El Malilla Brings His Party From Mexico To The U.s.a.

Waving a Mexican emblem pinch a vaquero sombrero on, El Malilla made history astatine Coachella past twelvemonth arsenic nan first reggaeton Mexa enactment connected nan lineup.

To support nan momentum going, nan rising Mexican prima had planned for his first U.S. circuit to return spot past summer. After nan Trump management ramped up nan ongoing ICE raids astir nan aforesaid time, El Malilla decided to put nan information of his fans first and postpone nan tour.

“With what was happening pinch Mexicans and immigrants — nan large problem being ICE — I decided to region nan tour, because I didn’t consciousness comfortable exposing my fans to that benignant of situation,” El Malilla says complete Zoom from his location successful Valle de Chalco. “For me, it was important to bring this circuit to nan U.S., but successful a safe measurement without putting anyone successful harm’s way.”

After wrapping up nan Mexican limb of his “Tu Maliante Bebé” Tour, El Malilla, who was calved Fernando Hernández Flores, is now preparing to bring his show to nan states. The 19-show trek will footwear disconnected July 24 successful Palm Springs, followed by a performance astatine The Novo successful Los Angeles nan adjacent day.

Mexican creator El Malilla.

(Joss Andreu)

“The Novo is very important for maine because it’s going to beryllium my biggest venue for this U.S. tour,” he admits. “To spot really Los Angeles has adopted me, embraced me, and shown maine love, I’m going to consciousness for illustration I’m home.”

Following his Coachella debut, El Malilla has pushed reggaeton from Mexico into nan mainstream. He imbues nan genre pinch Mexican swagger, slang and activity entreaty successful his explosive hits specified arsenic “B de Bellako,” “Mami Tú” and “Balenciaga” featuring corrido vocalist Luis R. Conriquez.

Since then, El Malilla has expanded nan scope of reggaeton Mexa pursuing collaborations pinch Puerto Rican pioneers specified arsenic Jowell y Randy and Colombian superstar J Balvin. The perreo heartthrob is besides tapping into caller genres for his upcoming sophomore album. In an question and reply pinch The Times, El Malilla opened up astir starring nan reggaeton Mexa activity and what to expect from his tour.

How do you consciousness astir representing Mexican civilization and reggaeton Mexa pinch this circuit successful nan U.S.?
I consciousness very happy to bring a spot of our culture, our slang, our sound and our principle to nan U.S. for my fans that haven’t had a chance to spot a show of mine. Something that’s very crazy for maine is erstwhile I performed successful Chicago past year, location were group pinch signs that said they were from different places successful Mexico for illustration nan State of Mexico. It made maine very nostalgic to cognize that I’m besides from nan State of Mexico and we’re here. It’s important for maine to correspond our roots. Get ready, because I’m coming pinch perreo sucio. [Laughs.]

What do you deliberation erstwhile you fans ever inquire for you to return disconnected your garment astatine your concerts?
It makes maine laughter because erstwhile I singing “Rodillas,” group commencement screaming for maine to return disconnected my shirt. My show lasts for illustration 2 hours and that’s hardly nan first song. I bask it, because I see El Malilla to beryllium a showman. I emotion to beryllium onstage and person nosy pinch my fans. Though immoderate group mightiness spot maine arsenic a activity symbol, I don’t spot myself that way, but to each their own.

What does it mean for you to beryllium breaking down barriers for reggaeton Mexa?
It makes maine very happy. I’ve been reasoning astir that recently. When would you deliberation that an iconic popular prima for illustration Danna would collaborate pinch an iconic chacalón [Mexican slang for “bad boy”] for illustration myself? That ne'er crossed my mind before, but now successful 2026, our reggaeton, our principle and our sound has go important successful Mexico and moreover much truthful connected a Latino level. Now everything is possible. There [are] nary longer barriers for reggaeton Mexa, aliases for Mexican singers. Today, your biggest dream is possible.

Who other would you emotion to collaborate pinch successful nan future?
Lately, I’ve spent much clip successful nan U.S. and I’ve been soaking up much English music. I discovered that I really for illustration The Weeknd. A collaboration pinch him would beryllium crazy! I returned to Coachella this twelvemonth to singing pinch Cachirula & Loojan ... and to beryllium capable to spot Justin Bieber unrecorded was incredible. I would emotion to collaborate pinch him. On nan Latin side, I would emotion to collaborate pinch Nsqk, De La Ghetto, Ñengo Flow aliases a reggaeton pioneer for illustration DJ Blass.

What’s nan process been for illustration moving connected your adjacent album?
I spent a twelvemonth and a half moving connected this album. I enjoyed that process truthful much. Music has fixed maine truthful overmuch that this medium is my measurement of repaying euphony for each nan blessings it’s fixed me. You’ll beryllium amazed astatine what I’m tin of. This is simply a Malilla that’s now 26 and a small much mature. It’s a much experimental and master Malilla. I had ne'er made a bolero opus and I dared to do that this time. I did my investigation by listening to Luis Miguel, José José and singers and genres that I wasn’t utilized to listening to. I recovered emotion for those genres and singers. It was a very nosy and cool measurement for maine to research different genres.