Known for their heartfelt songwriting and genre-bending style, Los Aptos’ new album, Temporadas is a window into the band’s bicultural journey. The visuals provide an immersive reflection of growing up Mexican-American in the U.S., and through sound, visuals, and emotion, the trio invites listeners into their world, offering a full concept that goes beyond music and taps into identity, memory, and modern expression.
On the heels of a major performance at La Onda Festival, Los Aptos are ushering in a bold new chapter in the world of Regional Mexican music. The band’s singer, Juan Ortega, shared more details about the group’s musical journey and the emotional storytelling that drives their music, the cultural identity woven into their visuals, and how artists like Peso Pluma, The Marías, and Tyler The Creator inspire their experimental sound.
HOW LOS APTOS ARE REDEFINING REGIONAL MEXICAN MUSIC WITH HEART, ALTERNATIVE SOUNDS, AND FIRST-GEN NOSTALGIA
Your new album “Temporadas” blends pop, country, Regional Mexican, and alternative music. How did you strike a balance between all those genres without losing your core identity?
LOS APTOS (JUAN): We’ve always been rooted in Regional Mexican music, but our sound naturally blends in elements of indie, alternative, and pop. With Temporadas, we wanted to offer something a little different—something that leans more into a more authentic Regional Mexican sound.
Albums are often a reflection of where an artist is emotionally and creatively—what they’re feeling, what they’re listening to. Over the year we spent making Temporadas, we were heavily inspired by artists like Peso Pluma, Oscar Maydon, and Jasiel Nuñez. They’re in the same genre space as us, but each brings their own twist. We wanted to show our audience that same range—that Regional Mexicano has variety, depth, and room to evolve.
What fuels the group’s ability to craft such emotional and romantic songs?
LOS APTOS (JUAN): When I write songs, I’m often inspired by what’s happening around me—not always by my own experiences. I see myself as a storyteller, kind of like a screenwriter building a scene. I step into different worlds and think about what narrative will truly resonate with the listener. Sometimes, I’ll just pick up my guitar, and a melody starts to flow—and from there, I follow the direction the music takes me, piecing together the puzzle it reveals.
Which Regional Mexican artists inspired your entry into the music scene?
LOS APTOS (JUAN): We create a lot of love songs, so artists like Pepe Aguilar and Marco Antonio Solís, with their romantic ballads, had a big influence on us. We’ve also been inspired by newer artists like Javi, Tito Double P, and Oscar Maydon—they’re some of the musicians who shaped the music we make today.
How is your experience as first-generation Mexican-Americans woven into the creative direction of this album?
LOS APTOS (JUAN): The new album Temporadas will feature three tracks with official music videos: “La Top Uno,” “Tal Vez,” and a brand new song we’re releasing this Friday. The rest of the songs will have visualizers. We took inspiration from artists like Bad Bunny and Rauw Alejandro, who’ve recently released albums with just a few full videos and visualizers for the rest.
Our goal was to give fans a visual experience for every track—a full visual world to connect with, while listening to Temporadas. We wanted to express the emotions behind each song and give people a deeper sense of who we are.
As first-generation Mexican-Americans, these visualizers are deeply personal. They reflect what it was like growing up in the 2000s with our Mexican heritage—from the games we played like Lotería, to the snacks we loved, and other cultural symbols that speak to our bicultural identity.
In what ways did representation shape your connection to the genre and your journey as an artist?
LOS APTOS (JUAN): It’s such an incredible thing—and honestly, it’s what helped me connect with this genre in the first place. I grew up listening to Spanish-language music because that’s what my parents played at home. They listened to a bit of everything, but it always felt like their music.
It wasn’t until I started going to quinceañeras and hanging out with friends that I really began to connect with Mexican music on a deeper level. That’s when I discovered artists like Natanael Cano, Junior H, Tercer Elemento, and Ariel Camacho. They were younger, they looked like us, dressed like us, acted like us—and that made it feel personal. I saw myself in them.
Now, we get to be part of that same movement. We’re doing our part to represent the culture and push Regional Mexican music even further by making the best music we can and sharing it with the world.
How did your collaboration with Ximena Sariñana come about?
LOS APTOS (JUAN): My manager called me and said, “Hey, there’s a Netflix series that wants to use one of your songs—and they also want you to create a new one with Ximena!” It was an incredible moment. We first connected with Ximena over a video call, and getting the chance to collaborate with an artist of her caliber felt like a dream come true—definitely a milestone for us. The song we created together is beautiful, and we truly love it.
If you had the chance to collaborate with any artist, who would it be?
LOS APTOS (JUAN): We’d love to work with The Marías, Iván Cornejo, and Latin Mafia. They’re all incredible artists, and Latin Mafia especially is doing amazing things and breaking records right now.
You’re performing at La Onda Festival just one day after the album drops. What’s the energy like going into that show with such a fresh release?
LOS APTOS (JUAN): Yes, it is one of the first places where we are playing songs from the new album. About a week ago we performed a few of the new songs in Mexico, but La Onda Fest will be the first place in the US where we will be performing tracks from the new album.
How does it feel to stand on the same stage as other legends of regional Mexican music?
LOS APTOS (JUAN): We are so proud about being on the same lineup as other icons and grateful for the opportunity that they thought about us because we grew up listening to those artists, we admire them and being on the same stage feels incredible.
Can fans expect you to keep experimenting with new sounds in future releases?
LOS APTOS (JUAN): We love blending new sounds into our music—whether it’s rock, country, or pop-inspired beats. Personally, I’m a big fan of synths, keywords, and layered melodies that experiment with different textures, kind of like what you hear in Tyler, The Creator’s work. We enjoy adding unconventional, alternative sounds—ones that make you pause and wonder where exactly they’re coming from. That unexpected element is part of what makes the music exciting for us.
A MUSICAL JOURNEY THAT’S JUST GETTING STARTED
Keep following Los Aptos as they continue to honor their Regional Mexican roots while fearlessly pushing musical boundaries—grounded in tradition yet brimming with innovation. If you’re still on the fence, it’s not too late to grab last-minute tickets to catch them live at La Onda Festival in Napa Valley and experience these songs in their natural element. In the meantime, dive into Temporadas on Spotify to explore the full spectrum of their bicultural sound. And be sure to follow Los Aptos on Instagram, and TikTok to stay up-to-date on upcoming U.S. shows and future creative ventures.
Photo credit: Courtesy of artist
Interview by: Sahula Diaz-Castrejón
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