CA7RIEL and Paco Amoroso Exclusive: Insights from Their Glastonbury Experience

With a backdrop of polished jazz-funk beats and vibrant Latin rhythms, a man adorned in a plush blue trapper hat delivers rap verses with a husky voice, reminiscent of someone who just smoked a pack of Benson & Hedges. Beside him, his counterpart exudes a bold presence, complete with sneering lips and dynamic hair flips as he performs his part of the lyrics. This dynamic duo, Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso, catapulted to global fame with their Tiny Desk Concert that went viral after its release last October, amassing 36 million views. Rolling Stone has since dubbed them “the future of music.”

Despite their rising fame, the English translations of their lyrics—comical and raw narratives about parties, sex, and romantic escapades—raised some eyebrows. During a video call from Madrid amid their 53-date tour, which includes stops in London, Glastonbury, and Japan’s Fuji Rock, Amoroso shares, “We love to have fun and keep our audience guessing.” Enthusiastically, his partner interjects, “Yes, keep them guessing! Each day for us is like a different TV show episode. We switch roles—sometimes we’re sentimental, sometimes punk, sometimes purely rap.”

Embracing Contradictions

The pair pride themselves on their blend of “honesty, absurdity, and contradiction.” Their major label debut in 2024, titled Baño María, surprised new fans with its eclectic mix of sounds, ranging from electro-house that could rival Charli XCX, to breezy reggaeton, and a robust fusion of dubstep, EDM, and trap in the track La Que Puede Puede. In a music scene predominantly filled with reggaeton, Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso stand out as defiantly unclassifiable.

Their musical journey began in primary school, where they discovered they had similar last names (Ca7riel is Catriel Guerreiro; Paco Amoroso, Ulises Guerriero) and a mutual passion for music. Ca7riel aspired to be the next Steve Vai as a guitar teacher, while Amoroso initially took up violin before switching to drums, aiming for rock stardom. They spent seven years in a funk-rock band called Astor, which saw minimal success. However, the rise of trap music across South America, propelled by YouTube, presented a new opportunity. “We saw a chance to be seen by everyone,” Amoroso explains. What sets Argentinians apart, according to Ca7riel, is their unabashed boldness.

After a brief split in 2020, the duo reunited in 2023, still performing solo pieces in their shows but agreeing they are more daring together. They approach lyric writing with the spontaneity of a jam session. Their fame has soared, especially in Spain, where their Tiny Desk performance even inspired a parody on national television. Ca7riel shares a personal moment, revealing he flew his 73-year-old mother from Buenos Aires to Spain to watch the tour—her first time seeing him perform abroad. “She’s in disbelief,” he comments. “It’s surreal for her.”

Amoroso reflects on a recent performance in a Madrid arena, which zipped through genres like a frantic TikTok scroll—from funk-pop to nu-metal—and featured them singing on stools, reminiscent of a boyband. On stage, Ca7riel channels the energy of Freddie Mercury, while Amoroso complements him perfectly. “We give our all on stage,” Amoroso states. The performance concludes dramatically with bodybuilders lifting them into the air, a nod to themes from their latest EP, Papota, which critiques the music industry’s obsession with image. The track #Tetas humorously portrays a music producer demanding they bulk up and sing in English to achieve viral fame and possibly win a Latin Grammy. “We’re not in it for the Grammys,” declares Amoroso. They’re now collaborating with UK electronic musician Fred Again, looking beyond the Latin pop scene.

The duo recently donned muscle suits for a Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon appearance, amplifying their satire of gym culture. Via email, they convey a deeper message: “There’s intense pressure for Latin male artists to embody a macho ideal,” they explain through a translator. They mock this expectation by using a “chad filter” in their visuals, appearing nude in a hot tub on Baño María’s cover, and occasionally sharing a kiss at the end of their shows. “We’re not anti-body; we’re anti-confinement,” they add. “While pop music often plays it safe, we aim to challenge norms—about masculinity, musical genres, and the stereotypical image of Latin artists.”

Despite occasionally indulging in mainstream appeal, as seen in the catchy yet cheesy chorus of #Tetas, they remain experimental. “We’re like video game characters, adopting different skins and continuously evolving musically and visually,” says Ca7riel. They now describe themselves as degenerados—not just ‘degenerates’ but also transcending genres and gender norms.

As for their upcoming appearance at Glastonbury, details remain under wraps, but Amoroso hints, “It’s a unique festival, and the eccentrics will be out in force to see us.” Ca7riel adds with a laugh, “And we’re eccentrics too!”