Mexican singer Pancho Barraza begins a new stage in his career with Fonovisa Records, the label he signed with earlier this month. The banda sinaloense singer’s story has been peculiar: After spending time as a vocalist of Banda Los Recoditos in the early ’90s, he began a solo career achieving fame and glory. However, issues with substance abuse kept him away from music for a decade and he hit rock bottom.
It wasn’t until an invitation from Julión Álvarez to his Mis Ídolos Hoy Mis Amigos Tour in 2016 gave him the motivation to return to what he was once passionate about, and with the help of RB Music, an independent management and booking company, he began playing live shows again and released new music. Barraza even returned to the Billboard charts, most recently with “Me Voy a Alejar,” which entered the Regional Mexican Airplay this year.
“I was always a fan of Mr. Pancho Barraza so, in 2015, I invited him to receive an award at the Premios de la Calle,” says Ricardo Bobadilla, CEO of RB Music. “There, he told me that he had no record label or team, so I put myself at his service and, almost ten years later, we continue working with great enthusiasm.”
The resurgence of Barraza, whose hits include “Mi Enemigo el Amor,” “Música Romántica,” “Yo Estaba Solo” and “Nunca Cambies,” made Fonovisa pay attention.
“Pancho Barraza is without a doubt an artist who is leaving a very important legacy to Mexican music,” says Antonio Silva, managing director of Fonovisa Disa US/Mexico. Adding Barraza to the roster, he adds, made sense. “Fonovisa Records has artists with great careers and who have left their mark, such as Los Tigres del Norte, Banda El Recodo and many more. That is how important we consider him to be.”
On Nov. 21, he will release “Mi Otro Yo,” a collaboration with Colombian artist Charlie Zaa in a banda version that will show another facet of Zaa. Speaking exclusively with Billboard Español, Barraza, 63, talks about this new chapter in his career.
You are a clear example that age doesn’t matter when you want to move forward.
As long as you have a voice to sing and something to offer the audience, you are in the competition. It has a lot to do with what you put in your head, what you believe about yourself, what you want for yourself. Definitely attitude is a key piece.
How did the alliance with Fonovisa come about?
There came a time when I felt like we — RB Music and my label Pachy Music — had reached a limit. Ricardo [Bobadilla] told me that he had very good results with Universal Music as a publisher and I liked the idea of including my compositions, but also my music. I called Antonio [Silva], with whom I had not had contact for a long time, and he answered me almost immediately. That was a sign, that’s how the conversations began.
What does this new chapter in your career consist of?
Fonovisa will be entirely in charge of the distribution of Pancho Barraza. The machinery that a company like this has will allow us to go even further, like being present at awards ceremonies, for example. If I want to become like the great artists who remain for posterity, I need to advance to another level.
The catalog you have recorded with Balboa Records and Musart is from Universal, so this is like the continuation.
That’s right, that is already there and will move, but now we will focus on the new, on Pancho Barraza’s music reaching many more places.
Your first release with Fonovisa is “Mi Otro Yo.” How was it doing it in banda with Charlie Zaa?
First it was recorded in his style, in response to his invitation, and it was a pleasant experience. The video is a reflection of how well we got along and enjoyed it. I’m sure you’ll like the banda version as well and you’ll enjoy hearing Charlie in a very different facet. When I sent it to him he loved it and he went to Guadalajara to record the video. Everything happened very quickly.
Musically, what can we expect from Pancho Barraza in 2025 in this new stage?
Several things are coming: the album Barraza Dinasty, with unreleased songs; another album with impressive collaborations. I can’t reveal the names at this point, but I went all the way. As for touring, we will go to conquer other markets, such as Central America and Colombia.
You have made a difference with your musical style. Are you aware of it?
I swear it was out of ignorance. I started recording romantic songs in different tones, in different harmonies, the banda musicians told me I was crazy. They got upset and I got upset with them, but in the end they agreed to do it and it sounded totally different from what banda sinaloense was.
With your more than 30 years of career, what can you say about regional Mexican music today?
That there is no difference between the music that the [new] guys are making and ours — it is just the language. Because, at the end of the day, as long as they use a charcheta, a tuba and a trombone, it still sounds like banda.
