Born and raised in a small community in Mexico City, Fernando Hernández Flores, better known as “El Malilla” puts his authenticity into his music. His lyrics are infused with the hustle, identity and street culture, making them instant anthems for people that resonate to his life story.
He first gained attention with his song “G Low Kitty,” garnering recognition as a rising star in the Mexican reggaeton genre. Ever since gaining popularity in Mexico, his audience has grown in Mexico and currently in the U.S. after his performance at Coachella this year. According to Chartmetric, El Malilla’s Spotify monthly listeners surged by 879,000 (11% increase), reaching 8.87 million monthly listeners as of April 26.
I had the opportunity to attend his Coachella set on April 12, when he hit the stage with a performance that had all the people shouting and dancing. Tracks like “Vaquero,” “Mami Tu” and “Dime” made the whole crowd go wild, with people singing at the top of their lungs and dancing all over the floor.
What stood out the most to me was El Malilla’s stage presence and his ability to make the crowd feel seen. From the moment he took the stage, he focused on creating a connection with the audience in a more personal and genuine way. The energy he transmitted through his music got the people in the Sonora tent singing and dancing from start to finish. His performance was a good show and a unique experience that made it impossible for people not to dance and get lost in the moment.
In the middle of his set, he paused to thank the audience saying, “How nice to see all of your faces, all of your love, how are the circumstances of life that we come to meet here.”
That night, it felt like a dream that I wanted never to end.
On the same night, he posted a video on his Instagram, with a caption that says, “What happened today was a dream. Thank you for singing, dancing, enjoying and most important being proud of where we came from.”
Reason to listen to his music:
El Malilla’s music brings something new to the reggaeton genre, he fuses traditional reggaeton sounds with punk, trap and pop. Thanks to his innovation in the Mexican reggaeton genre, he has gained recognition by performing at multiple international music festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza.
If you like the music of Karol G or Bad Bunny, El Malilla offers something similar to them, but with a unique flow that is going to keep you listening. He has proven that music can come from anywhere.
Following his Coachella debut, El Malilla is currently working on bringing new music to his newfound fans. There has been a few speculations that he is working on his second album. El Malilla announced that he is working on new music in a recent Instagram post, where he wrote “Anxious for you to hear what’s coming.” He is currently touring in the U.S. where he is scheduled to perform in Chicago, Raleigh NC, Charlotte NC and El Paso, TX in the coming weeks.
If you want to listen to El Malilla, here are playlists of his music:
Pedro Apolinar can be reached at [email protected]