UNLOCKINGSITE

For Jesús Ortiz Paz, manifestation is the medium. “If you go back to the old Fuerza videos we have on YouTube, we always spoke going global into existence.” The frontman of trailblazing, record-breaking musica Mexicana band Fuerza Regida, Paz ties it all back to the beginning when urban corridos was still an unfamiliar phrase to the global mainstream.

But last Friday, that manifestation became something more: a milestone decades in the making. Fuerza Regida headlined Madison Square Garden — bringing música Mexicana into the house of legends. “Just walking into this venue felt important,” Paz tells PAPER. “There are pictures on the wall of Kiss, of Jimi Hendrix. And tonight it’s Fuerza Regida’s turn.” For a band that’s built its legacy on breaking barriers and redefining expectations, the MSG show marked a new kind of arrival. “We always break records,” he adds. “But this one feels extra special.”

That’s not just hype. Their latest album, 111XPANTIA, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 (the highest-charting Regional Mexican album in U.S. history) and their streaming numbers now rival global acts like Peso Pluma and Bad Bunny. “We are not a niche genre anymore,” Paz says. “We are global and here to stay.” Sonically, they’re evolving just as fast — mixing Jersey club percussion, cumbia, country twang and even an Ellie Goulding sample into their hard-nosed corridos, carving out a future that’s unpredictable but unmistakably theirs. “We’re not here to play it safe,” he says. “We’re here to evolve the sound, shake things up, and still keep it 100% Fuerza.”

But even amid the flashing cameras and viral collabs, the band has never lost sight of who they represent. With ICE raids once again shaking immigrant communities across Southern California, Fuerza refused to cancel their sold-out Hollywood Bowl show — instead using the moment to double down. “If anyone wants to know where we stand just look at our platform,” Paz says.

From SoCal streets to center stage at the Garden, Fuerza Regida isn’t chasing co-signs or crossover moments. They’re building something lasting and the world is finally catching up. We caught up with Paz backstage at the band’s historic moment at Madison Square Garden to discuss their legacy, the art of manifesting and never stopping the hustle.

Tonight is history — urban corridos at Madison Square Garden. What does this moment feel like for you personally, and what does it mean for the culture?

Just walking into this venue felt important, there are pictures on the wall of Kiss, of Jimmy Hendrix and tonight it’s Fuerza Regida’s turn. We are proud to bring musica Mexicana and our take on musica Mexicana to the Garden. We always break records, but this one feels extra special, all the way across the country, we made history together.

111XPANTIA debuted No. 2 right after Bad Bunny on the Billboard 200. Do you feel like you’re leading a movement, or a revolution?

We are just getting started. That 111 in the title of our album ixpantia, it’s on the way to manifestations. We debuted as the highest regional mexican album to date but we will get that No. 1 next. Musica mexicana is here to stay and grow. We are global and we are here to keep pushing boundaries.

You’ve now outpaced legends like Selena and Peso Pluma in debut numbers. When did you first realize this project was going to hit different?

We knew we had something special from the moment we started making the songs. We’ve always been confident in giving our fans something real and powerful. With this album, we were experimenting — pushing the limits of our genre. We sampled legends like Vicente Fernández, even brought in an Ellie Goulding sample, and brought back an old Fuerza track too. It was all about showing how far we could take our sound without losing who we are.

The album title comes from the Náhuatl word “ixpantia,” meaning to manifest. What were you manifesting with this record, and did it deliver?

We were manifesting history. If you go back to the old Fuerza videos we have on Youtube, those from 2018 and even before that, we always spoke going global into existence. Back then we didn’t have the team we have today, now we do and it shows. We created an album that beat any expectations of those not in our genre. We went on our first late-night show, we made history with back-to-back sellouts across coasts, it’s delivering, but we are not there yet, you just wait.

The deluxe tracks bring in reggaeton, house, even country. How do you balance evolution with staying true to your sound?

We like to keep people on their toes. One minute we’re dropping Jersey corridos with “Pero No Te Enamores,” next we’re flipping it with a cumbia collab with Grupo Frontera. We’re not here to play it safe — we’re here to evolve the sound, shake things up, and still keep it 100% Fuerza.

You’ve always repped your roots hard from SoCal streets to TikTok virality. What do you think your younger selves would say if they could see you at MSG tonight?

We made it, what’s next?

Do you feel pressure to be spokespeople for Mexican-American identity, or are you just telling your story and letting the rest follow?

By default, we’ve become the ones people look to — fans, the industry, the world — to see what our next move is. But Fuerza has always been about the community. From day one, it’s been about the music, the growth, and once we had enough to give, we gave back. So yeah, we don’t stay silent when it comes to supporting our people, but we also let the achievements speak for themselves. If we can do it, so can they.

There’s a raw, street-smart energy to your music. People compare you to early 21 Savage, or even Guns N’ Roses. Who are your icons?

I grew up listening to a mix of hip hop and of course at home some regional Mexican. So while my family put on Vicente Fernandez and Chalino, I was also listening to a lot of hip-hop like Lil Baby, Kodak and that whole camp.

First Complex pop-up, Jimmy Kimmel, global Spotify charts, MSG … Are you even able to process this moment as it’s happening?

Nah, I am already thinking of the next steps. We got Paris Fashion Week and some special collabs and Street Mob Records, we don’t stop.

What’s been the most surreal pinch-me moment since the album dropped?

A good moment was premiering “Por Esos Ojos” the first single off the album at Paris Fashion Week. It was our first time attending and we performed it at the KidSuper show, that went super viral. We took musica mexicana for the first time to the runway in Paris.

TikTok has been huge for your rise. Do you feel like you’re marketing geniuses now, or just vibing with the fans?

We know what’s up, what the fans like to see. We have been at this for 10 years.

Do you feel like you’re building a legacy or disrupting one?

Both. We are creating a legacy while pushing boundaries of what our genre could achieve. We are not a niche genre anymore, we are global and are here to stay.

You’ve called this “not just a tour.” So what is this for Fuerza Regida? A mission? A movement? A manifestation?

We told our fans we wouldn’t have a tour last year after more than 70 shows across the USA and Mexico. But we couldn’t not perform this new album so we gave them two iconic shows in two historic venues. Ties it all back to that manifestation. When we started, we dreamed about playing at MSG. Now we are here. For us and for the fans, it’s a special one.

What’s the one thing people still get wrong about Fuerza Regida, and what would you like to set straight here at MSG?

Probably that we are only a regional Mexican band. We love musica Mexicana. That’s our genre, but we love to switch it up and give fans the unexpected.

Your upcoming show at the Hollywood Bowl is super important considering the recent ICE raids, and I know you just released a merch collab with Druski to benefit immigrant rights. What does this particular show mean for you guys, and what drives you to stay politically engaged?

The Hollywood Bowl is in our home state, and like I’ve said before, we’re always with our community. We kept the show on because we didn’t want to let down the fans — people who had already booked, prepared, and been asking for this show for a long time. So playing a sold-out Bowl meant everything to us. We’re not going anywhere, our music’s not going anywhere, and we wanted that message to be loud and clear. If anyone wants to know where we stand, just look at our platform.

Photography: Walter Brady / Street Mob Records