is a reflection of its community—reminding them that what makes the city unbreakable is the collective spirit. “It’s a promise to the community that hope and growth won’t fade,” shares Molina.

The series documents the restoration process, but also captures something bigger: the relationship between art and the people who live alongside it. Through interviews with artists and neighbors, we learn how these works shape identity, hold memory, and tell collective stories.

Each video follows a mural’s arc—from faded colors, chipped paint, and exposed brick to fresh vibrancy. We see the artists assessing the walls, setting down their tools, chatting with locals—all while under the afternoon heat. As brushes glide over the surface, neighborhood sounds filter in: laughter, street vendors calling out, music spilling from open windows.

The results are as layered and alive as the city itself. The murals tell their own story: one of survival, celebration, and strength.

“Tree of Life”

“Everyone’s roots stretch out to every corner of the world,” says Molina. “[…] our branches grow together toward the same sky.”

Created in 2019 through Thrive Collective, “Tree of Life” illustrates the ever-growing spirit of Jamaica, Queens—its refreshed greens, purples, oranges, blues, and pinks radiating pride and connection. For Molina, whose father emigrated from El Salvador in search of opportunity, the work also carries personal meaning. Her bold, empowering portraits honor the individuals who make up the community, anchoring the mural as both root and branch in the neighborhood’s story.

“She Rises”

Framed by chain-link fences and a playground in Brownsville, Brooklyn, “She Rises” is a beacon of color and strength. Created through Groundswell Collective, the piece celebrates women’s power to uplift families, nurture communities, and claim their voices—even in the face of attempts to silence them, as seen in the painted “x”s over characters’ mouths. Intentionally or not, this only made the restoration a much-needed act of resistance.

Rendered in vivid orange, pink, aqua, and deep magenta, the mural found its perfect restorer in Colombia-born Lina Montoya, an artist deeply rooted in public art traditions and inspired by the rhythm of music. “Restoring the mural honors the achievements of generations of women who shaped this city into the resilient place it is today,” Montoya says.

“In Unity, There’s Strength“

Between a shuttered deli and a dog bakery in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, “In Unity, There’s Strength” lives up to its name. Bold symbols—linked hands, dynamic patterns—speak to solidarity and the collective power of neighbors standing together.

Magda Love created this six-panel, site-specific work in collaboration with the Invisible Dog Art Center and Court–Smith BID. Love, a New York–based Argentinean artist, celebrates color, nature, and shared humanity. “Strength is not in the individual—it’s in the collective, the block, the neighborhood,” she says.

If these murals share one truth, it’s the idea of belonging. For everyone bound by the streets they call home, these restorations are reminders—to the present and the future—of what they share. Neighborhue, by Remezcla and vitaminwater, ensures their messages ring louder than ever: the only way forward is together.

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'El Camino of the Fighters' Celebrates the Spirit of These Businesses

Grit, heart, heritage—'El Camino' of The Fighters' by Modelo celebrates the fighters shaping our communities.

By Marcos Hassan

09.10.25

Small businesses in the United States are more than places of commerce; they are pillars of their communities. They contribute to the local economy while standing as examples of sacrifice, grit, and resilience—proof that goals can be achieved even through hardships. Self-made entrepreneurs and family-run restaurants, workshops, and stores—especially those that seem to have been there forever—have weathered storms, defied odds, and stayed true to their vision. Their passionate, challenging, and inspiring stories often go untold.

El Camino of the Fighters is a series presented by Modelo that celebrates Latine-owned, family-founded, and family-run small businesses across the country. It highlights their resilience, fire, and determination, shining a light on everyday heroes who enrich their communities despite facing obstacles. Each chapter traces their journey from humble beginnings—often spanning decades—showcasing their entrepreneurial spirit while revealing the human emotions that fuel them. Through this series, Modelo honors people who refuse to give up and who let kindness and love guide their path.

The series kicked off in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, where we visited El Tepeyac Café. Manager Carlos Thome describes it with one word: “Family.” This refers not only to his position as the third generation behind one of the neighborhood’s most beloved institutions but also to how customers feel like family, embodying the community’s spirit.

Carlos’s grandfather, Manuel Rojas, transformed the business into something beyond a simple eatery. Manuel faced struggles from birth, yet never surrendered to challenges. “He kept fighting,” says his daughter, Elena Rojas, a spirit that she and her son Carlos remain committed to preserving.

Over in Miami, a similar attitude has fueled what a journalist once called “a bastion of an extinguishing world in Miami.” Established 35 years ago, Revistas y Periódicos fulfills the ongoing dream of Norma Zevallos and Eduardo Durán. This couple boldly created a unique bookstore that stocks the finest Spanish newspapers, magazines, and books from across Latin America and Spain.

Escaping an increasingly challenging life in her native Colombia, Norma found an unexpected opportunity that changed everything: an offer to take over a failing Miami newsstand. She turned it around despite competition from e-books and online retailers. “The bookstores went away,” Eduardo reflects, “but books and readers didn’t. These people were orphaned, and we gave them a home.”

Our third stop took us to East Austin, where we discovered Joe’s Bakery’s decades-old story. Regina Avila, the current general manager, shares that her great-grandmother, Sofía, arrived in Texas “by horse and buggy” and served baked goods from her home in the 1930s. In 1962, Joe’s Bakery opened as a lifeline for Regina’s grandfather, who struggled with his mental health after serving in the Korean War.

After opening Joe’s Bakery, he faced constant rejection and obstacles, yet his perseverance paid off. Now, Regina carries this legacy forward, learning to assert herself while maintaining kindness. “As a young woman growing up in a Mexican American household, we are not taught to stand up for ourselves,” she says. “And something I have learned as a leader […] is that you can stand up for yourself in a respectful way. You can be kind, strong, and firm. It’s not one or the other.”

On our final stop, we met Don Jorge Tello—described by some as “the most Mexican Guatemalan”—at L.A.’s La Casa Del Mariachi. More than just a store selling charro suits, it stands as a living testament to tradition, resilience, and pride in craftsmanship. Jorge’s dedication not only enabled him to build a career from his passion in Los Angeles but also allowed him to make an immediate impact once he took control of his destiny.

Today, his clientele ranges from schoolchildren to international musicians, with orders coming from the U.S., Europe, and Australia. He remembers all his clients, many spanning multiple generations.

However, La Casa Del Mariachi’s journey hasn’t been easy—facing economic troubles, mounting small business loans, and sleepless nights. Yet Don Jorge moves forward with his head held high. “You have to keep fighting,” he says. “Like the old saying goes, ‘there’s no worse fight than the one that isn’t fought.’ We’ll keep going.”

All these fighters come from different Latine cultures and work across a range of crafts — from cooking to fashion design to community building. Yet, they’re united by a shared language of connection. No matter their background or medium, they all describe their work and relationship with customers using the same word: familia.

El Camino of the Fighters shows how neighborhood staples embody self-determination, perseverance, and deep love for their work and customers. They bring their passion to a broader clientele, whether through baked goods, rare books, custom-made charro suits, or giant burritos. They continue traditions that often started in a household kitchen, living room, or garage.

Modelo is proud to celebrate these unique stories and the people behind them, recognizing their strength and kindness. These fighters demonstrate that grit, resilience, and courage are rooted in family and culture, making each of their dreams worth fighting for.

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How This Charro Suit Maker Stitched His Way Into Los Angeles' Cultural Legacy

For more than four decades, La Casa Del Mariachi has turned challenges into craftsmanship—designing timeless charro suits.

By Marcos Hassan

08.21.25

For over four decades, La Casa Del Mariachi has been more than just a store selling charro suits. It stands as a living testament to tradition, resilience, and pride in craftsmanship. At its heart is Don Jorge Tello, a man who arrived in Los Angeles alone with few possessions yet carved out a lasting legacy in both community and fashion.

Don Jorge and La Casa Del Mariachi are featured in El Camino of the Fighters, a series showcasing Latine-owned, family-founded small businesses, street vendors, and entrepreneurs. Through these unsung heroes, Modelo demonstrates its commitment to honoring everyday fighters who have shaped their city’s legacy and economic landscape.

Born in Guatemala, Jorge discovered his dream while visiting Mexico’s Chiapas state, where he witnessed a mariachi band perform. It was a pivotal moment in his life. “One day, I’ll make that kind of clothing,” he told himself, never imagining how this garment would transform his future.

Initially, this was merely a passing thought. Jorge was practical—having completed only 6th grade, he was working toward becoming a car repairman. Fate intervened when a football injury prevented him from lifting heavy machinery. Rather than becoming discouraged, he pivoted. Under his father’s guidance, he learned the art of tailoring. By the age of 15, he had crafted his first suit and soon joined a workshop, where he began earning a living.

His journey continued with a move to Los Angeles. He arrived without money or clear prospects, yet these challenges didn’t deter him. Soon, he met someone working at a charro suit workshop who recommended him for a job. Jorge’s talent shone immediately—within six months, he was managing the entire operation, expanding it from a team of three to ten people. Nothing came easily; Jorge earned every opportunity through hard work and dedication. “Here’s where my dream came true,” he reflects today.

In 2002, with his sister’s help, Jorge (often called “the most Mexican Guatemalan”) opened Casa del Mariachi near La Plaza Del Mariachi. Stepping into the store feels like visiting a vintage Mexican establishment, with its warm, homely atmosphere. Mannequins display Jorge’s work, allowing visitors to admire the detailed fabrics, embroidered fringes, and gold and silver buttons. The true stars are the suits themselves—meticulously crafted to preserve a centuries-old tradition.

Jorge’s clientele ranges from schoolchildren to international musicians, with orders coming from L.A. to Europe and Australia. People commission his charro suits for special occasions, such as weddings, parades, graduation ceremonies, concerts, and television appearances. Jorge’s remarkable memory allows him to recognize all his clients, many of whom span multiple generations. “Sometimes people tell me, ‘Jorge represents Mexico and has made suits for my father, his son, and now it’s the grandson’s turn,'” he smiles.

Success hasn’t come without challenges—economic hardships, small business loans, and sleepless nights. Yet Jorge never considered closing shop. “You have to keep fighting,” he says. “Like the old saying goes, ‘there’s no worse fight than the one that isn’t fought.’ We’ll keep going.”

Though officially retired, Jorge still works daily in his workshop. Quoting a late, famous Mexican singer, he explains, “As long as people applaud, I’ll keep going.” His primary concern is preserving the tailoring craft for future generations. Don Jorge leads by example, showing that charro suits aren’t merely clothing but expressions of identity, personality, and love. “It moves me to tears when I see young children wear my suits,” he says. “That’s the kind of legacy I think is important.”

It’s the human impact—how his craft resonates within his community—that will define Don Jorge Tello’s legacy. Like Modelo, his fight to preserve heritage—both his own and a cultural symbol—gives his life meaning.

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How One Family Turned a Bakery into a Part Of East Austin’s Legacy

For over 60 years, Joe's Bakery has stood as a symbol of grit, love, and loyalty in East Austin. Here's their El Camino of The Fighters stor

Inside the walls of East Austin’s Joe’s Bakery lies the soul of the Avila family’s relentless journey—from ancestors seeking survival to securing the very building they inhabit, all while nurturing their enduring love for community. Regina Estrada, the current general manager and granddaughter of founder Joe Avila, has spent most of her life at the company. “It’s our family legacy,” she says. “I’ve had the best memories within these walls and some of our worst family moments as well.”

Joe’s Bakery is part of El Camino of the Fighters, a series highlighting Latine-owned, family-founded small businesses—unsung heroes in their communities. Modelo honors these everyday fighters who have built their stories from the ground up, shaping the legacies and economic landscapes of their cities.

The story began before Joe’s Bakery existed, when Regina’s great-grandmother, Sofía, arrived in Texas “by horse and buggy.” She began serving baked goods from her home in the 1930s, assisted by her husband, Florentino. In 1962, Sofia opened the legendary bakery as a lifeline for her son, Joe, who struggled with health conditions after serving in the Korean War—and, of course, named it after him. He had dreamed of being a baker since childhood, and his mother saw an opportunity to help him find his way. Though Joe’s wife was initially hesitant, she eventually committed herself to the bakery. “They grew together,” Regina says. “They were giving it their all. And they were very tenacious, hard workers.”

From the beginning, Joe knew that success required effort, so he invested time and energy in building a future for himself and his family. When expansion became necessary, he found the perfect building and applied for a loan. Despite facing rejection from multiple banks, he persisted until one finally approved his application. This determination paid off—Joe’s Bakery remains in that same building today.

Regina carries this legacy forward. She joined the company at 23, bringing confidence and determination to the business. Having grown up in Joe’s Bakery, she initially struggled to gain respect, with both employees and customers often asking to speak with her grandfather instead. She learned to assert herself while maintaining kindness, becoming the leader who has guided Joe’s Bakery into the new millennium. 

“As a young woman growing up in a Mexican American household, we are not taught to stand up for ourselves. And something I have learned as a leader and an adult in her 40s is that you can stand up for yourself in a respectful way. You can be kind, strong, and firm. It’s not one or the other.”

Regina has modernized Joe’s Bakery by launching a website, engaging with the community, and designing merchandise—all while preserving what makes the restaurant special. Her involvement in local politics has kept the business closely connected to the community, and her skills have proven crucial during challenging times. During the COVID-19 lockdown, she saved the company by creating a drive-thru system, filming her plan on her phone and sharing it with staff.

Through generations of challenges, Joe’s Bakery continues to serve delicious food like huevos rancheros, menudo, chicken quesadillas, and the “Joey Rocha”—named after a beloved employee who passed away. Even during difficult times, unexpected benefits have emerged, such as welcoming their first female baker, who maintains Joe’s recipes while adding her unique touch.

While change is inevitable—new staff, smaller space to manage rising costs, and a shifting neighborhood demographic—Joe’s Bakery preserves cherished traditions for patrons: a quarter-operated CD jukebox, flour tortillas with every meal, and cookies that still cost just 50 cents.

Reflecting on her place in this multi-generational story, Regina says, “This was not my dream or what I set out to do in life. And this is not my end-all, be-all. But while I’m here, I will give my all to this legacy, which is my love for my family. I love them.”

Sixty years later, Joe’s Bakery stands as a pillar of the East Austin community. Beyond the establishment itself, the Avila family’s commitment to their values, resilience, and heritage serves as a beacon for community members. Like Modelo, it represents a tradition that remains strong in uncertain times, offering comfort to those weathering life’s storms.

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How this Colombian Couple Built A Miami Literary Staple–With All Books En Español

Meet Norma Zevallos and Eduardo Durán, the couple keeping beloved book store Revistas y Periódicos alive, one magazine at a time.

Thirty-five years ago, Norma Zevallos and Eduardo Durán made a bold decision and took a step toward a dream that would not come easily, but would put their will and passion to good use. The result is Revistas y Periódicos, a bookstore that stocks the finest Spanish newspapers, magazines, and books from across Latin America and Spain. They built it themselves, carving it out of long days, navigating market changes, and above all, refusing to quit.

Revistas y Periódicos is part of El Camino of the Fighters, a series that highlights Latine-owned, family-founded and operated small businesses, street vendors, and entrepreneurs. By highlighting these unsung heroes, Modelo underlines its commitment to honoring everyday fighters who have contributed to their city’s legacy and economic landscape.

Norma contemplated a future in the United States when circumstances in her native Colombia became difficult. Thanks to her sister, she moved to Orlando with her young son and some savings; meanwhile, Eduardo remained behind to settle his agricultural stockbroker business before joining her. Her new life in the “land of opportunities”—as they call the U.S.—was far from glamorous. Norma cleaned rooms at night and worked at El Espectador by day. She persevered through this challenging phase, doing what needed to be done. 

Then, one day, an unexpected opportunity arose to change everything for her: her boss at El Espectador offered her a failing newsstand in Miami. He had tried to make the stand work but failed. Norma immediately recognized this as the answer to her prayers and put her vision to work.

Norma honored the space she was given and respected its loyal customers by keeping the name Revistas y Periódicos, confident that its reputation for quality literature would spread by word of mouth. When Eduardo finally joined her, he threw himself into the venture, working alongside her from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day. They embraced it as both a labor of love and a means of survival. After 16 years, their efforts culminated in a new, larger location, with the original site entrusted to their son.

However, success brought new challenges. When e-books and next-day delivery online retailers emerged in the 2000s, small bookstores struggled to compete. Revistas y Periódicos was no exception. They had to close their larger store, and their son offered to return the original site to them, saying they had “inherited it in reverse.”

Quitting was never an option. “The bookstores went away,” Eduardo says, “but books and readers didn’t. These people were orphaned, and we gave them a home.” “Home” is a word that surfaces often when discussing the bookstore, as Norma considers it an extension of their house—which also boasts an impressive literary collection—that she opens for customers to share her favorite thing: reading material in her native language.

By recommending books and building rapport, Eduardo and Norma have cultivated trusting relationships with customers who chat with them as if they were old friends. Those who’ve walked through their doors have been so impressed by their catalog of hard-to-find titles that their praise has drawn others to visit Revistas y Periódicos.

After weathering the storm, they began to thrive again, creating a cultural refuge for readers and intellectuals. A journalist once described Revistas y Periódicos as “a bastion of an extinguishing world in Miami,” a description that remains apt today. The couple has built a community that feels more like family. They cater to a diverse range of readers, including women who enjoy gossip magazines and arrive at the stand when deliveries arrive at 5 p.m.

Today, prospects look bright for Revistas y Periódicos, though their journey has been marked by economic turmoil and health scares—something neither Eduardo nor Norma takes for granted. Eduardo sums up their blessing beautifully: “We rest by working, because we love what we do.” Through their devotion to work—a quality shared with Modelo—they transformed a small newsstand opportunity into a lasting legacy for themselves, Miami, and Latine culture.

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How Three Generations Built One of L.A.’s Most Beloved Mexican Restaurants

When asked what El Tepeyac Café means to him, Carlos Thome answers without hesitation: “Family,” he says. “When everybody comes in, they enj

When asked what El Tepeyac Café means to him, Carlos Thome answers without hesitation: “Family,” he says. “When everybody comes in, they enjoy a meal together. As soon as you walk in, you get a warm, cozy feeling.” His words come easily, but behind them lies a story of hard-won fights, perseverance, and gigantic burritos.

El Tepeyac Café is part of El Camino of the Fighters, a series that shines a light on Latine-owned, family-founded, and run small businesses—unsung heroes in their respective communities. Likewise, Modelo aligns its commitment by honoring these and other everyday fighters who have built their stories from the ground up, shaping the legacies and economic landscapes of their cities.

Founded in 1942, El Tepeyac Café has been an integral part of Boyle Heights—not just as a neighborhood eatery, but as a testament to the enduring spirit of its community. Located in a charming house on a hill, El Tepeyac began as a hamburger stand that soon featured Mexican staples like tacos, burritos, and antojitos. Carlos’s grandfather found his calling here after trying his hand as a barber and photographer. When he passed away, his son, Manuel Rojas, took over, transforming the business into something greater than anyone had imagined.

Manuel was a force of nature, welcoming customers with stories, jokes, and the occasional shot of tequila. A fighter since childhood, Manuel faced his own early struggles—born prematurely and battling pneumonia—but always met life head-on. Boxing became both his passion and his solace, a reflection of his approach to the daily grind of running a small business. “He kept fighting,” says his daughter, Elena Rojas.

El Tepeyac Café became Manuel’s life’s work and his family’s legacy. Elena grew up in the restaurant—first as a child perched at the counter, later helping run the business. She built close bonds with staff and regulars alike, many of whom still visit today. “I would go around talking to all the employees,” she recalls. “They were all like family to me. And the customers eventually did the same thing. I still see them every weekend. Same customers, all the time.”

That legacy has now passed to Carlos, who began shining shoes at El Tepeyac years ago. He worked his way up from the kitchen to management and now runs the café with his wife. Their son—the fourth generation—has now joined the family business.

El Tepeyac’s reputation has been earned through hard work, serving exceptional food, and giving back to the community from the beginning. Elena recalls how Manuel would feed those who couldn’t afford to pay, and kept the doors open late for anyone who knocked—firefighters, nurses, city workers, or neighbors. Their loyalty was forged in service and generosity.

The café’s customers lean on El Tepeyac for comfort and joy during hard times. Elena shares a story: “This couple came in and told me the guy’s father had passed away. His friends brought him here for comfort food. They talked, laughed, and made him feel better.” Many customers share stories of meeting their spouses at the café, and later bringing their children.

When asked about the secrets of El Tepeyac’s longevity, Carlos credits loyalty and consistency. “This is not just a business, it’s a family, and there’s a legacy we have to continue. If we just gave up, it’d be a shame. You have to be persistent and keep going.”

El Tepeyac Café’s Camino of the Fighters has been long and hard-fought. “It’s about not stopping, by any means necessary,” Carlos says. “Obstacles will come, but you have to keep going. You can’t lie down and stop fighting.”

Eighty years since their fight began, the family has built a restaurant with their hands and hearts—a place that represents their community and their family. Modelo is proud to uplift these businesses, bringing attention to an integral part of their communities, because, in the end, El Tepeyac Café is more than a restaurant; it’s a sanctuary.

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For Father's Day, One Lucky Dad Got the Ultimate Grill Glow-Up

Diana went into a custom auto shop for Father's Day with a straightforward ask: have her dad’s grill completely tuneado. Here’s how it looks

Walk into a custom car shop asking to tune your grill, and you’ll likely get a belly laugh and raised eyebrows. After all, who’d think of modifying a barbecue grill like it’s a JDM project car? But Joshua Sanchez, owner of Firmes Styles, isn’t your typical car tuner. He’s bold enough to take on any challenge, even those unrelated to lowering suspensions or upgrading airlifters. Naturally, when Diana Salguero—a content creator who wanted to give her dad the best Father’s Day gift ever—entered his garage with this request, Joshua and his team jumped right in. Diana wasn’t just asking for a new paint job – she wanted to surprise her dad with a grilling setup worthy of his skills behind the flames. And with PEPSI® in the mix, the goal was bigger than a makeover—it was about making sure every grilled bite was elevated with bold, unforgettable flavor.

Tuned and Grilled, presented by PEPSI®, brings together custom car enthusiasts and backyard grilling culture in time for Father’s Day. It’s about transforming a basic barbecue into a show-stopping, fire-breathing masterpiece. The mission? Give Diana’s dad’s trusty grill a total tune-up, turning it into a centerpiece for carne asadas. As we see in this video series, the process involves challenges, bold flavors enhanced by the taste of Pepsi, and a whole lot of heart.

We witness how creativity, skill, and playfulness combine to create a grill that’ll make the whole neighborhood envious. In episode one, Diana shares just how much her dad loves his grill, “he calls it ‘his baby’”, she says. Grilling has been a long-time passion of Jose’s, with appearances in their social media videos, to the point that followers have nicknamed him “Chef Fresh.”

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Inspired by Jose’s passion for grilling, Joshua plans major upgrades: a dual cooking system for better flavor control, a mini fridge so he’s never too far from an ice-cold Pepsi, a detachable tablet to stream games without having to step away from the grill—and striking blue flame graphics, Jose’s favorite color, to tie it all together.

Aiming to make the grill “firme, not just fresh,” episode two shows Joshua bringing his ideas to life. Want a sound system for Dad to play his favorite corridos while grilling marinated short ribs for tacos? Done—with subwoofers to boot. A switch from gas to coal? Just add mesquite for extra smokiness. A spinning spice rack? Perfect—all seasonings within reach. Soon, this humble grill becomes an epic fire-breather commanding respect. All José will need in the future is an ice-cold Pepsi at hand, because after all, Grilling Deserves Pepsi. 

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The transformation isn’t just functional—Firme Styles reimagined the entire look. The makeover features eye-catching graphics in classic cholo lowrider style, the PEPSI® logo, and the signature “Chef Fresh” tag, elevating this BBQ to near-museum status.

The final episode delivers the perfect payoff during the family Father’s Day cookout. José’s reaction to his upgraded beast is priceless, as the family celebrates with laughter, steaks being grilled for tacos while enjoying cold Pepsi to enhance the flavor, and dancing around his souped-up grill.

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“Having fun together for Father’s Day is what’s memorable and amazing,” Diana shares in the video. Many joyful days of grilling steaks, sharing laughs, and playing music lie ahead.

Beyond the hijinks of treating a grill like it’s a car, this project has real heart. Diana reflects on her father’s sacrifices and her wish to give back meaningfully. For her, cooking with her dad symbolizes their special bond—a connection celebrated through this gift.

While Tuneo creates impressive vehicle builds—from elegant to outrageous—transforming a simple grill into a showstopper proves the true genius of these visionary craftsmen. Just like a cold Pepsi elevates the flavor of mouth-watering food, these innovative ideas bring an extra kick of fun, enjoyed by the whole family, and come together with a fiery spirit to make it something unforgettable.

PEPSI and the Pepsi Globe are registered trademarks of PepsiCo, Inc.

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aLex vs aLex is the New Face of Guatemalan Alt-R&B

aLex vs aLex takes pride in coming from & now platforming a scene that pretty much had no scene in Guatemala.

Sofía Insua is still buzzing. She recently opened Ralphie Choo’s sold-out shows in New York under her artistic name aLex vs aLex, and the experience has left her talking about it for days on end. There’s no denying that it’s a dream come true for her as she recalls how she was inspired by him and other Spanish artists of his generation like Rusowsky, TRISTAN!, and AMORE. However, she feels like sharing the stage with him means something beyond a personal achievement. Insua takes pride in being an artist from Guatemala who has finally earned the position to play on the same stage as an internationally renowned artist, coming from a scene that pretty much had no scene. “I’m excited and I’m honored to be part of the first group of Guatemalans that are present in these alternative platforms, where our art is being shared so widely,” she enthuses. While aLex vs aLex has just released a handful of songs, Insua has been working hard for years to get to where she is now. 

She chose the stage name aLex vs aLex because it was the name her parents had originally picked for her after her father, Alejandro. “It’s like the person that I almost was versus the person that I am versus the person that I could be,” Insua says of the moniker. “It’s also like the Batman effect. If you have an alias, it sort of gives you a different kind of permission to tap into a different part of you.” But aLex vs aLex is more than just an alias; it’s a full-fledged project and a long way in the making. Insua was born and raised in Guatemala and was intrigued by different artistic expressions. Finding few channels to pursue her calling, she auditioned for drama schools in the U.S. and got accepted for a conservatory degree in acting in New York with a merit scholarship. 

At the same time, she recorded a song with a friend that inadvertently became a hit in Guatemala. On the strength of that song, Easy Easy — one of the country’s biggest and few alternative bands — invited her to become its singer after Jesse Baez left the band. Since 2017, Insua has written, recorded, and toured with the band across Guatemala, Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, the U.S., and more. She also started another project, ERA C, with Mirza Ramic of the trip-hop duo Arms and Sleepers. Parallel to all of her projects, she was also developing a career in experimental theater, moving for a time to Berlin before returning to New York in 2023. 

When she started professionally in music with Easy Easy, Insua was very young and just discovering the world. She didn’t feel ready to start a solo project until she had already lived in three major cities and toured many others, explored different artistic disciplines, and had more life experience. “Once my frontal lobe fully developed two years ago, when I turned 25, I gained this higher clarity and self-awareness of who I am,” Insua muses. “With aLex vs aLex, I think there’s a deeper understanding of how to incorporate all of these ventures that I have been able to be a part of.” 

Although she has just released a handful of songs, Insua has proven to be an artist worth listening to. aLex vs aLex has a sound that’s both easy to relate to and capable of throwing satisfying aural curveballs. “tener t” is a slow-burning ballad that benefits from Insua’s emotional vocals before picking up speed and turning into a drum and bass-inspired dance track. While groovy “nadie lo saBe” revisits ‘90s R&B in its melodies and delivery, “see me 4 the first time” is almost a lullaby in its sweetness, but there’s a melancholy that’s difficult to shake from its core while keeping the beat firmly on the dancefloor. 

“[I try to] find some sort of balance,” Insua says about her sound. “I want to have softness and sweetness through my voice, but then for there to have some kind in-your-face, aggressive beats.” Her R&B influences shine through aLex vs. aLex, as well as electronic flourishes and dreamy, ethereal textures. She carefully constructs all the lyrics, which she describes as “mantras.” “I’m mindful. I like to put thought into what I put out into the world, lyrically,” she adds.

[aLex vs aLex is] like the person that I almost was versus the person that I am versus the person that I could be. It’s also like the Batman effect. If you have an alias, it sort of gives you a different kind of permission to tap into a different part of you.

The songs she has released so far will be part of an upcoming EP, produced by herself and Gabriel Dinero, a London-based fellow Guatemalan who she originally met when they were 17. When Insua envisioned aLex vs aLex, she thought Dinero’s R&B production style would suit her music perfectly. “He’s been a huge part of me being able to finally pinpoint what I want and how I want to sound, and he’s added so much to it,” she says about their collaboration. “And obviously, he also knows more about the technical side of production. I’m really glad and lucky to have him on board.” 

Insua describes aLex vs aLex as “very DIY.” While there are other people who collaborate with her, she’s the one “steering the ship,” learning from all her collaborators in every step of the process, from production to publicity. In turn, it has become a very important channel for her day-to-day. “I found an outlet to let myself be,” she says. “To explore and have fun and be less serious.”

This type of operation comes with challenges, like having to invest in the creation of her art. “It’s like an act of blind faith in yourself because you won’t see a financial return, at least at first,” she explains. “[It’s very challenging] trying to put music out and staying organized while maintaining the administrative areas of it functioning at the same time as the creative ones.” However, she finds freedom in the “scrappy” nature in which she operates: “I really trust the power of taste more than big budgets or production value.” 

Insua is finishing the final touches of the first aLex vs aLex EP, which is coming out in February 2025, as well as a live setup that will allow her to tour behind this album. Though so far, she’s played only a handful of dates, they’ve been high-profile gigs, including opening for Chet Faker along with the Ralphie Choo dates.

Recalling her recent shows with the latter again, Insua is reminded of the hardships of the musical landscape in Guatemala when she was starting and how she now feels excitement around it. As far as alternative music scenes, little to no support exists in most of Central America, and Insua recalls how Easy Easy built the underground scene in Guatemala for them to play in and how the band was so integral to it that their guitarist taught younger aspiring musicians like Gabriel Dinero how to play the instrument. 

The days of lack of infrastructure, few concerts, and institutional support might not be over yet, but there’s a glimmer of hope nowadays. Thanks in part to artists like Mabe Fratti and Ben Carrillo, Central American artists are making waves in their respective genres globally, and putting Guatemala specifically on the musical map. This makes Insua hopeful for the musical talent in her country of origin. Insua, in her aLex vs aLex guise, has enough taste and courage to join these artists into ushering a new era of Guatemalan talent.

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Discorama record store / tienda de discos CDMX

Script, research, interview, onsite shooting

Guión, investigación, entrevista y tomas en locación

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La escena de Monterrey en los '90s - Quemasucabeza

Script, research, and footage compiling

Guión, investigación, recopilación de imágenes

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How Ed Maverick Found Himself Again

The Mexican songwriter returns to his roots —— but still finds plenty new to say — on his new album.

By Marcos Hassan

November 25, 2024

To some people, there’s no one like Ed Maverick, the Mexican singer with a singular voice, able to share the deepest thoughts of his listeners through his unmistakable baritone. But ask Maverick himself and he just thinks of himself as a guy trying to make sense of his own feelings while keeping his music going.

“If I’m still alive and I’ve made the decision to keep on living — and there have been times when I didn’t want to be — I might as well push these ideas,” he says bluntly, speaking to Rolling Stone from his hometown in Delicias, Chihuahua. On his new album, La Nube En El Jardín, he’s stripped everything back and gotten more honest than ever.

Maverick, whose real name is Eduardo Hernández Saucedo, burst out of the sleepy town of Delicias, Chihuahua with a handful of stark, brokenhearted love songs that he wrote himself at age 16. He posted the tracks to YouTube — along with a few Jake Bugg covers — which soon gathered thousands of views. His 2018 debut LP, Mix Pa Llorar En Tu Cuarto, blew up thanks to songs like “Fuentes De Ortiz” — which boasts more than 455 million views now — and “Acurrucar,” leading to a major label deal and a move to Mexico City. Big tours and performances followed, but things took a turn.

Being thrown into the limelight at such a young age made Maverick question his place in the music scene. And then, just when he was breaking into the mainstream, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Maverick threw himself into writing eduardo, the maximalist follow-up to his debut, punctuated by heavy overdubbing and use of effects to narrate how he had been dealing with his emotions. Released in 2021, the album expanded his musical vision and his career. He finally played Coachella in 2022.

But shortly after, he decided to shave everything down to the bone. In 2021, he started working on La Nube En El Jardín. Maverick had his studio setup and could work at his leisure. He described this period as “being in his physical comfort zone,” unlike the making of his previous album. “eduardo has a lot of introspection, a lot of drugs, and a lot of things happening,” says Maverick. “[For La Nube En El Jardín,] it was like getting up in the morning, having something on my mind, writing about it. After 15 minutes, I already had a new song.” He wrote about hanging out with friends, falling out with some while getting closer to others — ”just everyday things,” as he describes it. “It’s like nothing extraordinary happened to me, but I ended up writing about that.”

In a lot of ways, La Nube En El Jardín is a return to Maverick’s roots. The album stands out for its simplicity, a call back to his early days of making music. It’s almost exclusively voice and guitar, but it doesn’t feel like an imitation of what he did when he was a teenager. “I wrote the first album when I was 15 or 16 years old, and now I’m 23,” Maverick says. “I’d be ashamed if it wasn’t more mature. It would be very strange to write like I was still a kid. It was more like, ‘How can I say everything I want with just a few elements?’ The songs were so simple and they were coming along in a simple manner, so I thought they needed to be recorded as simply as possible. It’s more intimate this way.”

There are some flourishes that show his growth: the shoegazy guitar strums in “Violento,” the careful lyricism on “Valor De Más.” Overall, though, such a quiet approach unlocked a new sense of honesty for him. “From a writing point of view, it’s very helpful. If you have a song that you can play with just guitar and vocals and it works, that means it has great power.”

He had one idea that might be a challenge for listeners: He decided to make the whole album a single track so that listeners can’t skip songs. “I like the idea of making it a bit of a ritual,” says Maverick. “When I listen to vinyl, I have to dedicate time to listening to that album. I can’t listen to it in the background because at some point I’m going to have to stop doing whatever I’m doing to turn the record over. Modern life is forcing us to become multitaskers when we really might not be prepared to be so. So I wanted to challenge it a little bit.”

He notes that pop stars like Billie Eilish and Tyler, The Creator have expressed similar thoughts about their latest efforts and how they should listen to them. After the initial release, there will be videos and singles released off the album, ending with a “skip-able” release.

Maverick feels like this album marks a crossroads for him. “My music is very indie for the mainstream and very mainstream for indie, but I like it,” he says. “I feel like I’m connecting these two worlds. I spend a lot of time with friends who belong to the indie scene and I see a lot of their concerns, and I have the advantage of having this access to connect them with this other side.”

Part of Maverick’s new mindset comes from understanding his role in the music business more. He began to see that maybe there was more to what he does than just writing songs and singing on stage. “I started to think about [how] to take my artistic energy out in other places. I thought about how I didn’t understand many things about what managers or stage managers or audio engineers or promoters do. When I became aware of it, it was like, ‘Damn, this is very alienating.’ Now, at least I have a clue about what it’s like.”

One thing he took upon himself is starting Hoy Es Un Buen Día, his studio and label. Partnering with Mario Escobar, he opened the studio not only to work on his own music but also track some of his friends, including Seb Rodríguez and Niño Viejo. (They released their newest albums — Catarsis and amor, respectively — with the label.) Maverick wants to expand this endeavor. “I have my artistic side when I put on the Ed Maverick suit, and I take it off to pay back my peers by releasing their music. I’d like to work with artists who are still in the underground scene and who need a little push to go on the surface.”

He now realizes that making a living as a musician is occasionally giving the people what they want, and part of the deal are songs that brought him to attention in the first place. “If I were a carpenter and made furniture to sell and people really liked the furniture that I make, it makes sense that they’re going to ask me for the same furniture,” he says. “It’s cool to experiment with new furniture designs, but I can’t ignore people wanting what they already like from me. If I don’t take it into account, my clientele will go away.”

While the release of La Nube En El Jardín is a gamble, Maverick is no longer feeling the pressure to follow-up his past success. He says that if the album does numbers, it would be great because he can invest in his studio and label. But he’s fine if it doesn’t. He has a theory of why some songs become hits. ”It’s because many people come to an understanding of a single idea,” he says. “You can interpret it every which way. But when a song becomes popular, it’s like we all agreed with something.”

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How Mabe Fratti Transformed Self-Doubt Into Her Most Daring Music Yet

The Guatemalan musician says she went through a process of "learning and unlearning" on her brilliant new album 'Sentir Que No Sabes.'

By Marcos Hassan

June 27, 2024

When you listen to Mabe Fratti’s music, it’s hard to imagine the artist ever being nervous. She can sing in a way that sounds tender and vulnerable, yet there’s a strength about her, too. Her cello — her main instrument, though she incorporates other acoustic and electronic sounds into her productions — can conjure any feeling, from sweet to scary.

Still, the Guatemalan musician admits that while she’s excited about the music she’s about to drop, she’s also a little unsure. Her fourth solo album, titled Sentir Que No Sabes, features more traditional song structures and a lot more percussion than her past releases, pushing her toward new territory. 

“It’s a good but weird feeling,” she says as she sips mezcal with tonic water at a quaint cantina near her apartment in the Obrera neighborhood in Mexico City. “I have never done extreme sports but I think it’s a similar feeling.”

Fratti shouldn’t worry much. Sentir Que No Sabes might be more traditional in structure but these songs possess a daring spirit. Fratti’s emotional delivery is more resonant than ever, reminding listeners of the qualities that have won her praise around the world and rallied fans in Latin America, U.S. and Europe while she’s been touring and playing festivals such as Primavera Sound, Rewire, and Le Guess Who? She’s also been recognized by artists such as Oneohtrix Point Never and Efterklang; Rolling Stone has placed her albums on year-end lists for the past two years

For this album, Fratti wanted to work closely with Hector Tosta, her partner and a live musician who is also half of their joint project, Titanic. Tosta also records as I. La Católica and here, he acted as producer and arranger. They started the process by discussing what Fratti wanted for this record while hanging out on the terrace of the apartment where they live together. They were listening to a ton of music, including lots of Lenny Kravitz, most notably reflected on the album’s opening track, “Kravitz.” 

Fratti’s solo work has been experimental and pretty open-ended, but this time around, she and Tosta were determined to delve into traditional songwriting. “Hector studied composition and he loves well-made songs,” Fratti says. “We talked about making traditional songs [and] at first I was like ‘No, what do you mean?’ It was something new to me.”

She adds that they dove into the project head-first. “We dug into those songs way deep,” she says. “We would wake up and start working on them and then fall asleep after working all day. We barely took a day off and when we did, we would feel guilty. It was all about getting into the universe of each song and having a ton of dialog around their aesthetic. It was a process of learning and unlearning. We went over every fine detail of each song and I think they sound very organized and very well trimmed. They had great grooming, güey!”

Once the songs were done, the plan was to book studio time to get the best sounds out of Fratti’s cello and vocals. She’s proud of what she’s accomplished with her computer, two-channel interface, and “very, very basic mixing skills” in the past, but now she wanted something more expansive. They spent time recording at Soy Sauce and Pedro Y El Lobo Studios, both in Mexico City, adding drummer Gibrán Andrade and trumpet player Jacob Wick to the team. They also worked in Willem Twee Studios in Den Bosch in the Netherlands. As the album came together, it captured the best of Fratti’s performance with “just EQ and compression.”

“There’s barely anything there,” she says. “It’s a very classic kind of mix.”

Sentir Que No Sabes is an evolution for Fratti. She had a “strictly classical” musical upbringing in Guatemala City, where she grew up. Soon, she met other musicians — some around the church her family attended — who introduced her to a wide range of music. After playing as much as she could in Guatemala, she was invited to a residency in Mexico City; she fell in love with the city’s live music scene, especially the free improv contingent. After a few years, she integrated herself into it, learning how to improvise and playing in many different ensembles. In 2019, she released her first album, Pies Sobre La Tierra, through Hole Records, a label run by Mexico City’s heavy psych trio, Tajak. Around this time, a friend in Guatemala met someone signed to British label Tin Angel Records, who eventually signed Fratti.

Ever since, Fratti has been on a constant sonic trip, going from the stark Pies Sobre La Tierra to the expansive Será Que Ahora Podremos Entendernos (2021) to the auspicious Se Ve Desde Aquí (2022), not to mention her many collaborations and side projects. She notes that on her first record, she relied on ambient textures, reverb, and auto-tune as “aesthetic choices” to achieve a certain vibe. While she has let go of some of those elements, she still questions her process, something reflected in the title of the album, which translates to “feeling like you don’t know.” 

“In general, my process is a constant questioning of what I’m doing,” she says. “[It’s also] about always learning something new, learning about the things that I like and using them, and it doesn’t have to be music. I love white light, which means that I like a raw, very grounded, and not too solemn aesthetic. How can I translate that into music? How do you microdose what you like and use it in your life and your creative process? I feel like every album is a different approach to the same process. I don’t have to always be the same person.”

Fratti notes that the album’s title stems from a very sincere emotion, which she describes “like staring into the void.” By trying many different things, she let self-doubt become something positive. “To say something with a lot of confidence is not easy [for me],” she admits. “I think I’m a very confused person but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I sympathize with insecure people because I’m a very insecure person,” she adds with a laugh.

In addition to her solo work, Fratti spends a lot of time playing with different musicians and on side projects. In addition to Titanic, another prominent band of hers is Amor Muere, a four-piece experimental unit. “I feel very fortunate because, on one hand with Titanic, Hector is pretty much an academic. It’s [amazing to] collaborate with a person who has all this technical abilities, and then on the other hand there’s Amor Muere [which] is like a collective…Gibrana [Cervantes, violin] is also an academic but she’s very open-minded, Camille [Mandoki, vocals and keyboards] is very mental when it comes to sounds, Concepción [Huerta, tape manipulation] is very visual… They give me the tools to approach sounds and once in a while, it makes me learn about myself.”

With Sentir Que No Sabes, Fratti continues a brilliant streak. She might not have concrete answers but she keeps rebuilding her music into something beautiful, and unlike anything else out there. It’s bound to keep getting her more fans. When asked about the impact her music has already had, she seems slightly overwhelmed but also giddy. “It’s exciting and nerve-wrecking,” she says. “I can’t believe it. Sometimes I get impostor syndrome. It’s crazy when you see things happening up close, like, ‘Oh, so this is how it works.’ [This is] an industry with a structure and priorities and things don’t get popular just because of good music,” she says. “I feel very lucky.”