Iván Cornejo helped popularize regional Mexican music in the U.S. Now, he’s helping it evolve.

As a music enthusiast who has traversed the vast landscapes of global melodies, I must admit that Ivan Cornejo’s musical journey resonates deeply with my heart. Hailing from a family of immigrants, the language of our parents often feels warmer and more emotive than English, and Cornejo’s choice to record in Spanish aligns beautifully with this sentiment.

Iván Cornejo knew at an early age that he’d find his future in music.

As a precocious kid with a self-taught nature, the renowned Mexican music star, born in the U.S., learned to play the guitar at just 8 years old by following online tutorials on YouTube. Before long, this pastime morphed into a profound calling for him.

“Cornejo, aged 20, shared with me that he personally experienced something profound which led him to realize his lifelong passion. As we chatted in the living room of his parents’ house in Riverside, just steps away from the childhood bedroom where he claims he had his moment of clarity, he expressed, ‘My heart swelled with it.’ Dressed mainly in black, Cornejo, the current king of paisa sadness in music, wore a denim jacket.”

As a teenager, Cornejo earnestly chased his dream, amassing a substantial fanbase on Instagram and TikTok through covers of popular Spanish love songs by artists such as Eslabon Armado and Junior H, who later secured record deals following online discovery. In the comments section, his followers often praised his guitar skills and the soulful quality of his voice. Behind the scenes, he absorbed this praise, using it to hone his songwriting abilities.

At 16, Cornejo dropped out of high school to focus on music full-time.

He shared that his parents were taken aback when he revealed his decision, but they adapted swiftly. He explained that they came to understand that music wasn’t just a pastime for him, it was more than that. Once they witnessed his intense passion for it and saw how deeply he desired to be an artist, they found themselves at a loss for words, yet they were incredibly supportive.

It wouldn’t take long for Cornejo’s gambit to pay off.

In September 2021, he launched his first album titled “Alma Vacia” through independent label Manzana Records. This LP consisted of seven original tracks that expressed longing and sorrow, accompanied by the higher-pitched requinto guitar. The album gained popularity, with a significant portion attributable to the song “Esta Dañada,” which speaks about falling for a girl who no longer believes in love. Interestingly, this track gained traction initially on TikTok; its chorus (“Her smile / her face / her hands / oh, what delight”) became a popular trend and soundtrack for over a million videos on the platform. The popularity of “Esta Dañada” was substantial enough to get it onto the Billboard Hot 100 chart (it peaked at No. 61), making it only the second regional Mexican single to debut there. Since then, around 60 regional Mexican songs have managed to make it onto this list, demonstrating the genre’s rapid growth in popularity within the United States.

In the year following his 18th birthday, Cornejo demonstrated that he was not just a flash in the pan with the debut of “Dañado.” His second album surpassed its predecessor in success, reaching the top spot on the Mexican regional albums chart and climbing to No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 200.

Unlike other Mexican music artists who have gained large followings by singing about their warlike adventures, Cornejo has earned recognition by concentrating on themes of the heart. Although this isn’t entirely new ground – the history of Mexican music is rich with singer-songwriters such as José Alfredo Jiménez and Cuco Sánchez, who have written countless songs lamenting their heartaches in love. While Cornejo may not have created sad Mexican music, he is certainly reintroducing it to a new generation of Mexican American listeners, making it applicable to a segment of the Latino community that’s increasingly adopting English and might just as well opt for emotional turmoil from someone like Olivia Rodrigo. In this way, Cornejo is helping his fans appreciate their heritage.

He expresses a common sentiment among bilingual, bicultural artists from Latin America: “Spanish music feels more romantic to me as a Mexican.” This stems from the perception that Spanish language carries a warmer, more personal and emotional tone compared to English, which can seem cold and transactional. However, Cornejo hasn’t closed the door on singing in English; he has attempted it but wants to take his time before making a decision.

The romanticism characteristic of Mexico permeates “Mirada,” Cornejo’s recently released album on Zaragoza Records and Interscope (July 19). This LP represents his most ambitious endeavor thus far, offering the familiar heartache his audience has grown accustomed to, but in a refreshingly new way rather than rehashing past works. To produce this album, Cornejo collaborated with producer Frank Rios and songwriters Arath Herce and Edgar Barrera, who has written hits for artists such as Peso Pluma, Grupo Frontera, Maluma, Shakira, Madonna among others.

In “Mirada,” Cornejo skillfully blends his indie rock and folk inspirations, notably from artists such as Tom Odell, Jeff Buckley, Cigarettes After Sex, among others, with his distinctive melancholic sierreño style. This unique fusion creates an album that carries both American and Mexican vibes, setting a new standard for what Mexican music can achieve.

He expressed his desire for a gradual transformation in the style of his songs across his musical career, aiming to make this evolution imperceptible to his audience at first. His goal is for the change to feel like a seamless progression.

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The blend of sounds is particularly noticeable in the main track of the album, which starts with a standalone electric guitar tune that echoes early Radiohead’s style, followed by the introduction of a Spanish guitar. In the song “I Want to Sleep Tired,” Cornejo reimagines a 1980s hit made famous by Mexican pop artist Emmanuel as a haunting plea for aid.

So far, the audience seems to love “Mirada.” Notably, it entered the Billboard 200 this past week, landing at position 17.

In the upcoming month, Cornejo will embark on a 26-city arena tour throughout the United States, showcasing his unique blend of Mexican and American music. This tour begins in regions of the South, visiting cities such as Nashville, Huntsville, Alabama, and Louisville, Kentucky. Notably, these locations have experienced significant growth in their Latino communities over the past few years.

“He was astonished! He hadn’t imagined he’d be capable of playing regional Mexican music in these urban areas,” he expressed.

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2024-07-31 22:01