Matt Louis unleashes Juanga as a voice-centered odyssey that fuses Afro-Caribeño roots with house
“Juanga” marks a bold fresh chapter in Matt Louis’s artistic arc, a track that crystallizes his evolving voice, his obsession with dramatic composition, and his fearless exploration of embodiment through sound. Drawing from a deep well of Juan Gabriel-inspired grandiosity and a penchant for vocal density, “Juanga” becomes less a song and more a manifesto of presence—an invitation to listen as much as to feel. For Matt, the project is less about fitting a genre and more about letting his natural singing instincts breathe and take flight, resulting in a piece that sits squarely in the center of his artistic identity: intimate, explosive, and unabashedly expressive.
FEATURE INTERVIEW:
Juanga marks a fresh chapter for you. What sparked the idea for this track, and what does it represent in your artistic journey?
Juanga comes from my obsession with Juan Gabriel and dramatic music. I’ve been exploring my lyrical voice more, and that natural instinct I have when I sing. This song helped me tap into that emotional density I love so much and just let myself go vocally. I’d say “Juanga” is very voice-centered.
How does Juanga connect with themes you explored on GAMMA? Are there specific moments in the writing or production that felt turning-point-ish?
I think the meeting point between Juanga and GAMMA is the intensity of the music, but my delivery and performance are living in a different place now. It feels more honest, more instinctive, more me.
You made a collab with Buscabulla. What did that partnership unlock for you creatively?
The collab with Buscabulla felt very effortless. They’re such beautiful people. Being on tour with them last year created a real closeness between us, so this song feels like something that came naturally from that relationship and that mutual admiration.
How did the dynamic shift when two Puerto Rican voices come together on a track?
Puerto Ricans are very passionate, and Raquel’s voice is literally like a mermaid. For me, it felt magical, like one of those moments where everything just clicks.
You describe GAMMA as a blend of multiple genres with Afro-Caribeño influences. How does Juanga fit into that sonic world?
Juanga keeps mixing genres, but this time the project I’m working on is leaning more into musical foundations influenced by house music. Juanga has this disco/house energy that goes beyond just Afro. The Afro is already in my essence, in my body, in the way I hear melodies and make decisions.
Identity and performance remain central in your work. How has your approach to presenting femininity and masculinity evolved, especially in today’s macho Puerto Rican music scene?
I feel like I’ve diluted my expressions a lot, in the sense that I don’t overthink them anymore. I’ve allowed myself to just let go without having to explain or point everything out. I don’t really care that much about the “macho Puerto Rican” scene. We’re in new times, and identity and gender expression transcend through art. I’m becoming more and more genuine with my expressions without putting them in a box, although I do recognize how important it is for the community in Puerto Rico that people like me keep challenging the standard and deconstructing ourselves.
Has your audience’s reaction shifted with the new material and collaborations?
I’ve seen my community become more loyal, more connected to me. They understand me better now, and I love that. I feel them closer, and they get excited watching the ways I keep revealing myself.
Buscabulla’s collaboration adds a distinctive Puerto Rican and Latin alternative edge. How did you write for a potential interplay between your voice and theirs?
The song we did was already part of one of their projects. Them considering me for a remix came from us singing together at my concert, on a song that didn’t have a masculine voice. When that happened, the whole energy shifted and brought out even more emotion. I never imagined we would end up making a version where I would be part of it.
Are there lyrical or melodic conversations you aim to seek when writing?
I wouldn’t say I look for them. I’d say they come naturally. Usually, I get fixated on a musical scale or a certain way of singing, and I start from there. Without realizing, it transforms into something else. Time always helps.
You’ve lived between Puerto Rico and international scenes. How does that global perspective influence your music taste?
It definitely influences me. I think that’s why I lean so much into fusions. That contradiction between genres and sonic worlds comes from my curiosity to understand, absorb, and explore those global influences.
Are there specific international artists or genres that inspire you, or anybody you want to collab with outside the Latin market?
Right now, there are so many artists it would be a dream to create with, but I’d say Doechii, Black Coffee, Tems, Giveon, Coldplay! There are so many!
GAMMA explored Afrofuturism through a Caribbean lens. Do you see Juanga expanding that concept further, and in what direction?
Juanga is an extension of my curiosity for drama. I love how I’ve been able to keep expanding the lens of what’s possible from the Caribbean. Sometimes I feel like the fact that I’m in the equation already makes it an Afro expression, automatically. But I don’t think Juanga continues the idea of Afrofuturism per se. That being said, other music I’ll be releasing this year definitely does.
Any visual or narrative ideas you’re developing to accompany the new music?
For now, I feel the need to keep telling stories through movement. My body as a vehicle for storytelling. I’ve also been exploring the idea of the 12th house, the subconscious, and how so many repressed things that shape us live there. I think that’s opening up new horizons and new visual analogies for me.
Your early experiences in La Banda and your growth as a multidisciplinary artist shaped your trajectory. What lessons from that era still guide you today?
Definitely, not waiting for someone to choose me. My art is free to be, and so am I. I want to be in service of curiosity and of the pieces that are born from it, not in service of the industry or some formula.
If you could share one piece of advice with a younger Matt Louis, what would it be?
Try everything you can, because those things will become the tools of your future. And let your hair grow, it’s beautiful!
Puerto Rico’s musical identity is incredibly diverse. How do you honor your Afro-Latin roots?
By exploring the sounds of my land in an experimental way, and creating a new imaginary with images that maybe we’ve taken for granted in a very traditional way. I’d say the video for “El Caminante” captures that in this new era.
What can fans expect next after Juanga and the Buscabulla collaboration? Another release, a live project, or a visual concept you’re building?
More music for the summer, and a nostalgic, dramatic project that is still revealing itself to me. I already want people to hear it.
What does sexy mean to you?
Sexy to me? It’s confidence. It’s not trying too hard. And skin. A lot of skin.
Who is your ultimate crush?
Maxwell in the ’90s! He’s been my crush these days.
What is the next chapter looking like?
I don’t even know myself. This year, I feel like every month I reveal myself, and things in my life get revealed too, and they keep changing each other. Definitely a lot of music, though.
Photographer: Karvisfas
