Peso Pluma is knocking the dust off of corrido music, ushering in a new evolution of the centuries-old Mexican genre. The 24-year-old grew up absorbing the folk sounds of Guadalajara while embracing the rise of modern reggaeton and trap Latino; this year, he has become one of the most popular Latin artists in the world. His single “Ella Baila Sola,” with Eslabon Armado, made history by becoming the first regional Mexican song to reach the top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100, and his remix of Yng Lvcas’ reggaeton hit “La Bebe” came close behind. “Regional Mexican” is not a genre, but, still—Pluma’s music is bringing mainstream attention to a proud array of traditional genres that sit beside corridos like norteños, rancheras, and banda.
His new album, Génesis, marks a turning point in Mexican music’s worldwide crossover, spanning a range of styles: “VVS” charges forth with hip-hop bars and, somehow, addictive accordion and upright bass while “Lagunas” is a starry-eyed bedroom pop-corrido that’s sure to be a hit at forthcoming quinceañeras. One standout is the acoustic ballad “Lady Gaga,” which puts a Gen Z spin on classic corrido with references to Grand Theft Auto, Instagram, and influencer culture. Assisted by singers Gabito Ballesteros and Junior H, Pluma inhabits a protagonist who’s acclimating to an extravagant new lifestyle. “Dom Pérignon Lady Gaga, lentes en la cara, tussi y lavada/Triple lavada, y una bandida que me llama, quieren mi lana,” he sings in his nasally rasp. It feels like a sad boy Southern rap song about how money can buy everything besides genuine connection, if the 808s were swapped with tubas. For Peso Pluma, being true to himself is bringing corrido’s complex history to the forefront of Latin music.
