“Music no longer has one language – people connect with the feeling first,” Música Mexicana superstar Peso Pluma tells Dazed. These are not empty words. Over the last six years, the rich umbrella of regional Mexican music has exploded to become one of the fastest-growing genres in the world – and one which is rapidly overtaking its Anglo-American counterparts. “It shows that you don’t have to change who you are to go global,” Peso Pluma continues. “You can represent where you come from and still reach the whole world.”

Taking cues from the rise of Puerto Rican reggaeton over the 2010s, Música Mexicana reinvents Mexican musical traditions like rancheras and corridos with modern electronic and hip-hop influences. It also houses a wide range of subgenres, from the live instrumentation of urban sirreño to corridos tumbados. It was the latter subgenre in which Peso Pluma found fame, breaking through with his 2022 single “El Belicon”, which sheds light on the cartels that run many of Mexico’s smaller regions and has since been viewed over 300 million times on YouTube. 

“Música Mexicana is culture and identity,” explains Peso Pluma, who has recently completed a 30-date North America tour alongside fellow regional star Tito Double P, which included three sold-out dates at the 23,000-capacity United Centre in Chicago. “There’s a rawness and authenticity to it that truly represents who we are. We’re bringing back some of the traditional Mexican sounds, stories and instruments and modernising them in new innovative ways.”

This modern Mexican identity is set to take centre stage at the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted in Mexico alongside the USA and Canada. Taking place not only amid the rapid ascension of Música Mexicana on the world stage, but also in the context of President Trump’s long-running, racist campaign against Mexicans (whom he described in 2016 as “drug dealers, criminals and rapists”), the event provides a timely opportunity to celebrate Mexican culture in its fullest form. 

Below, Peso Pluma speaks on his love of ‘fútbol’, the modern Mexican identity, and his favourite rising Mexican artists.

Why do you think Música Mexicana is having such a moment right now? 

Peso Pluma: I think it’s always been there; it just needed the right moment and the right artists to take it global. What makes it so special right now is the music itself. Everything is played live, so you feel every instrument, every note, every voice. People connect with it because it feels real. 

You’re helping open the World Cup festivities – what can people expect, and what message do you want to send? 

Peso Pluma: ¡It’s a huge honour. We’re putting together something special, something that represents where I come from but also where we’re going. I want people to feel proud to be Mexican, proud of our culture. It’s about showing the world that we’re here, and we’re doing things on a global level. 

How was your Dinastía tour? I heard it marked an evolution in your visual identity and style. 

Peso Pluma: The tour was crazy, honestly. It was a big step for us. We wanted to elevate everything from the visuals, the sound, the experience, all of it. It wasn’t just a concert, it was a full show. I’ve always cared about how things look and feel, and this time we took it to another level. It’s part of growing, not just musically but as an artist overall. 

Do you remember the first time you fell in love with football? 

Peso Pluma: Yeah, since I was a kid. Growing up in Mexico, fútbol is everywhere. Playing with friends, watching games with family, it’s just part of your life. That’s where the love comes from. If I wasn’t making music, I think I would have pursued playing professional fútbol. 

What team do you support? 

Peso Pluma: Viva Atlas! 

Are you hopeful for Mexico this year? And if not, who are you supporting? 

Peso Pluma: Mexico is always going to be my team, and I’m always going to be rooting for them! 

What other Mexican artists should people be listening to right now, and why? 

Peso Pluma: There’s a lot of talent coming up. Artists like Rey Quinto and El Randal, Armenta, Lencho, Tombochio, they’re really pushing the sound forward. Everyone is bringing their own style, and that’s what’s making the movement so strong right now.

Check out an exclusive look inside Peso Pluma’s Dinastía North American tour in the gallery above.