There’s no better way to wrap up National Hispanic Heritage Month than to talk about the music of Dominican-American songwriter and vocalist Fuego.
As a prolific collaborator, Fuego has worked on songs with international acts including J Balvin and Pitbull. That said, he has also contributed some influential tracks to the remixing scene as a solo artist — some of his most popular releases include Spanish remixes of Drake’s “Hotline Bling” and Yo Gotti’s “Rihanna (feat. Young Thug).” His “Hotline Bling” remix is a fully-translated cover, while his “Rihannna” remix features a blend of translated hooks and original verses.
Fuego recently dropped by our studio to track some vocals, and spoke on what motivates him to create his remixes in between takes.
“I’d go to Spanish-speaking countries and I’ll see they love this American music, but they don’t understand it,” he explained. “So I went, ‘Alright, I’m gonna translate this stuff. I want them to understand this, because I feel some way when I hear hip hop music… When I hear Future, when I hear a Drake song, or when I hear any of these guys’ songs, I want them to feel that way about this music.”
Fuego manages to create remixes that feature authentic translations, while also adding his own sound and creative spin. In doing so, he empowers listeners to transcend the barrier of language and engage with their favorite music in new and deeper ways.
We captured our studio session with Fuego in the video below — check it out for more on his approach to creating music:
What’s your favorite Fuego record? Let us know in the comments below.
October 15, 2019
