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Backstage at the Sueños Music Festival in Chicago, a soothing corrido ballad cut through the airwaves, but it was hard to make out the source. Seconds later, Óscar Maydon emerged with his entourage, blasting his new song “Asquerosamente Rico” through a big Bluetooth speaker.
Music is everything for the rising Mexican singer, whom I met just before his festival set. As I set foot in his trailer, I was immediately welcomed by the crisp sounds of brass and accordion warm-ups... as well as a fresh whiff of ganja aire. But Maydon stressed that he never takes a hit before getting on stage.
“It rasps my vocals,” he said, as he parts his lips for a series of trills to warm up his voice. “I want to give it my all, that’s all I’m thinking about.”
The pressure was certainly on for Maydon, 25, who helped rev up the crowd for the evening’s headlining acts: Peso Pluma and Shakira.
While huddled in the trailer with his band, the 25-year-old listened closely for flat notes, rhythmic mishaps, conducting the group like an orchestra leader before his big showcase. Most of his musicians are longtime friends, “humble folk,” he said, from his birthplace of Mexicali and hometown of San Felipe in Baja California, Mexico.
This performance marked a milestone in Maydon’s career; it was his first time in Chicago, as well as his first performance at a major U.S. music festival. Onstage, he shared news of the forthcoming release of his third studio album, “Rico o Muerto,” on June 6.
“The title says it all: to become rich or die trying,” said Maydon in a separate interview, the week before his performance. Although the album won’t be a procession of brags about his material luxuries; he told me it focused on matters of the heart.
Like many of his contemporaries — like Fuerza Regida, Natanael Cano, Tito Double P — he is living up to the ambitious album title, donning an all-white outfit accessorized with diamond-encrusted jewelry, including a pendant with his initials, “OM.”
But despite his flashy wardrobe, Maydon emanates humility, often showing deep gratitude for his staff and his fans. “Life has taken us to various places that we’ve never thought were possible,” he said. “But there’s still those ‘wow’ moments.”
Maydon bought his first guitar in 2016, with money he won after scoring gold medals in rowing competitions. During the pandemic, he casually uploaded cover songs to Instagram, garnering local fame and the courage to create his own music. And, as a way to make a few bucks, he’d also craft handwritten corridos for paying individuals — a move resembling that of Chalino Sanchez, the godfather of corridos, who also sold custom-made songs.
“There has to be a way to make money,” Maydon would tell himself. “The need [to make money] made me think, ‘Well, what do I know how to do?’ ”
His original 2020 song, “De La Nació,” a classic corrido tune that underlined his grind as a hard worker, caught the attention of Jimmy Humilde, CEO and founder of the regional Mexican record label Rancho Humilde. By 2022, Maydon released his debut album, “GXLE <3,” on the label.
But his ascent to the charts would come a year later with the release of the single “Fin de Semana,” alongside the Guanajuato, Mexico, star Junior H. The accordion heavy song about a weekend outing with your lover, debuted as No. 86 on the Billboard Hot 100, a first for the two Mexican singers.
“I look at myself and I’m like, look at everything that’s happened since that song, you know?” said Maydon. “It’s kind of beautiful.”
It’s been a busy year for Maydon, hallmarked by various hit singles — including his song “Madonna” with Natanael Cano, a romantic ballad powered by passion, which topped the Mexican Billboard chart for 11 weeks.
He opened his Sueños set with “Madonna,” then his latest hit, “Amigos? No” featuring Neton Vega, which rejects the idea of a platonic friendship with a woman he ardently loves. He also gave the public a preview of another song from his upcoming LP, “Asquerosamente Rico,” which features Peso Pluma.
As the set neared the end, Maydon finished off with “Tu Boda,” which was released late last year in collaboration with Fuerza Regida. The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 22, remaining on the chart for 20 weeks. The heartache song, co-written with his manager, Chachito, is highlighted by a catchy arpeggio — though its vengeful lyrics have drawn criticism from some listeners, who claim it promotes violence against women.
“All of this is happening in the back of his mind, that’s why the music video, which shows a wedding scene, is full of mannequins,” explained Maydon of the song.
It’s generally a difficult time to be a corrido singer, often pressed by the public to justify the minute details of their art. To date, 10 of the 32 Mexican states have banned public performances of the genre altogether for what authorities describe as a “glorification” of drugs and violence. The fight against censorship is even more dire for up-and-coming acts like Maydon and his peers, who are treated like criminals under these laws.
Besides, “Tu Boda” was evidently a hit among the Sueños crowd, who sang along to its melodramatic lyrics. Maydon will continue to test his song among more audiences in the States when he embarks on his first headlining U.S. tour, which kicks off this summer in Salt Lake City on July 25 and concludes on Oct. 11 in Inglewood.
“A composer is a poet, no?” said Maydon, and for many in the crowd, that seems to be the case, as they use the lyrics of “Tu Boda” to vent their toxic thoughts.
“It’s just poetry,” he added, hoping to counter the misconceptions behind the song. “More than anything, it’s about killing the sentiments I feel for that person.”
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