Grupo Frontera made its way to the NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., for the band’s Tiny Desk debut, which premiered on Thursday (April 24).
Dressed in light blue denim and white shirts, the borderland band opened the set with its Billboard Hot 100 No. 5 hit “Un x100to.” Backed by a gospel-inspired choir, the group infused the upbeat norteño song with a touch of R&B, incorporating sparkling keys and slowing the tempo. Midway through the performance, the band transitioned back to the its signature cumbia norteña rhythm.
Accompanied by two female backup singers wearing cowboy hats, a trumpet player and Grupo Frontera’s signature ensemble of accordion, keyboards and guitars, the band delivered a dynamic and cohesive performance.
“It’s a very special song for us, because we didn’t even know he was going to be on the song until we shot the video,” frontman Payo said about Bad Bunny’s feature in “Un x100to.” “The video came to us as a surprise, and [Benito] said, ‘Have you heard the song, the full version, with me in it?’ And we said, ‘What version?!’,” The band’s collaborator, Bad Bunny, had also stopped by the NPR offices earlier in the month to perform a few songs himself.
Grupo Frontera continued the set with “Hecha Pa’ Mi,” during which the richness of the accordion shone. The band followed up with the bachata-infused “Ángel,” originally recorded with Romeo Santos, and the laid-back reggae-bop “Por Qué Será,” which features Maluma in the original version, showcasing their skill in blending norteño music with diverse genres. Grupo Frontera rounded out the set with “El Amor de Su Vida,” originally starring Grupo Firme.
On Wednesday (April 23), the Texas-based group received a nomination for best group or band at the 2025 Heat Latin Music Awards.
Watch Grupo Frontera’s full NPR Tiny Desk concert below.
