Latin

Sometimes, understanding the full impact of your work happens only when someone else points it out. Producer Ernesto “Neto” Fernández recalls the moment that brought him that realization: “Did you know Peso [Pluma] is now global?” someone told him after Fernández debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in early February 2023 with Peso Pluma and Natanael Cano’s “PRC.”

“That’s how you start realizing it, but you keep getting wrapped up in work, and sometimes you don’t fully assimilate it,” he tells Billboard Español.

But that changed when he was named Producer of the Year at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards.

In an astonishing breakout year, Fernández amassed 26 production credits on the Hot 100. He is also a mastermind behind 20 Hot 100 hits by Peso Pluma, three by Xavi (“La Diabla,” “La Víctima,” “Corazón de Piedra”), one by Junior H (“Y Lloro”) and three by Tito Double P (“Rosones,” “El Lokeron,” “Dos Días”).

However, this is far from his first successful year. Fernández’s influence dates back to the ’90s quebradita explosion — a period defined by a booming regional Mexican dance style and music. He started his career creating songs for Jessie Morales, known as El Original de la Sierra, and Los Jilgueros Del Arroyo. It was then that he initiated a longstanding collaboration with George Prajin, who worked with those artists and who now leads Prajin Parlay Studioz and co-founded Double P Records with Peso Pluma. Under Prajin’s management, Fernández’s productions have solidified his role as a pivotal voice in modern-day Latin music.

2024 marked a milestone for Fernández, as he won the Producer of the Year award and topped the Hot Latin Songs Producer year-end chart, outpacing super producers such as Edgar Barrera and MAG. His rise mirrors the seismic shift in the regional Mexican music landscape, establishing Fernández as a key producer to watch.

Read on to learn more about Fernández and his work in his chat with Billboard Español below.

Congratulations on reaching No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs Producers list. Did you expect this achievement given the success of many hits you’ve created this year?

I wasn’t expecting it. When I found out, I was like, “Wow!” This year has been very blessed — a lot has happened. Thanks to all the artists who have also been part of all this.

Let’s talk about some of the hits you produced, for example, “La Diabla” by Xavi. What was the creative process like?

Xavi is a very talented young man with many great ideas. All the musicians were here in the studio working on the song “La Diabla.” It’s a very friendly environment and a smooth vibe. We all work very comfortably that way; everyone gets along and chats. I think that is also reflected in the music. [The management] did new things with Xavi and it was very successful. In part, Xavi’s music helped with being named on the charts.

George Prajin is good friends with Nir [Seroussi] from Interscope. So, Xavi started coming here [to the studio] earlier to record some songs he was just starting. He liked working here, so we continued collaborating with him until he started doing all the new stuff, “La Diabla,” “La Víctima” and all that.

You also have many hits with Peso Pluma, more recently “Gervonta” and “La Durango,” among others. Can you tell me about one of your favorite tracks with Peso?

Choosing a favorite is very difficult. But what I like about working with Peso is different ideas come out. For example, in “Bruce Wayne,” we added a piano, which I played. In “Gervonta,” we did something very different at the beginning, you start listening and you’re like: “Oh, what’s going on here?” Little things and new ideas we try together; everyone contributes ideas. Besides, I’m also the musical director of Peso Pluma. As for the musicians, we all work as a team.

Tell me, which other artists do you collaborate with?

Right now, we are working with Jasiel Núñez, Los Dareyes de la Sierra, Tito Double P, new artists like Estevan Plazola — who sang “Hollywood” with Peso Pluma — and another we call el Chivo. We have worked with Luis R. Conriquez, and Junior H, among others. But right now, new things are coming from Los Dareyes de la Sierra, who’s preparing his new album.

Could you tell us more about your beginnings in the industry and how you became a producer?

I was born in El Paso, Texas, but I was brought to Los Angeles when I was three years old. My dad is also a musician; he plays piano and keyboards. I also play music, specifically the piano, and then a bit of drums, bass and guitar. In ’89, ’90, my dad took me to a recording studio with a friend of his, and that’s where I started learning the engineering of recording and producing. During the ’90s, the quebradita movement exploded. I experienced that whole era: banda, norteño, mariachi. And over the years, [I continued] producing and recording that way.

Like in ’99, 2000, I met George Prajin with whom we started producing Jessie Morales El Original de La Sierra, Los Jilgueros [Del Arroyo] and other artists of that era. From there, we started working banda and norteña music. As the years went by, everything was changing, and evolving. Currently, like in 2018, we started with Prajin here in the studio, and in 2021, I began producing Peso Pluma and other artists that George handles. It has been a long process. We’ve been in the industry for a long time, but what happened with Peso was a complete game-changer.

Given this new chapter in your career, how did you experience the recent Mexican music boom along with the rise of Peso Pluma?

When it all started, one could hardly believe it. But what happens is that there comes a time when you’ve been working so long that sometimes you don’t even realize everything that’s going on outside. And just when you least expect it, they tell you, “Did you know that Peso is now global?!” and that’s how you start realizing, but you keep working and getting wrapped up in work, sometimes you don’t fully assimilate it. It wasn’t until I was informed about the Billboard [Latin Music] Awards when I was named Producer of the Year. That’s when you get it, you’re like: “Wow, this really is happening.” This movement does have an impact. You don’t realize it until you begin to look around and see how much impact the movement has had and what it has done. Many artists are behind it, including Nata (Natanael Cano) and Junior H, who opened the doors, and Peso took it to another level. It opened up the market further. It’s such a pride to be part of this movement.

After reaching No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs Producer chart and earning the Producer of the Year award, what’s next for 2025?

This coming year, we are going to release new music with new artists and try different things in an effort to broaden the genre in terms of different sounds and styles, and try to make regional Mexican music more global.