Thalia

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Taking a regional Mexican music route has led Thalia — often referred to as the Queen of Latin Pop — back to her roots, as she embraces the resurgence of música mexicana on her latest EP, A Mucha Honra.

“This album was created at the source from which this [new corridos] movement comes and emanates,” the superstar tells Billboard Español. In collaboration with Jimmy Humilde of Rancho Humilde and music producer Edgar Rodríguez of Yellow Room, the singer dives deep into the musical heritage of her beloved home country.

She reflects on the power of songs like the timeless “Amor a la Mexicana” as a key inspiration for this project. “It’s the perfect circle of why I’m singing regional [Mexican] right now,” says Thalia about the classic 1997 Mexican cumbia-pop hit. “[This genre] evokes a nostalgia in me. It gets into the Mexican DNA and provokes a catharsis in you, this style, this sound, these chords.”

The 9-track EP, released on Friday (April 26) under Sony Music US Latin, includes the corridos tumbados of “Bebé, Perdón,” “Para Qué Celarme” and a remake of “Amor a la Mexicana.” There’s also the sierreño pop jam “Choro” featuring Estilo Sin Límite, the norteño song “Silencio,” and a nor-techno remix of “Te Va a Doler,” courtesy of Deorro, which she premiered last night at the 2024 Latin American Music Awards; the original version features Grupo Firme.

“For me it has been a pleasure to be able to create this music for such a long time, to be able to perform it”, the artist explains. “It has been incredible for me to release A Mucha Honra little by little. I always try to experience different things, new things, things that challenge me and add to me.”

Below, Thalia breaks down five essential songs from her new EP, in her own words.

“Te Va a Doler” (with Grupo Firme)

“Te Va a Doler” is a song that despite being regional [Mexican], has a little bit of both worlds. It has a little more of the Thalia universe, of my musical and interpretative style, but it still has the power and sonority of the new regional Mexican. For more than a year we have been talking with Eduin Caz [of Grupo Firme] about doing something, about working together, and for me this song was the perfect ring for this union. The truth is that our styles merged well, his voice sounds very powerful in this story, and it was spectacular.

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From the same song, “Te Va a Doler,” a more electronic version was done with Deorro, who since I heard his work I loved it, so I said: “You have to do something for me.” I love Deorro’s work, and he did the remix version of this song.

“Amor a la Mexicana”

It’s the perfect circle of why I’m singing regional right now. For me, singing to Mexico and singing in the styles of our musical [heritage] has been a constant in my discography. If you look for songs, videos and hits by Thalia that have a regional or Mexican sound, there are many, and the classic of my entire career is “Amor a la Mexicana.” So, it could not be missing in this album called A Mucha Honra. I feel honored to be Mexican, to celebrate what is happening with culture, with music globally at this time. And what more than with the icing on the cake, which is to sing a new version of “Amor a la Mexicana”, which really turned out spectacular. Without a doubt, it is one of my best versions of “Amor a la Mexicana.”

“Troca” (with Ángela Aguilar)

It is a song that has such beautiful lyrics, so pure, so simple, so much love, that I needed. It resonated with me to sing something with beautiful, with delicate lyrics of love. It made me feel good to pronounce these words and these lyrics. It was also a great opportunity to bring together two generations, two Mexicans, singing at this time. I feel that our voices came together very cool, and very velvety, like a cozy blanket around you. And that makes me very happy to be able to say how cool it is that two Mexicans from different generations coexist in a love song.

We made an animated video which is also something new and different for me. It’s super cute.

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“Choro” (with Estilo Sin Límite)

“Choro” features Dania from Estilo Sin Límite, an emerging artist who has incredible talent, and is a great songwriter with a very special voice. When I heard her, I said, “Let’s do the song, let’s work”, and we recorded “Choro.” The interpretation is super cool. I feel a responsibility, of someone who has already come a long way [in my career] to extend a hand and support new talents.

[Choro] is a very Mexican thing to say. I thought it was a good title, a good concept for a song. Later it made me laugh because in other countries it has different connotations.

“Para Qué Celarme”

I think it’s my favorite of the album. The arrangements are nostalgic, it does something to my heart. I love the lyrics, the story is so awesome, and it allows me as an actress to sing it and get into character. And that’s what I really like about this song. It’s a ballad with pride, with strength. It reminds me a little bit of that song of mine, “Equivocada,” in the subject matter. My fans likes to see the party Thalia, the Thalia who sings irreverent songs, dance songs, but also the romantic one, the one who sings songs of broken hearts, and intense ballads. This is the ballad of this album.