Sahir Montoya on Keeping Corridos at the Core While Pushing Regional Mexican Music Forward
Controversial, raw, and at times uncomfortable, yet rich and expansive in sound thanks to a blend of Regional Mexican music, modern touches, and urban influences, Sahir Montoya’s music represents a generation of artists finding new ways to approach the sounds of their country, organically propelled by digital platforms where corridos have carved out a vital space.
His latest release is “Cuenta,” a collaboration with Memo Piña in which the guitars and storytelling of Regional Mexican music meet synthesizers, bass, and an electronic-inspired beat to explore the emerging house bélico sound. The song follows a fictional character who moves between luxury, risk, and complicated relationships, drawing from personal experiences and those of people close to the artists, transformed and exaggerated throughout the songwriting process. The track began finding an audience even before its release, when preview clips generated thousands of TikTok views and accelerated the duo’s plans to film the music video and release the song.
For Montoya, that balance comes down to knowing what can change without losing what gives the music its identity. “Cuenta” puts that idea into practice, bringing house bélico into a corrido while keeping its storytelling and Regional Mexican foundation intact. The release also brings together several ideas that run through the conversation, from creative experimentation and audience response to the importance of continuing to evolve without losing sight of his roots.
“Cuenta” blends house bélico with contemporary regional Mexican music in a way that feels both familiar and unexpected. What inspired you to bring those two worlds together for this song?
What inspired me to bring these two styles together was seeing that this sound was already connecting within Regional Mexican music. There were already songs with Regional-style lyrics over these kinds of beats, which motivated us to create something in that same space. We brought it to life through the lyrics. At the end of the day, it's still a corrido, even with that beat. It keeps the essence and storytelling of Regional Mexican music while introducing a fusion that wasn't very common before. That's the direction we wanted to take with this song.
The song tells the story of a confident character living between luxury, risk, and complicated relationships. What attracted you to telling this kind of story, and what did it allow you to express creatively?
The songwriter, Mark from Guadalajara, and I mainly wanted to draw from real experiences, both our own and those of close friends. From there, we brought those stories together, exaggerated certain elements, and turned them into the song. The idea was to create a fictional story and a character who seems like nothing really affects him, while still telling a story that people could relate to in one way or another.
Memo Piña has built a strong connection with younger audiences through both music and social media. What made him the right collaborator for “Cuenta,” and what did he bring to the track that surprised you?
Memo Piña brought a lot of exposure to the song thanks to the huge presence he has on TikTok. He reached out to me about doing something together. I told him I was all for it, we exchanged numbers, I sent him several songs, and he picked "Cuenta." Honestly, everything came together really quickly and naturally. I think one of his biggest contributions was the connection he has with people and the way he helped the song reach a much wider audience.
From the production to the chorus's energy, “Cuenta” feels designed to hit differently than a traditional corrido. How involved were you in shaping the song’s overall sound and production choices?
Honestly, we already had the beat, and we only made a few adjustments to it. Most of the work went into the lyrics, how we structured the verses, the chorus, and the rhythm changes throughout the song. We put a lot of care and love into every part of it, always trying to make it connect with people in the best way possible. In the end, it came together just as we imagined, and we're really happy to see that people have embraced it the way it is.
You’ve described your music as something that keeps evolving while staying rooted in regional Mexican traditions. How do you decide when it’s worth taking creative risks without losing the essence of who you are as an artist?
Sometimes you write a song and just feel like it's worth taking the risk because you know it has the potential to connect. Other songs make me think twice, but honestly, with "Cuenta," I never felt that way. From the moment we wrote it, we knew it had the potential to reach people. We never felt like we were moving away from Regional Mexican music because the song still carries that essence. At the end of the day, we're still very committed to our roots in Regional Mexican music.
Before its official release, “Cuenta” was already gaining attention on TikTok through preview clips. How does seeing an audience react to a song before it’s even out influence the way you experience a release?
It makes me really happy. I'd wake up and see that there were already a thousand, two thousand, or even three thousand videos using the song. That was really exciting because it showed us that people were enjoying it and recreating the trend. Honestly, that motivated us to work even harder. We immediately got together to film the music video and do everything we could to release the song as soon as possible. It was amazing to watch people gradually make it their own, and I'm really happy we were able to achieve that.
You’ve often spoken about growing up influenced by artists like Ariel Camacho while also embracing newer musical ideas. Looking at your career so far, what parts of your musical identity have remained constant, even as your sound continues to evolve?
I think my voice, my songwriting, and the way I approach my music have stayed the same. New ideas naturally come along, and you have to adapt, keep innovating, and continue evolving. But I've always stayed connected to the roots of Regional Mexican music. I don't think that's something that ever leaves you; it's always there. What I try to do is adapt those roots and give them a fresh perspective so people can continue connecting with my music.
Many listeners see your generation as helping redefine regional Mexican music. Do you feel any responsibility to keep pushing the genre forward, or do you simply follow whatever feels authentic to you at the moment?
I think it's a combination of both. You have to adapt to what's working, but you shouldn't do something just because it's trending. It has to come naturally and feel authentic. When those two things come together, and we feel it can work, that's when we move forward with it. We always create from a place of love and inspiration because, in the end, that's what gives the music its value and makes it feel true to who we are.
Your career has grown organically through platforms like TikTok, where people discovered your music long before many knew your story. Looking back, what have those early years taught you about connecting with an audience?
TikTok was where everything started for me. It allowed me to get my music out there and share what I wanted people to hear. Before that, I thought it was really difficult, maybe even impossible, to reach a point where people recognized you and knew who you were. Little by little, I watched the community grow as more and more people discovered my music and began learning about my story as well. I'm really grateful for everything we've accomplished and even more excited about everything that's still ahead.
As listeners discover “Cuenta,” what do you hope they take away from this new chapter, and what does this release say about where you’re headed next as an artist?
I hope people see it as a great collaboration and as a song where we wanted to experiment. I think it's important to keep exploring new ideas without leaving behind what people know us for, which is corridos and Regional Mexican music. That will always be part of who I am as an artist. I also hope this release leaves people excited for more surprises and more collaborations that might not be expected but can really work.