MIAMI – Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana have released the new ASTROPICAL single “Fogata (Leo).” The supergroup’s new single is about enjoying the fleeting moments of life to the fullest. “Fogata (Leo)” was written by Li Saumet, Beto Montenegro, Jose Castillo, Andrés “Fofo” Story, and Andron Francois Cross. It was produced by Castillo, Story and Izzy Beats.
ASTROPICAL’s self-titled album will be released on March 7. The new single “Fogata (Leo)” is accompanied by the new track “Otro Nivel (Capricornio).” They follow the first three singles “Me Pasa (Piscis),” “Una Noche en Caracas (Tauro)” and “Corazón Adentro (Escorpio).” The ASTROPICAL project and the album are inspired by the stars and astrology – a subject that brought the two acts together. Each track on the project aligns (and is named) with an astrology sign.
For a number of years, Li knew that she wanted to collaborate with Rawayana. “I’m highly intuitive, and always pay close attention to everything that’s happening around me,” the singer shares. “They’re a band that knows how to reinvent itself. They have inspired and moved me, and the message was quite clear: we needed to make some music together.”
Rawayana is one of the most exciting indie acts in Latin music. In the past two years, the band has sold more than 200,000 tickets and released five albums on its own indie label. The band won their first GRAMMY Award earlier this month and their first Latin GRAMMY last fall. Rawayana has generated 7 million views on its NPR“Tiny Desk Concert” and is set to perform at Coachella this April.
What was initially planned to be a one song collaboration quickly evolved into a full project, an upcoming international tour, and a brand new supergroup named ASTROPICAL. Its members are Bomba Estéreo’s Li Saumet and José Castillo on keyboards and guitars, joining forces with Rawayana’s singer Beto Montenegro as well as drummer/multi-instrumentalist Andrés ‘Fofo’ Story.
“ASTROPICAL embodies an energy that already preceded us and needed to materialize,” explains Bomba Estéreo’s Li Saumet. “This is a very important time on a political, cultural and environmental level. We need melodies and lyrics such as these ones as a way of shepherding the moment.” “Musically, I feel like I’m the son of Bomba Estéreo,” says Rawayana’s Beto Montenegro. “When Li called us, it was like a dream come true. I’ve been thinking for so long that I treasure the sonic universe that Bomba Estéreo navigates.”
In recent years, Bomba has collaborated with artists from Manu Chao (“Me Duele” // watch here //) to Nelly Furtado (“Corazon” // watch here //). But it was their 2022 ‘Un Verano Sin Ti’ collaboration with Bad Bunny which was stratospheric as “Ojitos Lindos” // watch here // has generated more than 3 billion streams. Since then, Bomba has become one of the biggest Latin bands on the global festival touring circuit, headlining major stages around the globe.
At the beginning of 2024, Saumet sent Montenegro a text telling him that she was eager to begin a joint project. Time was of the essence. “They sent me a track at 3 am – six hours later, I had completed ‘Me Pasa.’ It happened spontaneously, just like ‘Ojitos Lindos.’” Two weeks later, the members of ASTROPICAL booked time at a Miami studio. They polished “Me Pasa” and finished two more songs. “Initially, it was going to be an EP,” she explains. “But then, Beto came to visit at my house, by the beach in Santa Marta, and before we knew it, we had six songs. At that time, we decided to go for a full album. We never planned it, nor gave it much thought. It was all very fluid.”
During the Santa Marta sessions on the Caribbean coast in Colombia, the singers realized that they shared an affinity for astrology, studying the traits of their respective signs – Capricorn and Aquarius. They decided to combine the worlds of astrology and tropical grooves, and named the project ASTROPICAL. “Astrology has always been present in Latin American culture,” says Montenegro. “Since we were recording in the Colombian tropics, ASTROPICAL sounded like the perfect name.”
The band is planning to present the new songs in a live setting. Their debut will take place in March at the Vive Latino festival in Mexico City and Estéreo Picnic festival in Bogota. A tour will follow, with Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana playing their own material.
“This band has invigorated me, and inspired me to make more music.” says Saumet. “Everything in this world is about energy. I love Nina Simone, and she used to say that the art that we make is permeated by whatever’s happening in the world. This project flowed like water. It is a ball of energy – and at the same time, it is surrounded by an aura of mystery.”
ABOUT BOMBA ESTÉREO
Colombian stars Bomba Estéreo have been a force on the global alternative scene since their 2010 break-out track “Fuego.” Subsequent releases like Latin GRAMMY-nominated ‘Elegancia Tropical’ (2013) and GRAMMY-nominated ‘Amanecer’ (2015) put them at the forefront of influential fusion bands. ‘Amanecer’ included massive anthems like “Soy Yo” and “To My Love” with hundreds of millions of streams around the globe. Bomba have performed more than 1,000 shows from major festival stages like Coachella and Lollapalooza to sold out large venues from New York to Tokyo. The group’s album ‘Deja’ was spotlighted by the NY Times as the #1 “Best Album of 2021” and nominated for multiple GRAMMYs. In recent years, Bomba has collaborated on hits with artists ranging from Manu Chao to Nelly Furtado. But it was their Bad Bunny collaboration which had a seismic impact on their career – “Ojitos Lindos” (2022) became a worldwide smash and now has more than 3 billion streams. The song was #2 on the Spotify Global Chart for three weeks straight.
ABOUT RAWAYANA
Formed in 2007, Rawayana has released five studio albums under their label, Broccoli Records: Licencia Para Ser Libre (2011), Rawayanaland (2013), Trippy Caribbean (2016)—which earned them a Best New Artist nomination at the 18th Annual Latin GRAMMY® Awards—Cuando Los Acéfalos Predominan (2021), and their latest hit ¿Quién trae las cornetas? (2023). Through their independent approach, they’ve collaborated with renowned artists, including Danny Ocean, Natalia Lafourcade, Los Amigos Invisibles, Cultura Profética, Kany García, Monsieur Periné, ELENA ROSE, and Marc Seguí, among others. The band’s independent spirit and dedication have enabled them to forge strategic partnerships with Sound Of Light Management, Warner Music/ADA, Sony Music Publishing, and TBA Agency, solidifying their international career. Their album ¿Quién trae las cornetas?, which has garnered over 231 million global streams, took the Venezuelans on an extensive tour across Latin America, the United States, and Europe, achieving sold-out shows in cities including Mexico City, Santiago de Chile, Buenos Aires, Bogotá, Madrid, Los Angeles, and Miami. The production earned the group their first GRAMMY Award win in the “Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album” category as well as their first Latin GRAMMY victory with “Best Pop Song.” In 2025, the supergroup will participate in two Latin American editions of Lollapalooza 2025. The Venezuelans will perform in Chile and Argentina, with the festival from March 21-23 at Parque Cerrillos in Santiago and Hipódromo de San Isidro in Buenos Aires, respectively. With 618 million global streams and 3.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Rawayana has established itself as Venezuela’s most important current musical act and is emerging as one of Latin America’s most influential bands of the last decade.
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