After making his mark in reggaeton, Jay Wheeler is proving he’s a Latine pop star with a purpose. Last night (April 25), the Puerto Rican star released his new album Música Buena Para Días Malos, where he explores the range of human emotions. In an interview with Remezcla, Wheeler opened up about the inspiration behind the LP and why he advocates for autism awareness.
Before Wheeler’s career popped off with “La Curiosidad” in 2020, he first aligned with one of the architects of reggaeton. His initial big push in el movimiento came from DJ Nelson, who was a part of The Noise collective in Puerto Rico. Despite people telling Wheeler that DJ Nelson was “too old,” he followed his instinct to sign with him.
“He’s a legend!” Wheeler says. “He’s like my dad. Nelson was the step that I needed to become who I am today. No matter the talent or how good you are as an artist, if you don’t have someone to guide you, it would take a lot more time [to make it]. I’m doing all these projects and everything thanks to him.”
Wheeler is mostly known for his romantic reggaeton songs like “Como Fue” with Feid and “Dime Que Si.” He later ventured into Latine trap with “Impacto” and released the TRAPPii album. With Música Buena Para Días Malos, he’s taking a deeper approach to music. He sings about different states of mind, like regret in the heartbreaking “Admítelo” and confidence in the dreamy “En Tu Mente.”
“I know that some of my fans go through depression or difficult moments in their life, and I just want to help them with my music,” he says. “I even had messages from fans that say, ‘I was going to commit suicide, but I started listening to your music, and I’m way better now, and I owe it to you.’ That’s all I want. It’s music for those bad days.”
Wheeler is also pushing his romantic sound into the future. In the soulful “Textos Fríos,” he embraces synth-pop with fellow Puerto Rican singer Mora. The two artists sing together about wanting to break free from a relationship that has gone cold. “[Mora] is a crazy guy, but he’s a great artist,” Wheeler shares. “When I did the song ‘Textos Fríos,’ I was like, ‘I think Mora’s fits here because he likes to do crazy music like that.’ As soon as I sent it to him, he was like, ‘I love it! Let’s do it.’ It was amazing.”
[DJ] Nelson was the step that I needed to become who I am today. No matter the talent or how good you are as an artist, if you don’t have someone to guide you, it would take a lot more time [to make it].
In December 2022, Wheeler married rising Venezuelan singer Zhamira Zambrano. He calls it a “beautiful thing” to have a partner who is also navigating the music industry like himself. Earlier this month, the couple visited Easterseals South Florida, which is an education and caring center for people with autism. Wheeler reveals the foundation’s cause is very personal to him.
“I have a brother that has autism,” he says. “That’s a reality for my family. He’s an amazing guy. He’s super smart. I always knew that one day, I was going to try to do something for those people so they don’t feel like they’re left out. [Visiting Easterseals] was a beautiful experience.”
In June, Jay Wheeler will kick off his TRAPPii Tour in the U.S. He is excited to perform all his hits and the songs from Música Buena Para Días Malos as well. “I just want [my fans] to have fun and connect with me, and I want them to feel like they’re going to miss me when I finish the concert,” he says with a smile.
Música Buena Para Días Malos is out now.
