Mexico’s burgeoning perreo scene will get some representation at Coachella. On Saturday night, El Malilla — one of the leaders of reggaeton Mexa — will close out the Sonora stage for what he promises will be the show that’ll “open new doors” for his career and the subgenre he loves.
“I’m very aware that things are going to change after this,” Malilla tells Rolling Stone with an ear-to-ear grin over Zoom. “We’re preparing a new show for people to connect with us so even if they don’t know me, it doesn’t matter. When they’re watching the show, they can say, ‘I saw El Malilla at Coachella I loved him’ or ‘I saw a video of Malilla at Coachella online and loved him.’”
El Malilla is one of the leading stars of a cohort of rising artists coming out of Mexico’s rising scene of reggaetoneros. Reggaeton mexa incorporates Mexican slang and storytelling over classic reggaeton beats that feel familiar yet fresh. For many, the genre is still a growing niche, and a counter to the música mexicana takeover.
“A lot of our parents didn’t grow up listening to reggaeton. Our culture is música mexicana and even now people give it a try, they say, ‘Oh, how cool to be Mexican and listen to corridos,’” says Malilla about the genre’s changing perception. “But it wasn’t like that before, so it’s the same thing happening with Mexican reggaeton.”
On Saturday night, El Malilla promises a raunchy, sweaty dance party that’ll transform the Sonora stage into a Mexico city nightclub. And he has some advice for those planning to come: “Put on your most comfortable Jordans. Be careful: Not the new, clean ones, because remember we’re in Indio! Stay hydrated, and be ready to perrear.”
Here’s what El Malilla told us ahead of Saturday night’s performance
There’s a video out there of you finding out you’re headlining the Sonora Stage. What was it like to find out you were playing Coachella?
Perhaps it isn’t as obvious in the video because I’m less expressive, but I truly felt very happy. All the effort, the sacrifices, the late nights. We make reggaeton, so we’ve always been judged a lot. All those comments, really, were worth it in that moment. It took me a little while to search for my name on the set times. What a joy.
I’m meeting a few artists from different places and genres while I’m here and it’s making me understand that people are noticing us at a global level. Malilla is not only known in Mexico. I’m not just an artist de barrio.
You are the only reggaeton artist in itself that is going to perform in Coachella, I don’t know if you knew that.
Yes, yes, yes, I knew that, and I’m also the first. This is like the Pandora’s box for this new Mexican genre. From now on, crazy things are going to happen like crazy with the project. It’s a great responsibility, but we have worked to get there.
You mentioned that for your genre, people judged you. How has it been for you to change that perspective for many people?
To this day we’ve had to fight that obstacle because the reality of the matter is that reggaeton is not our cultural genre, you know? I’ve been listening to reggaeton since I was 10 but reggaeton truly started becoming Mexican four years ago. It’s not our culture to have reggaeton artists.
What reggaeton artists that inspire you have supported your project?
Jowell and Randy have been the key people who’ve trusted the project since before Malilla exploded, so I always go through life saying that they’re my uncles. I grew up listening to melodic, beautiful reggaeton, like Gotay, Arcángel, Che Alvarez, Farruko, when they were coming out, so that was the generation that I got to listen to, and fortunately, today, 2025, I already have collaborations with those artists that I grew up listening to, and it’s very nostalgic to know that.
What we can expect during your show?
We were talking with Jowell and Randy’s team, and for me, it would be nice if they showed up, but Coachella is such an important festiva. It would be crazy if these two great legends showed up.
Are there any artists performing that you’ll see this weekend?
I don’t want to feel the pressure of accidentally missing my show so I’ll probably focus on my performance all day Saturday. I would like to see Travis Scott a lot, because he was here in Mexico and I couldn’t see him. For Sunday, I already have an itinerary ready. I would like to see Junior H, Post Malone, and there’s a K-pop artist on Friday I want to see, but I’m still thinking of whether or not to come. I want to be ready mentally and physically!
What do you hope to take away from this show?
Coachella is the most important event, for me, for me, for me. I think it’s the show of my life. We’re used to singing in front of a lot of people, in the neighborhoods, in festivals, for ten people, for a thousand, and you sing with your heart, because you choose to be an artist, for that, for the heart, not for fame, but for that feeling. The reality for me is that Coachella is going to change my life. It’s going to open new doors for me and I’m very grateful for it.
What’s next for you?
We have a reggaeton bonito coming out. What does that mean? There’s songs like “Dime” and “Mami Tú” that are this type of reggaeton, you can listen in your car and there’s perreo for the parties. We’re dropping a reggaeton bonito called “Mundo de Mentiras” and then I have an EP called Protocolo Tu Maleante Bebé that’ll come before the album. I’m so excited for it: it’s full perreo, and I know that the people of Mexico will like it, because, I haven’t done a dedicated perreo since “B de Bellako” so, people miss that mood of Malilla.
