Editor's Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Portrait courtesy of Matthew Martinez.
The 29-year-old singer-songwriter from Mexico has carved out a place for himself in música Mexicana through his blend of sierreño and corrido music. His mix of traditional and contemporary sounds has led to collaborations with artists such as Gerardo Ortiz and Calibre 50.
After signing with Double P Records, Mercado gained wider exposure, including an invitation to join the DINASTÍA tour as a special guest. With 1.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify and recent releases such as “24/siete” and “Trabajando, Trabajando,” he continues to expand his reach while staying rooted in storytelling and songwriting.
In this conversation, Mercado reflects on his musical journey, the support that keeps him motivated, and the connection he hopes to build with listeners through his work.
What do you like most about making music?
JM: What I like most about making music is the emotion that comes through when a song is finished. When you listen back and hear all those emotions that are stored in it, that's what you feel the most. It's that whole process, from when you write it until you start recording it.
What’s something you do before every concert?
JM: I like to eat. I like to always be full when I go singing.
You've been making música Mexicana for about 15 years now. What has kept you motivated all these years?
JM: The support of the public, that's my biggest motivation. Seeing how the public continues to support you, how they continue to listen to your songs, and how it keeps growing.
Sometimes you release a song, and maybe it doesn't have that much drive, that huge impact, but then you release another one, and it's like that. That's what motivates you to keep releasing more.
The last song we released, called “24/siete,” is going well. Our previous release included one called “Agua y Aceite,” a collaboration with Efecto Elegante, and it continues to do very well.
Tell us more about "24/siete." What feeling would you like fans to experience when they hear it?
JM: That is a song that my older brother composed with Gerardo Mercado, one of the collaborators, and Antonin Padilla, a figure in music who is making a lot of noise with his compositions and his projects. I like him.
My brother showed me that song. He said, ‘You know, we just wrote this song the other day.’ I liked it from the moment I heard it. I told him, ‘You know we have to record it.’ We then decided to do it as a collaboration.
But what I hope the audience gets from listening to it is how it talks about the motivation of people who are starting, who started as kids, who have been struggling since, but with a cheerful attitude. Like, keep your spirits up, lift them up, and just keep moving forward.
How was it to join Double P Records? How has that evolved into a relationship that eventually led to you becoming a special guest on the DINASTÍA tour?
JM: The leap to get there was because of the friendship I have with Peso Pluma; he's my friend. He opened doors for me to Double P Records and invited me to be part of them, and that's how I got there. Peso has always supported my music.
I wasn't expecting it, to be honest. It just came out of nowhere. I received that invitation, and we went.
Was there a particular moment during the tour that was special or memorable for you?
JM: It's very difficult to explain because the only way is to experience it. Every moment is special, especially for someone who was invited for the first time on such a big and important tour alongside the biggest names in regional Mexican music.
The very last day was really memorable because the moment had arrived to say goodbye to everyone. Knowing that the next day everyone would go their separate ways, I'll carry it with me forever.
Why is it important that artists like you, Peso, and Tito connect with fans through music?
JM: I truly feel that the music they make is motivational. You listen to one of their songs, and you automatically feel happy, or very sad, because they have songs that are very emotional, like “daño.” When you put on one of their songs, even if it's your first time hearing it, even if you don't know the words, your first reaction is to feel cheerful. And that's how I feel they connect with the audience.
I invite all the audience to see one of their shows and watch how they recharge their energy. They have a really cool way of connecting with the audience, and I connect in a different way.
Someday, I would like to connect the way they connect with everything.
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