Mora is stepping into the spotlight with his new album Paraíso, released last Friday (Nov. 4). The Puerto Rican singer-songwriter who has penned multiple hits for Bad Bunny is now taking reggaeton into the future with his own music. In an interview with Remezcla, Mora talks about embracing his artist side, the electric feel of his album, and his friendship with Benito.

As a songwriter, Mora has co-penned hits like “El Makinon” by Karol G and Mariah Angeliq and “Dákiti” by Bad Bunny and Jhayco. Mora launched his own music career last year with his debut album, Primer Día De Clases, and followed that up with this year’s Microdosis. 

Now, he’s making sure to incorporate both parts of his work into his life. “It’s cool because I’ve been able to enjoy both sides of the coin,” Mora tells Remezcla over Zoom from his studio in Puerto Rico. “I’m continuing to do both. I’m still writing and doing my own things. Obviously, I don’t have the same amount of time to write for other people like I did before because I have my own things. I am trying my best to balance it and not let go of how I started.”

Mora received a big boost in his career when Bad Bunny selected him to co-write for YHLQMDLG after he discovered him through SoundCloud. Mora co-wrote “La Difícil,” “Soliá,” and “Una Vez,” which he also featured in. That album made Mora known as a songwriter and artist.

“I crossed paths with Benito a while ago,” he explains. “One day, [his team] called me and said, ‘Benito wants to make a new album with you.’ We started to make new songs for the new album, which became YHLQMDLG. After that, everything flowed naturally. I also went on tour with him. From that moment, I’ve been on this great path.”

Despite starting his own musical career, Mora has continued to work with Bad Bunny. In addition to “Dákiti,” he co-wrote “Te Mudaste” for the El Último Tour Del Mundo and helped write “Un Verano Sin Ti” from his latest LP. Last year, Bad Bunny returned the favor when he jumped on the remix of Mora’s song “Volando” with Sech. It went on to become Mora’s biggest song.

“I try my best not to see him as Bad Bunny,” Mora says. “For me, he’s Benito. He’s my friend. As his friend, I feel that’s how everything started. Honestly, I respect him, his work as an artist, and everything. I try to keep my feet on the ground as much as possible so our dynamic flows well.”

Mora scored another hit this year from his Microdosis album when he teamed up with another singer-songwriter. He joined forces with Colombian artist Feid, who also enjoys writing for other acts while dropping his own songs. The collaboration’s success was a win for songwriters who want to become artists like Mora and Feid.

“It’s cool because Feid writes too,” Mora says. “Most of the time when I’m in the studio with another artist, it’s me writing a majority of the song because I have experience in that. But with people like him, who have experience in that, people like Jhayco and Benito, I don’t need to do that. I simply do my part and I leave the rest to them, so it flows well.”

Also with Microdosis, Mora started experimenting with elements of electronica, like in the songs “Bad Trip” and “Memorias” featuring Jhayco. After spending the summer in Ibiza while touring Europe, Mora decided to lean fully into that electronica sound with Paraíso. He welcomes the listener into his alluring LP with the opening track, “Bienvenidos Al Paraíso.”

“It’s something that’s very different,” Mora says. “Obviously, I have my reggaeton in there. But the majority of the album has an uptempo rhythm. More electronic. More Ibiza, because I was in Ibiza for like three weeks. The music that you listen to in Europe is not the same music that you listen to in Puerto Rico. I was there for those few months getting influenced by that.”

Paraíso includes interesting collaborations. In the pulsating “APA,” he teams up with Spanish singer Quevedo, who went global on Bizarrap’s “Music Session #52,” and reggaeton veteran De La Ghetto joins him in the sexy “AirBNB.” Mora also shares the spotlight with up-and-coming Puerto Rican singer paopao in the dreamy “Cositas.” “I’m always going to support something that’s well made,” Mora says.”[paopao] is doing things right. Her music is great. She’s a very great person. She has a cool vibe.”

Mora enjoys making music, whether for another artist or himself. “I’m happy if people enjoy my songs, and that I can sing them, and they will sing along with me,” he says.

Listen to Paraíso below.