Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana have announced an extensive ASTROPICAL tour across North America following the release of their new album. They will headline shows at major venues like Central Park SummerStage (NYC), Greek Theatre (Berkeley, CA) and Hard Rock Live (Miami).
“This will be an entirely new band,” Rawayana’s Beto Montenegro enthuses. “We will definitely play songs by Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana, but only as part of the ASTROPICAL experience. I never imagined that one day I would be sharing the stage with Bomba Estéreo.”
Alongside the album release, ASTROPICAL released the official music video for their single “Fogata (Leo)” directed by Paola Ossa.
“This song is a celebration of life, of love and connection that transcends time,” Ossa shares. “As a queer director, I wanted to channel that emotion into a story that reflects the shared experiences I, and so many others in the queer community live through—narratives that are often underrepresented. With this video, I wanted their attraction and chemistry to simply exist—organic, unforced, and beyond the need for explanation.”
From the shimmering Afrobeats groove of lead single “Me Pasa (Piscis)” and the joyful exuberance of dancefloor-ready opening cut “Brinca (Acuario)” to the existential message of “Fogata (Leo),” the songs on ASTROPICAL’s self-titled debut reflect the artists’ connection to the soulful qualities of Latin American culture. On “Calentita (Aries),” the velvet-like inflections of Montenegro’s voice creates a seductive contrast against Liliana Saumet’s powerhouse singing – coupled with an Afro-house beat and a playful reference to reggaetón legend Tego Calderón.
“It’s such an experimental record,” adds Saumet. “It has all these interconnected strands: a bit of electronica and Afrobeats; shades of reggaetón and champeta. It’s a mixture of the tropical Caribbean and the essence of Colombia and Venezuela – the dance party element. A song like ‘Fogata’ started a capella, with me singing, accompanied by a guitar. The four of us were sitting down in my living room, in front of the sea, so deeply connected with the landscape outside. The lyrics are about the thought of having to leave this world behind one day. But as long as we’re alive, let’s celebrate, and enjoy life’s fleeting moments to the fullest.”
Clearly, the message of ethnic pride and pan-Latino union is not a coincidence. When they experienced global fame with the raucous hit “Fuego” in 2008, the members of Bomba Estéreo developed a sterling reputation for their raucous electro-cumbia laced with defiant political messages.
“Musically, I feel like I’m the son of Bomba Estéreo,” says Rawayana’s Beto Montenegro while driving to a recording studio in Los Angeles. “Three bands were a huge reference when we started Rawayana: Los Amigos Invisibles, Cultura Profética and Bomba Estéreo. We had already collaborated with the first two, and when Li called us, it was like a dream come true. I’ve been thinking for so long that I treasure the sonic universe that Bomba Estéreo navigates.”
“ASTROPICAL embodies an energy that already preceded us and needed to materialize,” explains Saumet. “This is a very important time on a political, cultural and environmental level. We need melodies and lyrics such as these ones as a way of shepherding the moment.”
