Clave Especial talks summer EP ‘Afterafter’ and showing their support for MrBeast contestant Juan

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Clave Especial is finally taking a break.

Over the past two months, the corrido tumbado group from Salinas, California, has been incredibly busy. They played at the South by Southwest festival in Texas, where they gained attention for performing a narcocorrido. They also spoke to students at Cornell University in New York and even took a spontaneous 10-hour drive to support a contestant named Juan on a recent MrBeast challenge, who has since become very popular online.

The band, consisting of lead singer Alejandro Ahumada, guitarist Leonardo Lomeli, and tololoche player Rogelio Gonzalez, felt a strong connection to Juan, a fan who had been staying at a North Carolina grocery store for months. They were so moved that they canceled all promotional events for their new EP, “Afterafter” (released April 30th), to travel and perform for him. As a further gesture of support, they also presented a $5,000 scholarship to Juan’s son, Angel.

“It just felt like the right thing to do,” Ahumada explained. “We connected with his story because we understand what it’s like to have parents who sacrificed everything for their children.”

After finishing a busy tour on the East Coast, the band Clave Especial came back to Salinas and held a big celebration. “It feels like we’ve come full circle,” said band member Ahumada, describing their May 4th concert at the Salinas Sports Complex.

I recently chatted with the band via video call – they were both broadcasting from their childhood bedrooms, which was a cool vibe. They’re releasing a five-track project called “Afterafter,” and let me tell you, it’s fast – clocking in at 140 beats per minute. The songs really capture that feeling of long summer days and the parties that go on forever. They told me these tracks were pulled from a huge collection of unreleased material, stuff that didn’t quite make it onto their critically-loved 2025 debut album, “Mija No Te Asustes.” That album was a big deal, getting shout-outs from artists like Fuerza Regida, Edgardo Nuñez, and Luis R Conquirez.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

What was it like to perform back home in Salinas?

We’ve actually performed as Clave Especial twice now. The first time was at the Fox Theater, and it was completely sold out! People really enjoyed the show and kept asking us to come back, so we decided to do another one here at the Salinas Sports Complex.

Jumping to the EP, how did “Afterafter” come to be?

We started with a fun idea and were developing it into an album at a songwriting retreat in Ensenada, right on the beach. From there, we traveled around to places like Miami and Puerto Vallarta, spending a lot of time at beaches and parties. We’re aiming to release a summer EP – something upbeat people can enjoy while they’re having fun.

Given that “Mija No Te Asustes” seems to portray a strong, decisive leader, what would you say is the overall feeling or theme of “Afterafter”?

We carried over the style from a previous hit song, “Como Capo,” which appeared on our first album. It really resonated with people and showed us they enjoyed our music beyond traditional corridos like “Rápido Soy” and “No Son Doritos.” “Como Capo” was our biggest song yet, and it proved we could successfully explore different sounds and lyrical themes. We aimed to build on that success with our new EP, “Afterafter.”

Musically, how would you describe the sound of this EP?

Leo says that when they’re recording, they often use a lively, upbeat tempo – specifically 6/8 time – and aim for a speed of 140 beats per minute, which he describes as the core of their ‘Clave Especial’ sound.

I was really drawn to the song “Scary Movie” – it felt like a corrido take on Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” It also ties back to your previous album with the line, “Mija, no te asustes.” I’m curious to hear the story behind it – what inspired this spooky track?

That’s interesting – I’m actually seeing the Michael Jackson movie today too. Apparently, that song was written by a member of Street Mob, a group from Ensenada. I heard it was an unreleased track they already had recorded.

Leo: That song was tailored for [the past] album. The [ad lib] was an Easter egg.

I noticed you were recently in North Carolina at the grocery store where MrBeast is holding a competition. A man named Juan, a father from Mexico, is one of the contestants competing for a million dollars. I understand you went to support him and also provided a scholarship for his son. Can you share what motivated you to go and show your support?

We were having dinner in New York when we found out we needed to cancel some press engagements the next day. We’d left a comment on a video by MrBeast, and it got a lot of attention – we realized it was really resonating with people in the Mexican community. Then, MrBeast’s son actually reached out to thank us for supporting his dad, which was amazing!

We learned that Juan encouraged his son to withdraw from the competition so he could focus on his education. It’s rare to find musicians who prioritize schooling, and we’re proud that we all have—I personally earned my bachelor’s degree from Fresno State. This really struck a chord with us, especially since we’d just finished speaking at a panel at Cornell University. Seeing the location on the map—a ten-hour drive—we knew this was a unique opportunity. Being from California, this event on the east coast felt like a special moment. We want to demonstrate the strength and unity of the Mexican community, and we’re here to support Juan and his son. We’re rooting for him to win!

We last spoke at the Rolling Stone showcase during SXSW. I wasn’t able to connect with you after your set, but I noticed you performed a cover of “El Del Palenque” by Los Alegres del Barranco. That song honors El Mencho, a narco leader who had recently been killed by Mexican forces. Can you explain why Clave chose to perform that song in particular?

We simply enjoy the song. Ultimately, it’s just music – a way of telling stories, like traditional corridos. That’s what drew me to music in the first place. We’re proud of our roots in Jalisco and Michoacán, and this song always gets a great reaction from the audience, so we wanted to perform it for them. People want to hear corridos. We’ve noticed the recent censorship attempts, but I believe the issues run much deeper than that. We’re just making music, sharing stories, and having fun performing. I can’t recall if it was originally planned, but we had just played a song with a similar vibe, so I decided to keep the energy going and play this one next. It wasn’t a complicated decision.

So it wasn’t planned?

Alex: No, it wasn’t. Afterwards I was like, “Damn, I sang that.” But, eh, who cares?

Do you ever feel uneasy performing corridos? Or does living in the U.S. offer some security that helps you feel comfortable with it?

There’s a well-known saying, ‘He who owes nothing fears nothing.’ Basically, we don’t owe anyone anything. We’ve built our music career through our own hard work and sacrifice, and people who know our story understand that.

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2026-05-13 04:01