“Solcito” is becoming a strong contender for song of the upcoming summer season. The Afrobeats-infused smash is also shining a light on Juan Duque, a rising star in Colombia. Thanks to the success of his global hit with Miguel Bueno, he is putting his hometown of Marinilla on the map as well. In an exclusive interview with Remezcla, Duque opens up about his journey to “Solcito,” the story behind the song, and what’s next.
“It’s very impressive,” Duque says about the success of “Solcito.” “I feel happy for two reasons: my musical project is finally getting recognized on a global level, and secondly, I’m representing Colombia and my homeland out there. I already feel like a winner when people are saying, ‘The dude that sings ‘Solcito’ is a Colombian.'”
Duque first launched his music career seven years ago. He cites Colombian icon Carlos Vives as one of his biggest inspirations. He has also watched in admiration Medellín churn out stars like Karol G, J Balvin, Maluma, Feid, and Ryan Castro, which he mentions as examples for him to follow. Thirty minutes from the capital of the Antioquia region is his municipality of Marinilla. The quaint town tourists pass through on the way to Guatapé is now getting more recognition thanks to Duque’s breakthrough. “I’m very proud that my pueblito is becoming famous,” Duque says with a smile. “For people to hear about it or get familiar with it because of me, I feel a great sense of honor that’s very beautiful. I’m happy that they’re getting to know Marinilla’s roots and that there’s a lot of musical talent here.”
Duque made his mark in Colombia with reggaeton bangers like 2022’s swaggering “Hotline” and the moody “Pa’ Terapia.” Since then, he has branched out into other genres like pop in the romantic “Lejos De Mis Ojos,” bachata in fiery “Ni Con Él, Ni Conmigo” featuring Andy Rivera, and música popular in “Me Enamoré” with Nico Hernández. Duque is proving himself to be an all-around Latine pop heartthrob who isn’t afraid to experiment with his music. “Sometimes when you try to define your sound, you’re limiting yourself,” he says. “I’m simply having fun and doing what’s coming naturally to me. Whether I make a song with reggaeton, pop, vallenato, bachata, or Afrobeats, I’m just enjoying the countless possibilities that music has to offer.”
Duque has also used his platform in Colombia to show support for the LGBTQ+ community. His music video for “Maria” is centered around a lesbian couple. He reveals that his friend was inspired to star in the video with her partner after her family had finally accepted them. Later, in the remix video for “Maria” featuring Ryan Castro, Duque invited more of his queer friends to appear in that version.
“Sometimes when you try to define your sound, you’re limiting yourself. I’m simply having fun and doing what’s coming naturally to me.”
“The LGBTQ+ community embraced the song in a very beautiful way because I’m not putting any limits on what love is,” Duque says. “Love is love. Those videos show that every human being matters. It’s beautiful because I see a lot of people from that community at my concerts and embracing my songs on social media. They know that they have an ally in me and that my music doesn’t discriminate.”
Now Duque is going international with his music. He teamed up with Miguel Bueno for the feel-good anthem “Solcito.” Along with recent hits like Ovy on the Drums, Beéle, and Westcol’s “La Plena – W Sound 05,” the song is signaling a shift to Afrobeats within Latine music. Over 1.5 million videos on TikTok have used “Solcito,” while the music video has over 37 million views on YouTube. According to Duque, he trusted his gut instinct to scrap a different collaboration that he was developing with Bueno.
“After I wrote ‘Solcito’ with my team, I told Miguel, ‘Forgive me for the six months we were working on that other song, but I have this one that I really like. Record this one. Have faith in it because it’s a song with a lot of soul,'” Duque recalls. “Miguel told me, ‘Let’s do it! I’m going to put all my heart in it.’ That’s a true story that ‘Solcito’ almost wasn’t going to come out. It’s a song that I enjoyed writing and recording, so I’m happy to see people having fun with it on social media or at the clubs.”
Back in November, Duque released his debut album Mis Traumas, Mis Chistes. He hopes to keep collaborating with more Colombian artists in the future, like J Balvin, Karol G, and Feid. Along with Yahama’s Incolmotos Foundation and Downtown Corps, Duque also recently donated 90 scholarships to Marinilla children interested in studying music. Moreover, with his work visa approved, he dreams of doing concerts beyond Colombia, including in the U.S.
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I know big things are on the way,” Duque says. “If I focus on what I’m doing now and keep enjoying the present, I know that my future will be very beautiful.”
