Ahead of his performance at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards, which is set to kick off tonight at 8 p.m. ET, Peso Pluma talks candidly about his connection to boxing, his famous haircut and the magic of music.
“It’s amazing,” the Mexican star tells Billboard about having Mike Tyson join him during his first-ever BBMAs performance, where he will be singing “Rubicon.” “It’s another dream come true. I’ve been watching him all my life and he’s an inspiration and a motivation for me to keep going and do whatever I like.”
Fun fact: Another boxing legend inspired Peso’s stage name, which translates to “featherweight” in English. “We were all skinny when we began and we were playing at a private party and met Marco Antonio Barrera, he was champion in that weight, and we knew from that moment it was destiny — we had to go by that name.”
Additionally, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter spoke about the globalization of Spanish-language music, with his first global hit being his collaboration with Eslabon Armado, “Ella Baila Sola.” “It was just a before and after. When I started seeing that my music was playing in other countries like China and Japan, places where they don’t even speak Spanish, is really cool,” he says. “To hear that people who don’t speak Spanish, they like the music, and that’s the magic of music.” Watch Peso Pluma’s interview above.
Peso Pluma is up for five total awards at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards Presented by Marriott Bonvoy, including top new artist, top Latin artist, top Latin male artist and top Latin album for Génesis, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums chart, the most for a regional Mexican album. He’s also a finalist in the top Latin song category with two entries: “Ella Baila Sola” with Eslabon Armado and “La Bebe” with Yng Lvcas.
Peso’s performance is part of a star-filled lineup of previously announced BBMA performers, including Mariah Carey, David Guetta and Bebe Rexha, Karol G, NewJeans, Stray Kids and Morgan Wallen. Performances and awards will roll out across BBMAs and Billboard social channels, as well as via BBMAs.watch, tonight, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
