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Although Alejandro Fernández has written his own history in Mexican music, he is still the son of perhaps the biggest star of ranchera music: Vicente Fernández. To continue his father’s legacy, both began preparing the album De Rey a Rey before Vicente’s death on December 12, 2021.

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These are emblematic songs from Vicente’s repertoire, which will be produced with a more modern touch, in Alejandro’s style.

“I dared to do this because he had already given me his blessing. When he had already retired, we began to choose the songs,” recalls Alejandro, who together with his manager and record label decided that Eden Muñoz would produce the album.

“It was very nice to share with my friend Alejandro songs that fill entire generations with melancholy. It was a challenge for me, but nothing that can’t be achieved with respect and love for a great like Don Vicente,” Muñoz tells Billboard Español.

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The full album De Rey a Rey is slated for a spring 2025 release, but the first single, “No Me Sé Rajar” dropped on Thursday (Oct. 24).

At the same time, Alejandro Fernández kicks off his eponymous tour on Friday (Oct. 25) at La Plaza México, an iconic venue in Mexico City where, with this date and one more on Saturday, he sets a record as the only artist with four sold-out shows.

Alejandro spoke to Billboard Español about the significance of paying tribute to his father, but in his own way.

How was the process of preparing this tribute album to Vicente Fernández?

It is quite an ambitious project. We had been working on it for a long time and I had been talking about it with my dad when he was still alive. I had told him that I wanted to pay tribute to him when he had already retired from music. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to finish it at that time, but we made the setlist together. God’s timing is perfect and I think this came at the right moment.

On a personal note, what does it mean to you to make this album?

It is something very important, a healing project. I didn’t know what I was getting into because there are many details to take care of, but in the end it was worth it. It is not the same to sing the songs at a party or in a palenque as it is to make an album, especially because of the image, the voice, the hits, the person my father was and what he represents. It is a treasure, it is an inheritance that my father left me, and what we want is for new generations to know these songs.

Why did you decide to put your father’s songs in the hands of Eden Muñoz as producer?

We wanted the songs to sound fresh. Eden and I had already worked on several things together, I really like his work, plus he’s a great guy as a person. He is a musical genius and I couldn’t think of anyone else to give the songs a twist. The songs have their own spirit [of Vicente], we were not going to change them, and we had to respect them, but we wanted to give them a modern touch.

How difficult was it to record and now sing Vicente Fernández’s songs?

I will sing them with dignity. In no way do I intend to be arrogant and say that I will sing them better; my father had a very peculiar voice. What I want is to preserve the heritage and somehow make them my own. I am doing my best to make it a worthy project and to represent what my father did as it should be.

Vicente Fernández and Alejandro Fernández

Fernandez Family

What do you think about the moment Mexican music is going through?

At this moment Mexican music is being listened to all over the world, although it has taken a turn with respect to what we have been doing. What is important is that the success that the new exponents have had has splashed and helped us, and that is very good for all of us.

We’ve seen you very interested in this new generation of regional Mexican exponents…

I have a relationship with almost all those morros (kids) who are so strong. I had a collaboration with Natanael Cano, who for me is the pioneer of the corridos tumbados, and from there came a huge escalation of these artists that I know, they know me, I respect them, they respect me and I applaud what they have done.

Much has been said about the rivalry between the Aguilar and Fernández families. What is the reality between these two dynasties?

The public mistakenly thinks that the Aguilar’s and the Fernandez’s don’t get along and on the contrary, my father was a great admirer of Mr. Antonio Aguilar. My father taught me to know Antonio Aguilar’s music. Pepe and I get along very well, we have a beautiful friendship. I was a charro like him and we saw each other a lot. Every time we see each other, we hug because we are very fond of each other. Pepe was at my father’s funeral, I called him to give him my condolences when Don Antonio died, so I think it’s great that now Majo (Aguilar) and Alex (Fernández) are making music and doing the Dos Dinastías, Una Tradición Tour.

With your sold-out concerts on Oct. 25-26, you set a record at La Plaza México. What does such an achievement mean to you at this point in your career?

I have nothing but gratitude to the fans because they have taken me by the hand and have not let go. Plaza México is a historic place. My father’s presentation there was monumental (Un Mexicano en La México, September 1984). I know how much work it took for my father, he was very afraid to perform there because of the importance of the place. People have blessed me with their affection. We have already had four sold-out concerts, equivalent to 160,000 tickets sold there. I hope it becomes a tradition to perform in that wonderful place.