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5 Takeaways From Peso Pluma's New Album 'GÉNESIS'

'GÉNESIS drops June 22 on Peso Pluma's brand new label, Double P Records. Over 14 tracks, Doble P's third studio album brings corridos tumbados a few steps closer to the mainstream.

GRAMMYs/Jun 23, 2023 - 12:11 am

Earlier this year, 24-year-old singer/songwriter Peso Pluma made history when the song "Ella Baila Sola," a collaboration with California group Eslabón Armado, became an international hit, and the first música mexicana track to enter the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100.

2023 has been nothing short of epic for the artist born Hassan Emilio Kabande Laija in Zapopan, Jalisco. He also released high-profile collaborations with pop star Becky G, Argentine producer Bizarrap and dembow pioneer El Alfa. Peso Pluma is currently one of the most streamed Latin artists in the world, and he continues this streak with GÉNESIS — his highly anticipated third studio outing.

GÉNESIS drops June 22 on Pluma's brand new label, Double P Records. Here are five takeaways from an album that brings the novel genre of corridos tumbados a few steps closer to the mainstream.

His Rebellious New Sound Is Mexican To The Core

Much has been written about the disruptive energy of corridos tumbados — the youthful, 2020’s movement that brought a breath of fresh air and plenty of irreverence to música mexicana by fusing it with a hip-hop sensibility and elements of trap and reggaetón. Older fans of traditional artists like Los Tigres del Norte and Banda El Recodo have reacted with the same kind of angry condemnation that the punk revolution evoked in classic rock adepts during the late ‘70s. 

But even though Peso Pluma belongs next to Natanael Cano and Eslabón Armado on the corridos tumbados forefront, his music is still faithful to the warmth and melodic immediacy of Mexican tradition. From the rousing "CARNAL" — a collaboration with Cano – to the wistful majesty of "LAGUNAS" with Jasiel Nuñe, the songs on GÉNESIS overflow with the kind of soulful trombone riffs, sophisticated bass accents and complex requinto lines that have defined banda and norteño for decades.  

He Has An Organic Connection With Urbano Music 

A few weeks before the release of GÉNESIS, Peso Pluma shocked the Latin music establishment by becoming the first música mexicana artist to guest on a Music Session by Argentina’s producing wunderkind Bizarrap. Even though the track emphasized the singer’s trademark style — relegating Bizarrap’s cinematic EDM aesthetic to the backdrop — the single demonstrated how comfortable Peso Pluma feels outside his genre of choice. 

One of the new album’s strongest cuts is "77," a seamless duet with Eladio Carrión, the influential American rapper of Puerto Rican origin. Unlike the Bizarrap session, here the trombone and syncopated string instruments blend deeply with Carrión’s low-key, confident flow.

To The Young Generation Of Mexican Stars, Collaboration Is Key 

The música mexicana genre is gregarious by nature, and having like-minded artists guesting on albums — particularly concert recordings — is nothing new. But Peso Pluma takes this notion to the next level, mirroring the hip-hop concept that the glow of a record can be measured by the amount of high-caliber collaborations in it. 

GÉNESIS portrays Peso Pluma’s generation as a nomadic family, climbing the ladder to chart success in coordinate steps. "SU CASA" boasts a high-energy duet with corridos star Luis R. Conriquez, and the languid "LUNA" features 22 year-old sensation Junior H.

There's Nothing Random About Peso Pluma’s Massive Popularity

Doble P’s infectious smile throughout Bizarrap’s YouTube session says it all: there is not an ounce of arrogance or self-importance his demeanor. The artist has captured the attention of the entire world without sacrificing his cultural identity or personhood. 

Currently the most streamed artist in Mexico, Peso Pluma is more than just a charismatic performer. The 14 tracks on GÉNESIS reveal him as a thoughtful composer whose intriguing melodies and slice-of-life lyrics will still resonate for years to come.

Corridos Tumbados Are Here To Stay

From the atmospheric opening cut "Rosa Pastel" — complete with a quirky visual shot in Amsterdam — to the brass-heavy lament of "Bye," GÉNESIS showcases corridos tumbados as a less volatile, more polished genre. Peso Pluma’s instinctive connection to the essence of Mexican music and its artistic values suggests that his current moment of glory may well be the beginning of a long lasting career.

Meet The Gen Z Women Claiming Space In The Regional Mexican Music Movement

Peso Plum press photo
Peso Pluma

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Peso Pluma's Road To 'ÉXODO': The GRAMMY Winner Navigates The Consequences Of Global Stardom On New Album

"Fans really get to see the other side of the coin; there are two sides to me. It's darker, rawer," Peso Pluma says of his latest album 'ÉXODO'

GRAMMYs/Jun 21, 2024 - 01:13 pm

Peso Pluma marked his musical destiny with a Tupac tribute tattoo in the center of his clavicle: "All Eyez On Me." 

The Mexican artist, born Hassan Emilio Kabande Laija, doesn't remember exactly what year he inked his chest. He knows it was well before his debut in music. Those four words reflected Peso's irrefutable confidence that the world's eyes would eventually be on him. 

The world's eyes are indeed on Peso Pluma. In less than two years, the singer achieved global fame by singing corridos tumbados, traversing a path never before trodden by a música Mexicana artist. 

At 25, Peso Pluma is at the forefront of a new generation of música Mexicana artists that have successfully modernized traditional Mexican rhythms, such as corridos, by infusing them with elements from urban music and a hip-hop aesthetic. The weight of representing an entire genre and a country could be great for some. But pressure doesn't affect Peso Pluma; on the contrary, it motivates him to keep working to exalt his roots. 

"We've come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. And that doesn't mean we have to slow down; it doesn't mean everything is over. This is the beginning of everything," Peso Pluma said in a TikTok video before a performance at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, Canada, a little over a year ago. 

Out June 20, Peso's extensive new album ÉXODO seeks to cement his global star status further. Over 24 tracks, the singer continues to explore corridos tumbados and digs into his urban side via much-awaited collaborations with reggaeton and hip-hop icons. Among those big names is Peso's teenage idol, the American rapper and producer Quavo, as well as further afield collaborations with Cardi B.  

"ÉXODO is a project I've been working on for over a year before we even won the GRAMMY. GÉNESIS was an incredibly special project, and I knew we couldn't make the same diamond twice," the singer tells GRAMMY.com in a written interview. 

Peso Pluma's path to the global stage has been lightning-fast. While he started releasing songs in 2020, Peso will remember March 2023 as the month that propelled him into global mega-stardom. His collaboration with Eslabón Armado on "Ella Baila Sola" led him to become a household name outside his native Mexico.  

The hit resonated with an audience eager for new sounds, accompanying social media videos and surpassing a billion streams on Spotify. "Ella Baila Sola" became the first Mexican music track to top the platform's global chart. On Billboard, it conquered No. 1 on the magazine's Global 200 chart for six weeks and reached the coveted No. 4 spot on the Hot 100 chart. The mega-hit took Peso Pluma and Eslabon Armado to make their Latin GRAMMY stage debut in November with an electrifying performance.  

Another collaboration, "La Bebe (Remix)" with Mexican reggaeton artist Yng Lvcas, released a day after "Ella Baila Sola," also contributed to Peso Pluma's virality in a completely different genre, but one in which he feels comfortable: urban music. 

Learn more: Peso Pluma's 10 Biggest Collabs: From "Bzrp Sessions" To "Ella Baila Sola" &"Igual Que Un Ángel" 

As Peso Pluma gained traction with a global audience, his February 2022 single with Raúl Vega, put him, for better or worse, on the map in Mexico. The warlike content of "El Belicón" lyrics and video clip attracted attention for the way it allegedly promoted narcoculture. 

Despite growing criticism, Peso Pluma remained tight-lipped regarding references to high-profile members of the Mexican drug trade, as well as drug use and trafficking. In a rare admission to GQ magazine, the singer explained this is a "delicate subject to talk about, but you have to touch on it with transparency — because it's the reality of things." 

"In hip-hop, in rap, just like in corridos, and other urban music like reggaeton, it talks about reality. We're not promoting delinquency at all. We're only talking about things that happen in real life," the singer explained.

With the success of "El Belicón" and "Ella Baila Sola" under his belt, Peso Pluma released GÉNESIS in June 2023. Despite being his third album, Peso considers it his true debut in music. 

"I didn't want to delete my previous albums [Efectos Secundario and Ah Y Que?] because they represent my beginnings," Peso told Billboard in a cover story published a few weeks after the release of GÉNESIS. In the same conversation, the singer said he saw himself winning his first GRAMMY and breaking more records. 

Read more: 5 Takeaways From Peso Pluma's New Album 'GÉNESIS' 

In February 2024, Peso Pluma did just that. He took home the golden gramophone for Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano) his first GRAMMY Award. This victory didn't weigh on him as he approached his next production. "It pushed me to want to create something different that the fans haven't heard from me before," Peso Pluma tells GRAMMY.com. 

While GÉNESIS and ÉXODO may differ in substance, they share similarities beyond music. That both records pull from the Bible for their names is not a random occurrence; the opening book of the Hebrew and Christian Bible delves into the genesis of creation, while the Book of Exodus explores the themes of liberation, redemption, and Moses' role in leading the Israelites through the uncharted waters of the Red Sea. 

"ÉXODO is the continuation of GÉNESIS, which was the beginning," Peso Pluma explains to GRAMMY.com. "ÉXODO means new beginnings, a new era for me. We are preparing for the next chapter, and that's what we are doing for Mexican music, paving the way, laying the groundwork for what's next because it doesn't stop here."  

His "sophomore" album is divided into two discs: the first is corridos, and the second is urban. It also continues the line of collaborations, with twenty tracks where Peso Pluma shares the limelight. 

"Some of my fans were craving música Mexicana, and some were craving urbano, and I wanted to give them everything while still staying true to myself and choosing songs and lyrics that spoke to me," he continues.  

ÉXODO's disc one starts with "LA DURANGO," the album's fourth single, featuring Eslabon Armando and Junior H. In the record, he also invites collaborators such as Natanael Cano and Gabito Ballesteros for "VINO TINTO" and Mexican rising star Ivan Cornejo on the melancholic "RELOJ," among others. 

For Side B, Peso enlisted heavyweights from the urban genre in the Anglo and Latin markets: Anitta in the steamy "BELLAKEO," Rich The Kid in the bilingual "GIMME A SECOND," and Quavo in the existential trap "PA NO PENSAR." Cardi B, Arcángel, Ryan Castro, Kenia OS, and DJ Snake complete ÉXODO's genre crossover. 

In ÉXODO, luxury, drugs, alcohol, and women continue to take center stage in the lyrics, accompanied by fast-paced guitar-driven melodies and reverb-dense vocals. However, the production sheds light on the vulnerable side of Peso and explores the unexpected consequences of becoming globally famous. 

"Fans really get to see the other side of the coin; there are two sides to me. It's darker, rawer," Peso says about the record. 

In the songs "HOLLYWOOD" and "LA PATRULLA," for example, Peso details how this musical path keeps him up at night, as well as his aspirations, and how he remains the same despite his success. 

Perhaps one of the deepest and rawest songs on the album is "14:14," a track inspired by the Bible verse 14:14 from the Book of Exodus, which, the singer explains, was fundamental amidst the turbulence he faced on the way to global stardom. 

"[The] verse 14:14 says 'The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.' This verse couldn't be truer," Peso Pluma says. "Over time, I learned to really trust in this and believe that some things are not up to me and I should trust the process."  

In the song — one of the few on the album without a collaboration — Peso references the challenges of his profession and how his faith has kept him afloat amid the vicissitudes. "Things from the job that no one understands/I hide the rosary under my shirt so I don't poison myself, so I don't feel guilty/because whatever happens, the Boss will forgive me," he sings.

In "BRUCE WAYNE," Peso Pluma croons about the passionate feelings his career arouses: "First they love you, and then they hate you/wishing the worst, envy and death," the song says. 

The singer resorts to comparing himself to a superhero figure again. In an unusual twist, Peso crosses comic universes, moving from his now traditional reference to Spider-Man to one from the DC Comics world: Bruce Wayne, Batman's secret identity. A wealthy man, part of Gotham's high society, Bruce Wayne is known for transforming his darkness into power while remaining reserved and isolated.  

"Everyone has two sides of them, even me," Peso tells GRAMMY.com. "Peso Pluma on stage is a high-energy person, someone who is powerful and dominates a show and isn't afraid of anything. And then there is Hassan, who's chill and more relaxed and who deals with all the realities of life." 

During the year and a half it took him to complete ÉXODO, Peso Pluma had to deal with the diverse nuances of a global star's life, including a widely publicized breakup from Argentine rapper/singer Nicki Nicole, the cancellation of one of his shows in October 2023 after a Mexico drug cartel issued a death threat against him, and a media frenzy over his alleged admission to a rehabilitation clinic, the latest a rumor he laid to rest during a March interview with Rolling Stone for his Future of Music cover story. 

"The reality is, all these days, I've been in the studio working on ÉXODO," the artist explained to Rolling Stone. 

Most of 2023 was a successful balancing act for Peso Pluma, who combined touring, an album release, rare media engagements, two Coachella appearances, all the while developing another record. According to the singer, ÉXODO was created in Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and Mexico. "We go to the studio everywhere!" Peso says. "It doesn't really matter where we are; I love to get into the studio and work when we have free time." 

Like GÉNESIS, ÉXODO will be released via Peso Pluma's Double P Records, of which he is the CEO and A&R. Much of the talent the Mexican singer has signed to his label took part in the album's production, and songwriting process. 

"For the Mexican music side, I had the whole [touring] band with me; I like to have them involved in the process so that we can all give our input on how it sounds, discuss what we think needs to be changed, create new ideas," he explains. 

Peso Pluma knows that echoing the success of 2023 is no easy task. He was the most streamed artist in the U.S. on YouTube, surpassing Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny, and was the second most-listened to Latin artist in the country, amassing an impressive 1.9 billion streams, according to Luminate. 

Música Mexicana emerged as one of the most successful genres in 2023, witnessing a remarkable 60 percent surge in streaming numbers, adds Luminate's annual report, crediting Peso Pluma along Eslabon Armado, Junior H, and Fuerza Regida as part of this success. 

Collaborations on and off the mic have undoubtedly played a significant role in the rise of Música Mexicana on the global stage. Peso knows that the key to continuing onward is teaming up with renowned artists inside and outside his genre. 

"All of us coming together is what pushed música Mexicana to go global," the singer affirms. "We showed the world what Mexico has to offer, and now no one can deny the power and talent we have in our country."  

Shakira's Road To 'Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran': How Overcoming A Breakup Opened A New Chapter In Her Artistry 

Peso Pluma at the 2024 GRAMMYs
Peso Pluma attends the 2024 GRAMMYs

Photo:  Lester Cohen/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

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How The Latin GRAMMYs Brought Latin Music Excellence To The 2024 GRAMMYs

Latin music was celebrated throughout GRAMMY Week and on Music's Biggest Night. Read on for the many ways Latin music excellence was showcased at the 204 GRAMMYs.

GRAMMYs/Feb 9, 2024 - 09:56 pm

The 2023 Latin GRAMMYs may have occurred months ago and thousands of miles away, but the leading lights in Latin music also shined at the 66th GRAMMY Awards. From historic wins and meaningful nominations, to electric performances and interesting installations, Latin music excellence was everywhere. 

In anticipation of the 25th anniversary of the Latin GRAMMYs in 2024, the exclusive GRAMMY House — the site of multiple GRAMMY Week events — included a significant installation dedicated to the Biggest Night In Latin Music.

The cylindrical display showcased some of the biggest moments in Latin GRAMMY history, including images, facts, and even a real Latin GRAMMY award. 

The celebration of Latin music continued throughout GRAMMY Week, with several Latin GRAMMY-winning artists also winning on the GRAMMY stage. Among the major moments at the 2024 GRAMMYs, Karol G won her first golden gramophone for her 2023 LP Mañana Será Bonito. "This is my first time at GRAMMYs, and this is my first time holding my own GRAMMY," the Colombian songstress exclaimed during her acceptance speech. 

Música Mexicana star Peso Pluma also took home his first GRAMMY; his album GÉNESIS won in the Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano) Category.

Premiere Ceremony presenter Natalia Lafourcade — whose Todas Las Flores won big at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs — also took home the GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album. She tied in the Category with Juanes

Premiere Ceremony performer Gabby Moreno also took home a GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Pop Album for her album X Mí (Vol. 1)

Beyond the stage, Latin artists graced the red carpet and the nominations list. For example, producer and songwriter Edgar Barrera was the only Latino nominated in the Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical Category.

10 Must-See Moments From The 2024 GRAMMYs: Taylor Swift Makes History, Billy Joel & Tracy Chapman Return, Boygenius Manifest Childhood Dreams

Lainey Wilson at the 2024 GRAMMYs
Lainey Wilson at the 2024 GRAMMYs.

Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

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Big First Wins At The 2024 GRAMMYs: Karol G, Lainey Wilson, Victoria Monét & More

The 2024 GRAMMYs were momentous in a myriad of ways, including major firsts. Here's a rundown of big first wins by Paramore, Zach Bryan, Tyla and others.

GRAMMYs/Feb 6, 2024 - 01:07 am

That's a wrap for Music's Biggest Night! The 2024 GRAMMYs were extraordinarily stuffed with incredible moments, from performances to historic wins to unforgettable surprises.

Several of the most memorable moments came from first-time winners. In fact, there were 126 at the 66th GRAMMY Awards, spanning a wide array of talent across genres. From Colombian songstress Karol G to indie rock supergroup boygenius and country singer Brandy Clark, take a look at some of the biggest acts that took home their very first golden gramophones.

Miley Cyrus Celebrated Her First Wins With A Pumped-Up Performance

Miley Cyrus may have taken home the coveted Record Of The Year for "Flowers," but a different Category may have been the biggest achievement. Just before her performance on the GRAMMY stage, Cyrus won her first-ever golden gramophone for Best Pop Solo Performance.

"This award is amazing, but I really hope it doesn't change anything, because my life was beautiful yesterday," Cyrus said while accepting her first award.

"Flowers" is featured on Cyrus' 2023 album Endless Summer Vacation. "Flowers" was also nominated for GRAMMYs for Song Of The Year.

Karol G's First GRAMMYs Resulted In Her First GRAMMY

Karol G has had a meteoric rise over the past several years, and that continued unabated at Music's Biggest Night.

At the 2024 GRAMMYs Premiere Ceremony, Karol G won the GRAMMY for Best Música Urbana Album, for her 2023 LP Mañana Será Bonito. (She'd previously been nominated at the 2022 GRAMMYs, for the same category, for KG0516.

"Hello everybody, my name is Karol G. I am from Medellín, Colombia. This is my first time at the GRAMMYs, and this is my first time holding my own GRAMMY," she said, utterly concisely.

Victoria Monét Completed A Lifelong Goal…

Victoria Monét won big at the GRAMMYs, including taking home the award for Best New Artist. The singer also took home golden gramophones for Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical for Jaguar II.

Monét has been nominated for 10 GRAMMYs over her career as both a solo act and songwriter. When accepting the GRAMMY Award for Best New Artist, Monét compared herself to a plant growing from soil. 

"My roots have been growing underneath ground, unseen, for so long, and I feel like today I'm sprouting, finally above ground," she said.

…And So Did Coco Jones

Monét’s fellow R&B nominee — and one-time collaborator — Coco Jones also turned a nearly 15-year journey into GRAMMY success, winning Best R&B Performance for her song "ICU."

Tyla, Me'shell NdegeOcello & Kylie Minogue Won In First-Time Categories

At the 2024 GRAMMYs, there were three new Categories — which meant three inaugural winners. South African singer/songwriter Tyla took home her first GRAMMY with her win for Best African Music Performance for her smash hit "Water," while Me'shell NdegeOcello and Kylie Minogue notched their second wins each, in the new Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Pop Dance Recording Categories, respectively.

After 16 Years, Paramore Got GRAMMY Gold 

Myspace-era alt wizards Paramore enjoyed a stunning resurgence with their 2023 album This Is Why. They'd been nominated in past ceremonies — their first nominations coming in 2008 — but at the 2024 GRAMMYs, they nabbed the trophy for the prestigious Best Rock Album Category. And with their first win, they made GRAMMY history: Paramore is the first female-fronted rock band to win Best Rock Album.

Lainey Wilson Continued A Massive Year With A GRAMMY

Much like Tyla, country star Lainey Wilson nailed it on the first try — as far as the Recording Academy goes. She was nominated twice at the 2024 GRAMMYs, and took home a golden gramophone for Best Country Album, for Bell Bottom Country.

Clearly, the phenomenon of a first-time GRAMMY nominee taking it home transcends genres and continents.

Second Time Was A Charm For Zach Bryan

Country great Zach Bryan's been nominated before — at the 2023 GRAMMYs, for Best Country Solo Performance, for "Something in the Orange."

This time, he brought home the golden gramophone for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, for "I Remember Everything." Bryan was also nominated for Best Country Album (Zach Bryan) and Best Country Song, also for "I Remember Everything."

First-Time Nominees Boygenius Won Three Times

Women dominated the 2024 GRAMMYs, which certainly applies to boygenius — who consist of three women, and cleaned up at the ceremony. And, they too were first-time nominees

Boygenius took home three GRAMMYs revolving around 2023's the record, including Best Alternative Music Album, Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance — both for the stirring, gender-flipped "Not Strong Enough."

Peso Pluma Went From First-Time Nominee To First-Time Winner

Música Mexicana, stand up! Upstart Peso Pluma took home the GRAMMY for Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano), for his tremendous album GÉNESIS.

As the status of Mexico on the global stage continues to swell, take Pluma's win as a sign to keep your ear to the ground.

Brandy Clark Left A Winner

Roots-heavy singer Brandy Clark's been nominated for 17 GRAMMYs over the years, but never gave up.

At the 2024 GRAMMYs, she won for Best Americana Performance for "Dear Insecurity" — and she played a corker of a version at the Premiere Ceremony with the string duo SistaStrings.

Fred again.. Proved To Be Dance Music’s Latest Hero

2022 saw Fred again.. rise as one of dance music's most promising new stars with the release of his compilation album, USB, and his third studio album, Actual Life 3 — and both helped him win his first pair of GRAMMYs in 2024. USB's "Rumble" (a collaboration with Skrillex and Four Tet) scored Best Dance/Electronic Recording, and Actual Life 3 took home Best Dance/Electronic Music Album.

Taylor Swift & Kacey Musgraves Celebrated Historic Firsts

While winning a GRAMMY was nothing new to 2024 winners Taylor Swift and Kacey Musgraves, they both had feats that marked big firsts in GRAMMY history. Swift became the first artist to be awarded Album Of The Year four times with her win for Midnights, while Musgraves' win for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for her Zach Bryan collaboration "I Remember Everything" made her the first artist to win in all four Country Field Categories.

Keep checking GRAMMY.com for stories about the 2024 GRAMMYs — and the Recording Academy thanks you for tuning into Music's Biggest Night! If you missed it, stream it on Paramount+ for maximum musical glory.

2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Winners & Nominees List

Peso Pluma performs at Coachella in 2023.
Peso Pluma performs with Becky G at Coachella in 2023

Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella

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Peso Pluma's 10 Biggest Collabs: From "Bzrp Sessions" To "Ella Baila Sola" &"Igual Que Un Ángel"

At the 2024 GRAMMYs, Peso Pluma's 'GÉNESIS' is nominated for Best Música Mexicana Album. The record highlights the singer/songwriter's gift for recording duets with a wide variety of artists — a skill that was on full display in 2023.

GRAMMYs/Jan 23, 2024 - 09:56 pm

It is safe to assume that as a teenager growing up in Guadalajara, Peso Pluma harbored dreams of stardom. But the 24-year-old singer/songwriter could never have anticipated that 2023 would find him leading a historic música Mexicana boom, with millions of fans singing along to his songs all around the world.

It was the infectious "Ella Baila Sola" — a stirring, strangely addictive and quintessentially Mexican collaboration with the group Eslabón Armado — that changed everything. Peso was quick to react, branching into other sounds like the almighty reggaetón, and establishing himself as a quirky, likable, and astoundingly prolific Latin pop icon.

It all happened at a dizzying speed — but in the process, he showed an unusual gift for recording duets with artists from disparate genres. Peso’s breakthrough third album, GÉNESIS, is nominated in the Best Música Mexicana Album Category at the 2024 GRAMMYs and contains a bevy of featured collaborators. 

Ahead of Music's Biggest Night on Feb. 4, read on for 10 of Peso Pluma's most exciting collaborations.

"Por Las Noches" with Nicki Nicole (Remix)

The first sure sign that Peso Pluma could generate extraordinary duets with female singers happened in early 2023, when Argentine urbano chanteuse Nicki Nicole reached out about recording a revised version of Pluma's 2021 single "Por Las Noches." 

Her instincts were right. Boosted by subtle elements of ranchera, and enhanced by Nicole’s soulful vocals, the remix was not only a hit, but it also stands as one of the most delicate moments in Peso’s repertoire.

"Ella Baila Sola" with Eslabón Armado

"Ella Baila Sola" is the song that launched a thousand ships. It launched Peso Pluma as a global star, and will also be remembered as the track that exposed the entire planet to authentic Mexican music in 2023. 

A collaboration with California group Eslabón Armado, "Ella Baila Sola" captures in only three minutes the genre’s joyful spirit. It is also the first música Mexicana song to reach one billion streams on Spotify. The duet was among the featured performances at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs.

"Chanel" with Becky G

Peso Pluma was a natural choice for Esquinas, Becky G’s classy tribute to her grandparents and her Mexican roots. He sounds right at home in a tune that begins with thick tololoche accents, then finds him trading lines with Becky about a romantic relationship that has sadly deteriorated beyond the point of no return.

"Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 55"

From Quevedo and Arcángel to Residente and Snow Tha Product, Argentine producer Bizarrap collaborated with a gallery of rap icons on his viral Bzrp Sessions. Released in May of 2023, "Vol. 55" in the series marked Biza’s first foray into música Mexicana terrain, and the song was an instant hit. 

A sympathetic collaboration, it merges Peso’s sound with the kind of epic EDM flourishes that Bizarrap is celebrated for. The singer gets extra points for his euphoric energy on the accompanying video.

"Plebada" with El Alfa

Peso Pluma goes dembow? Following the Bizarrap session, the singer gave further proof of his versatility by guesting on an unhinged slice of hardcore Dominican dembow alongside genre king El Alfa. Peso is up to the challenge, opening the procedures with a furious bit of rapping, followed by Alfa’s delirious-as-usual flow (he even quotes a line off salsa classic "Químbara.") One of the singer’s most carefree — and fun — duets.

"Tulum" with Grupo Frontera

In April of 2023, Grupo Frontera — a young band from Edinburg, Texas — contributed to the globalization of música mexicana with "Un x100to," a duet with Bad Bunny. A few months later, Frontera appeared on the deluxe version of Peso’s GÉNESIS.

A romantic tune with lyrics urging a beautiful girl to leave her good-for-nothing rich boyfriend in favor of genuine erotic bliss, "Tulum" anchors the warm vibe of its chorus on zesty accordion lines.

"Pancake" with Natanael Cano

Marked by their heavy corridos tumbados sound and glorification of crime, Peso Pluma’s collaborations with 22 year-old rapper Natanael Cano became viral. Even though Peso has branched out into a wider variety of sounds, he still contributed vocals to "Pancake," one of the best cuts in Cano’s 2023 session Nata Montana. The delicate piano line at the end adds a welcome touch of refinement.

"Qlona" with KAROL G

Peso’s gruff delivery blends beautifully with the bouncy reggaetón groove of this steamy track culled from Karol G's mixtape MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO (BICHOTA SEASON.) The exchanges of fleshy innuendo with the Colombian diva are appropriately reckless, and the production of longtime Karol collaborator Ovy on the Drums brims with elegance. Not surprisingly, "Qlona" was a huge hit.

"La Chamba" with Arcángel

By the second half of 2023, Peso Pluma had become an in-demand guest of honor on records by Latin stars outside the confines of música Mexicana. Included in the eighth album by Puerto Rican rapper Arcángel — Sentimiento, Elegancia y Más Maldad — "La Chamba" juxtaposes Arcángel’s virtuoso flow and witty wordplay with Peso’s down-to-earth singing in a track about working class ethics over a reggaetón beat. Extra points for Tainy’s futuristic production and the inclusion of Danny Trejo on the visual.

"Igual Que Un Ángel" with Kali Uchis

Culled from the Colombian American star’s fourth studio album, 2024's Orquídeas, this clubby track with deep bass lines and shimmering synth effects showcases Peso at his most cosmopolitan — and miles away from his comfort zone. Kali Uchis takes the lead with a powerhouse first verse, followed by Peso’s guest spot, silky and romantic. The blend of their voices in the chorus works particularly well.

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