How Valentino Merlo and The La Planta Reinterpreted a Classic — And Went to No. 1

Argentina and Uruguay are two nations with deep-rooted connections to cumbia. Throughout history, artists of the genre have emerged from both sides of the Río de la Plata, becoming the soundtrack of daily life for millions of families in both countries.

This past year, that cultural legacy was further strengthened by Valentino Merlo and The La Planta. At 15 years old, Merlo has already established himself as one of the most distinctive voices in the Argentine music scene. Hailing from the city of Rosario, Santa Fe, Merlo made his debut on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 in 2024, ultimately placing four songs in its top 10 throughout the year: “Tu Foto” with Q’Lokura, “Princesa” featuring Paulo Londra and Luck Ra, “Si Un Día Estás Sola” with Emanero and Big One and “Hoy” with The La Planta.

Nicolás Choca, better known as The La Planta, is widely recognized as one of the leading figures of Uruguayan cumbia. His music, which has resonated across both Argentina and Uruguay since 2020, includes the hits “Mil Preguntas” and “A Prueba de Balas” (which reached No. 10 and No. 27 on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100, respectively), “Quiero Llorar” with MYA and “Lo Mismo Que A Mi.”

Merlo and The La Planta’s first and only collaboration to date, “Hoy” is a cumbia reinterpretation of a classic song originally composed by Peruvian artist Gian Marco and popularized by Gloria Estefan in 2003.

Released in May, it became an instant hit, one that has amassed over 230 million views on Merlo’s official YouTube channel, making it one of the most-viewed Argentine songs of the year on the platform. “Hoy” debuted on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 during the week of May 25 (one week after its official release) and climbed to No. 1 during the week of July 6. The song maintained this position for 11 consecutive weeks, achieving the record for the national chart’s highest performance in 2024 at the time.