Like many recent urbano success stories, Rauw Alejandro went from Soundcloud, to seemingly endless clout in a matter of months. The urbano singer – who can easily move between reggaeton, trap, and R&B – has quickly etched out a singular space for himself in an increasingly crowded field, by melding his influences in an organic way. Ever since first appearing on Ozuna’s “Luz Apaga,” the 26-year-old San Juan native has helped push the new wave of R&B-tinged urbano to the forefront of the ever-changing genre.
On his newest single (and first ever solo single) “Al Mismo Tiempo,” from his upcoming mixtape “TrapCake Vol 1,” Alejandro delivers the velvety croon he’s quickly becoming known for, while slow-burning, trap-adjecent R&B beats carry the vocal melodies along.
And while Alejandro’s always in-the-pocket flow shines, the backing beat plays a pivotal role in the anthem – at one point referencing R&B godfathers Zapp and Roger’s vocoder and talk box groove, and at another, reminiscing Eve and Gwen Stefani’s “Let Me Blow Ya Mind.” The 80s and 90s R&B references – however nuanced – make Alejandro, and “Al Mismo Tiempo” part of the vanguard of urbano’s next wave.
In the video, Alejandro waves a samurai sword around, as he shows off his dancing skills – another facet of his artistry for which he wants to be known. “When I started doing music, I said, ‘I want to be great at singing, I want to be great at composing, I want to be great at dancing,’” he recently told Remezcla. “So I’m always looking at every corner I can explore and ways to keep my artistry evolving.”
Check out our exclusive premier of “Al Mismo Tiempo” here:
TrapCake Vol. 1 drops on Friday.