The iconic voice of La Ley, Beto Cuevas continues his “Acústico USA 2026” tour with undeniable momentum and multiple sold-out shows. The tour began on March 26 at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood and continued on March 28 at The Magnolia, where Cuevas delivered performances that were both intimate and commanding. Each night showcased a carefully crafted artistic vision, blending emotional depth with musical precision, and creating an immediate, palpable bond with fans.
The voice of “Mentira” and “El Duelo” is returning to Southern California on May 15, with a final show at Yaamava’ Theater in Highland, California. At the heart of the show is a contemporary reinterpretation of the landmark album MTV Unplugged (La Ley album), widely regarded as one of the most influential releases in Spanish-language rock.
Through refreshed arrangements and a modern staging approach, Cuevas revives the spirit of the original unplugged while bridging past and present, setting the stage for a tour that will culminate in a highly anticipated Southern California finale on May 15 in Highland, CA.
INTERVIEW WITH BETO CUEVAS
It’s not just a return for Beto Cuevas to the stage, but what that MTV Unplugged by La Ley represents. It didn’t just mark a musical era, it also shaped how many generations came to understand Spanish rock, do you agree?
Yes, definitely a softer approach, with less strident instrumentation, but still carrying the strength of rock. In a way, that’s what I’m presenting on this tour, which I’m now wrapping up. This tour took me to 40 shows across Latin America, and now I’m concluding it in the United States before beginning the next phase, which is my album Respira.
You’ve already heard some of the songs, but it’s truly a celebration of life, being able to get back on stage, to return to California, and the ten dates I’ll be doing across the U.S.
It’s really special because creating a connection with the audience is very important to me every time I step on stage. I want the concert to be more than just another show, I want it to be an experience for people.
And I think that’s exactly what we achieve from the stage together with my band, giving our hearts and building that bridge of communication that ultimately makes the audience part of the show.
How do you prepare this setlist with less production, more music, more harmony?
Don’t think there’s less production, we’re still a large group of musicians. We just don’t have the intensity of electric guitars, which I love, by the way. But in this case, it’s more about the warmth and resonance of wood. These are noble instruments, we have strings, we have voices, and of course, the presence of the audience, which creates that connection I’ve been talking about.
So yes, this album is a tribute to that famous MTV Unplugged you mentioned, which we did with La Ley in 2001. It really came together toward the end of the pandemic, when all of us in this industry were eager to get back on stage and perform our songs, not just through livestreams, like many of us had been doing.
That’s when the idea came up to create a tribute album, since more than 20 years had passed since that MTV Unplugged. The project came together very organically, and I was even able to release it in a special vinyl edition that people will be able to purchase at the concert.
That’s beautiful, because even though we live in a time where music is mostly consumed digitally, on our phones and streaming platforms, people can also have something tangible, a vinyl record they can hold and play if they have a turntable, or at least collect.
I love that. It really excites me to have music on vinyl again.
If you had to describe Respira as a feeling or a moment in your life, what would it be?
Well, you know how things work nowadays, you release music little by little, and once everything is out, then the full album can come together. I think it’s a great way to keep people engaged and interested. When you release a full album all at once today, you might have one or two singles, and after that, the album stops being news. But when you release it gradually, people appreciate it more.
That’s why we’ve divided the release of this upcoming rock album, Respira, into three volumes: Volume 1 with four songs, Volume 2 with three songs, and a final volume with two songs. And of course, there will be more videos and content.
By now, you’ve probably seen the video for the second single, “De volver a comenzar.” It’s an animated video based on a painting I made of a World War II spy named Ninoshka. Using the colors from that painting, I created this animation with the help of artificial intelligence, using it as a creative tool.
The beautiful thing about this project is that I did everything on my phone, I had a lot of fun. It’s hard work, though, because sometimes you ask AI for something specific and it gives you something completely different, so you have to learn how to ask in different ways.
Fortunately, I speak three languages, and since it’s often a matter of semantics, I’ve found that asking in another language or describing things differently can help you get closer to what you want more quickly.
In the end, it’s a tool, and once you adapt to it, you start enjoying creative processes you never imagined before.
Beto, how would you describe this creative process with artificial intelligence, given that you’re a composer and musician who has always worked with instruments and pen and paper?
I still do, and I love it. But you also have to evolve and play with the tools we have today. They make projects easier and give you the ability, as a creator, to get hands-on and bring your ideas to life.
I think it’s very important, when you’re a creative person, to understand AI as a tool, not as an entity that creates for you. Because if it does everything, then you’re no longer the creator, that would be like cheating.
I like using it as a tool. I wanted to make an animated video, and I felt that animation gave AI a more honest texture than trying to imitate reality with lifelike characters. I think I managed to create something beautiful, and fortunately, most of my fans have really liked it.
I love being able to entertain them with these ideas, and I’d definitely like to do something different again—still creative. But in my opinion, it doesn’t replace a great performance by real actors.
Of course, it can save money, as I joked in an interview with my “AI actors,” they’re not part of any union and don’t get paid. You can laugh about it, but it’s also a reality. And I think people who resist AI completely might fall behind, because this isn’t going away.
For example, my daughter recently had a baby, so I’m now a grandfather. My granddaughter is seven months old—she’s part of Generation Alpha, born into a world with artificial intelligence. For her, this will all be completely normal.
For me, it was pencil and paper when I was a kid. For her, it’s AI.
I imagine this generation won’t even use keyboards the way we do—they’ll probably dictate everything and rely on assistance systems. And if we use these tools creatively and positively, we can achieve a lot.
I believe AI will lead to major advances in medicine. There are interesting times ahead. Of course, we have to stay vigilant, we need to protect our planet and make sure this doesn’t harm the environment or wildlife.
So in that sense, we all need to stay engaged. We shouldn’t resist it—we should try to understand what it is and how we can use it to our advantage.
BETO CUEVAS BRINGS “ACÚSTICO USA 2026” TO A POWERFUL FINALE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Reflecting on the enduring impact of La Ley’s MTV Unplugged, Cuevas embraces a sound defined by warmth, intimacy, and emotional resonance, while continuing to evolve through new projects like Respira and even experimenting with creative tools like artificial intelligence. Yet at the core remains his commitment to turning every performance into a shared experience, one where audience and artist meet in the same emotional space.
For those looking to witness that moment firsthand, tickets are still available for his final U.S. stop, offering one last chance to be part of a tour that has reaffirmed why Cuevas remains one of the most influential voices in Spanish-language rock. Find tickets for the final Southern California show here.
