Fuerza Regida on making history, performing in LA amid turmoil

USA Today

7 hours ago

Beyond hard work and humility, manifestation has been part of Fuerza Regida's recipe for success.
Frontman Jesús "JOP" Ortiz Paz remembers watching "Tengo Talento, Mucho Talento" (the Latino version of "America's Got Talent") with his parents at home in San Bernardino, California, and saying, "I'm going to be on that TV. I'm going to be right there," he tells USA TODAY.
"Ah, you're crazy," Paz, 28, says his parents responded. That was during a June 2023 interview with USA TODAY ahead of Fuerza Regida's sold-out show at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, part of their "Otra Peda" tour. Fast forward two years, and the band finds itself reaching new career heights.
Fuerza Regida − Paz, along with Samuel Jáimez, Khrystian Ramos, José "Pelón" García and Moisés López − makes its historic debut at both New York's Madison Square Garden June 20 and LA's Hollywood Bowl June 21.
They'll be performing their latest album, the 12-track "111XPANTIA," in its entirety.
"Us bringing corridos to these venues, I'm pretty sure it's for the first time, so we're really happy that our genre is growing and growing," Paz says ahead of the shows. "We're excited, we've been breaking all these records and making history."
Interview: Fuerza Regida on Mexican music going global and why they're the pioneers
In May, the all-genre Billboard 200 album charts, saw for the first time Spanish-language albums in the No. 1 and No. 2 spots at the same time − Bad Bunny's "Debí Tirar Más Fotos" and Fuerza Regida's "111XPANTIA," respectively.
More than that, it marked Fuerza Regida's highest-charting album to date, and the highest-charting Spanish-language album by a duo or group, or a regional Mexican music album, ever, according to Billboard.
With nearly a decade in the industry under their belt, reaching the top of the charts isn't new territory for the group members anymore.
Their 2023 album "Pa Las Baby's Y Belikeada" peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's Latin Albums chart and reached the Top 15 of the Billboard 200, and also earned them a pair of awards — Top Duo/Group and Top Latin Duo/Group at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards. With 2024's "Pero No Te Enamores," the band's eighth studio album, Fuerza Regida dabbled in Jersey club music, reggaeton, hip-hop and bachata and embarked on a 76-date tour.
Manifestation brought Fuerza Regida new album '111XPANTIA' to life
Before Fuerza Regida made its mark in arenas and stadiums all over the United States and Latin America, the band was performing small gigs in backyards and at quinceñeras in 2016.
Now, the band boasts numerous chart-topping albums, sold-out stadium and arena shows, multiple brand deals (including their latest partnership with Dos Equis for the Ni Perdón Ni Permiso campaign) and performances on late-night talk shows like "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
In January, Paz became the first performer to bring regional Mexican music to Paris Men's Fashion Week during KidSuper's runway show ("It was my first time in Europe and we love fashion as well, so I was like a little kid at Toys 'R Us," Paz says). In 2018, he founded the independent record label Street Mob Records, which has signed other rising stars in the genre, including Chino Pacas, Calle 24, Clave Especial, and more.
Still, Fuerza Regida keeps both feet planted on the ground.
"We just keep on working hard, that's the key," Paz says. "We just act like we still haven't done anything − act like you haven't hit, act like you just started." López, who plays tololoche for the band, echoed a similar sentiment: "(We) stay working 24/7 and stay hungry," he says.
"I've been saying that since I started my career, we work harder than a lot of other artists out there, and that's why I think we're more successful," Paz adds. "We don't just do the artist stuff. I also have my record label, and everything we have is because of all the hard work we've put in. So, of course, you gotta' have a little bit of talent, but the rest is all hard work."
Paz and López also break down the meaning of the album's name, "111XPANTIA," which serves as a double entendre for manifestation. "111" is usually regarded as an "angel number" or a lucky sign whenever one comes across it, and "ixpantia" is the Nahuatl word for manifestation.
"It was time to name an album that," Paz says.
"Manifesting has been ever since I can remember. Everything I've wanted, I've almost got and the days go by, you want more things, you want better things for your family and better things for your business."
The entire project is dedicated to the manifestation of dreams and constant hard work. It also marks a return to their corrido roots featuring stand-out tracks like "Peliculiando," "Por Esos Ojos," "Marlboro Rojo" and "Godfather."
'We've always fought for our music and our culture'
In recent years, Latin musicians including Peso Pluma, Grupo Firme, Grupo Frontera, Junior H, Àngela Aguilar and Becky G have worked to put Mexican music, in all its variations, on the mainstream map.
It's no longer just regional, as it's long been categorized in award show categories, but rather international and intentional. "We've just always fought for our music and our culture" to be respected like any other genre, Paz says.
"It took a little longer for Mexican music," he adds. "Back in the day, Mexican music was just a little more in this bubble, and I feel like a couple years back, Fuerza Regida and a bunch of other pioneers − I don't want to just include myself − made this genre what it is now."
Paz recognizes that many other bands and solo artists went through their own struggles and battles to be recognized, but now "we're accomplishing the goal of making our culture hit now."
How Fuerza Regida shows up for the immigrant community during turmoil
Although the show must go on, Fuerza Regida's Hollywood Bowl debut comes at a raw time in the city amid ongoing protests rejecting the continued presence of federal immigration enforcement.
On June 10, Fuerza Regida shared a statement on Instagram, sending their "love and strength to our Latino community during this difficult time."
"We've been deeply moved by the events of this past week," the band wrote. "These are our people, our fans, the very communities that inspire our music. We see your strength and resilience." Days later, they released limited-edition merch and 100% of profits from sales were donated to "support our communities impacted by the recent ICE raids," read the band's Instagram post.
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This isn't the first time this year Fuerza Regida has put their money where their community is. Earlier this year, after Los Angeles was dealt another blow with the wildfires that ravaged the neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades and Altadena, the band helped provide shelter to 270 people.
"Family is No. 1, and I feel like the way you're raised, it reflects a lot on how you're going to be and my parents raised me pretty well and taught me to always care about the community," Paz says.
"If we're blessed, we gotta' share a little bit of the blessings."