Fuerza Regida: A Journey Of Transformation In Two Years

What a difference two years can make! In March 2022, Fuerza Regida kicked off a guerrilla marketing campaign to generate buzz for an upcoming concert at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California. This San Bernardino-based band had already made waves, topping Billboard’s U.S. Regional Mexican chart with their albums “Del Barrio Hasta Aqui” and “Adicto.” The fusion of traditional Mexican music with hip-hop elements in their corridos tumbados resonated with many, yet despite previous successes, numerous tickets remained unsold. Fueled by a passion for music and a desire to fill every seat, the band took to the streets, surprising students at local high schools and entertaining shoppers at the Ontario Mills mall.

The most memorable moment of their promotional tour occurred unexpectedly on the westbound 10 Freeway, right in front of the Toyota Arena. A viral TikTok video captured the band’s caravan blocking all five lanes as they performed a lively rendition of “El Muchacho Alegre,” a classic hit popularized by the legendary Pedro Infante. This bold move garnered millions of views and sparked a flurry of reactions, with some criticizing the band for causing traffic chaos, while others celebrated their creativity and boldness. By concert day, every ticket had been sold out!

“Back then, we had to promote ourselves early in each city because we weren’t selling out like we do now. Thank God we don’t have to do that anymore,” reflects Jesús Ortiz Paz, known as J.O.P., the band’s charismatic frontman. As we chat over a meal in Culver City, it’s clear that the 27-year-old is thrilled by the band’s evolution. Now, with their eighth studio album “Pero No Te Enamores” freshly released, Fuerza Regida is on a nationwide tour that has mostly sold out, culminating in two major performances at Inglewood's Intuit Dome this November.