Telling their story, a video of Fuerza Regida highlighted the band with footage from their music videos and an interview with Rolling Stone. As the lights dimmed, the band welcomed the audience to the future of music.
Fuerza Regida, made up of frontman and vocalist Jesús Ortíz Paz, known as JOP, guitarist and backup vocalist Samuel Jáimez, guitarist Khrystian Ramos, sousaphonest Jośe García and most recent member and tololoche player, Moisés López, performed at ACL Live on Friday as part of Rolling Stone’s Future of Music showcase at South by Southwest. Forming in 2015, the group focused on covers until releasing their first studio album, Del Barrio Hasta Aquí, in 2019. Now, amassing almost 45 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Fuerza Regida played to an audience whose energy felt electric and larger than life.
Opening with popular “Marlboro Rojo,” the group strutted onto the stage as a siren aired and their iconic red eye symbol shined in the background. Members dressed in matching black cowboy hats, leather vests and boots, matching their vaquero personas. Standing in the middle of the stage, JOP held his hands up and mic to the crowd as they screamed along to the lyrics, following the frontman’s instructions to “make some motherfucking noise.”
During the fourth song of the night, “Que Onda” JOP experienced a technical malfunction, his earpiece experiencing issues. Not letting anything disrupt his magnetic energy, the band and crew seamlessly intervened, still singing and playing their instruments without skipping a beat, using the crowd to fill in the gaps.
“¿Qué fue?,” the crowd chanted. “?¿Qué tal si por la noche apagamos los dos el cel? / Bebé.”
Continuing to build off their fan’s energy, Fuerza Regida transitioned into “ayy weyy,” as the crowd chanted their names, in the dim lights, the shadows of the group dark and mysterious. Soaking it all in, the group highlighted their skills with one of their most popular songs, “ME JALO,” known for its TikTok couple dance the audience didn’t forget about — using the live performance to record their own video.
Smoke filled the stage during “SABOR FRESA,” matching lyrics, “Ya me vieron al bailar / Con el paso que cargo logré apantallar,” by stepping away from their instruments to dance all together, as if at a baile, and blowing kisses to “las morras de calidad.”
Continuing with more sensual songs, the band played “CHAVALITAS” and “BARBIEZ,” which showcases their connection to Chicano culture, using both English, Spanish and non-proper Spanish commonly referred to as “Tex-Mex.”
After “ROSONES,” the group pushed the audience into an emotional place with “Por Esos Ojos,” “ANSIEDAD,” “TU SANCHO” and “Tu Boda.” Along with the musical transition, the group changed their personas. Iconic red lights and flashing eye symbols turned into a soft purple, the screens behind them black and white, creating a mysterious, yet enticing, image matching the group’s raw talent that doesn’t need fancy effects — using their mouths to create clicks, bass and other sounds.
The audience erupted as “COQUETA” played, not a person in the audience silent as the band went acapella, showcasing fans dedication as they screamed along, “Coqueta, si me quieres, solo di la neta.”
Beginning to walk off stage, attendees protested “otra,” JOP teasing the audience saying they have to leave, but will stay for one last song. As “Cuando No Era Cantante” came to a close, the group said their goodbyes, thanking their fans and throwing their cowboy hats.
