WATCH: ‘El Burrito de Belén’ & More Villancicos Get a Bélico Spin
Art by Alan Lopez for Remezcla.
The Christmas season is finally here. It’s time to “circle back next year” and enjoy our holiday favorites – especially our beloved festive songs. One of the Latine community’s most popular villancicos is none other than “El Burrito de Belén,” but have you ever heard a bélico version of it?
Villancicos – or traditional Latin American Christmas carols – are staples of our annual posadas and holiday gatherings. However, artists are taking it to another level by covering hits like Hugo Blanco’s “El Burrito de Belén” in a bélico style to fit in with the trendy corridos tumbados boom. Hence, the novelty of villancicos bélicos.
This season, villancicos bélicos are becoming popular online. And they sound exactly how you imagine: adapted into tracks that feature lively brass instruments, and heavy acoustic guitars, topped by the vocalist’s raspy and high-pitched croons echoing the traditional songs lyric-for-lyric. One of the most popular artists leading the subgenre is Efecto SR, a Gen Z música mexicana brother duo from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. Juan and Emilio Salazar are making a name for themselves by recreating hits Christmas anthems into corridos bélicos fit for those who love music by Natanael Cano, Peso Pluma, and Tito Double P.
“The villancicos bélicos are back🗣️🔥 #efectosr #musica #villancicosbelicos #navidad #belico #corrido #ct,” the brothers wrote in Spanish on social media.
Due to the villancicos bélicos’ popularity, Efecto SR released an EP dedicated to them earlier this month (Dec. 2). They’ve also been released music videos to go with them all month long. The Villancicos Bélicos EP includes the viral cover of “El Burrito de Belén” with other holiday favorites like “Los Peces En El Río” and “Hoy Vi a Santa Claus Besar a Mamá.” They also included an original song called “Noche Buena.”
But their talent transcends the posada season. Though they’re widely known for their villancicos bélicos, they’ve also released other popular covers since they formed in 2022. Some covers include Belanova’s “Rosa Pastel” and León Larregui’s “Brillas.” They also performed at Monterey festivals like the Bandidos Festival earlier this year, proving they’re more than a viral TikTok sensation.
Beyond covers, the duo recently released their newest collaboration “Casi Merito” with Angel Cervantes and “El Obama” Carlos Anderson.
