EL MALILLA @ THE GRAMMY MUSEUM

Mexican superstar El Malilla has taken the Latin music industry by storm—not only in his home country of Mexico but across the globe—as he builds a legacy for Mexican reggaeton. A genre long dominated by Puerto Rico and South America, reggaeton has now reached a new generation of talented artists emerging from Mexico in recent years. While Regional Mexican music still holds a strong presence in the country, reggaeton is starting to make serious noise thanks to this new wave of artists. And leading that wave is El Malilla, who’s making it clear that Mexico is part of the reggaeton movement—and it’s here to stay.

With major hits like “Vaquero,” “Dime,” and of course, his global anthem “Mami Tu,” El Malilla quickly caught the attention of fans on social media—and fellow reggaetoneros, too. Colombian artist Blessd not only took notice but saw the raw talent in El Malilla and jumped on the “Mami Tu” remix, which instantly went viral. Fast forward to today: El Malilla has sold out The Roxy Theatre in Hollywood, headlined his own set at Coachella, and lit up the stage at Sueños Music Festival in Chicago, where the Latino community showed major love for the rising Mexican star. Next up, he’s set to hit the stage at Baja Beach Fest 2025—once again representing Mexican reggaeton on a global platform.

Today, we had the opportunity to join El Malilla at the Grammy Museum for exclusive interviews, photo ops, Q&A sessions, and a special live performance, where he performed fan favorites for his L.A. supporters. During the event, El Malilla sat down with moderator and interviewer Thomas Mier to talk about the rise of Mexican reggaeton. He showed love and recognition to fellow Mexican artists like Yeri MUA, Bellakath, Dani Flow, YNG Lvcas, and many more who are each playing a role in elevating the genre.

El Malilla also opened up about his early days—when music wasn’t just a passion, it was a job. He shared how he used to hit the studio at 6 a.m. before clocking in for his day job, and how those grind-heavy days shaped his process. Now, music is no longer a hustle—it’s his life. He spoke about creating purely from love and passion, knowing this is what he gets to do forever. He got personal with fans, sharing emotional stories and insights about his creative journey and what it took to get where he is today.

Although his live performance was the highlight of the night, fans went wild when El Malilla announced he’ll be dropping a new project soon—featuring fresh perreo tracks and massive collabs with some of Latin music’s biggest names. But he’s not stopping at reggaeton. Throughout the night, El Malilla shared his dreams of exploring other genres, especially his deep love for salsa.

El Malilla continues to rise with every release, not just making history for Mexico but pushing boundaries for all Latin artists and the industry at large. It’s rare to see Latin artists hit the Coachella stage so early in their careers—but breaking barriers is nothing new for him. With a new project on the way and Baja Beach Fest on the horizon, El Malilla is ready to show out for his home country once again.

Written by Joseph Hernandez Torrejon Photos shot and edited by Joseph Hernandez Torrejon