SALINAS — Salinas’ very own cumbia urbana band, ¿Qiensave?, has been selected as official performing artists for this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas.
Known for their infectious blend of traditional cumbia rhythms and modern urban sounds, ¿Qiensave? will take the SXSW stage for multiple performances between March 12 and 15.
Performance Dates:
- March 12 (3/13): Hotel Vegas at 1 a.m.
- March 13: Lamberts at 10 p.m.
- March 14: The Continental at 2:10 p.m.
- March 15: The Continental at 4:15 p.m.
With deep roots in Michoacán, Mexico, and a proud home base in Salinas, ¿Qiensave? has been captivating audiences since 2009. Their unique cumbia urbana sound seamlessly fuses traditional Mexican cumbia with the energy of rock, reggae and hip-hop. The band’s high-energy performances have taken them to stages across California, Arizona, Mexico and Colombia, earning them a reputation as one of the most dynamic Latin bands on the scene today.
¿Qiensave? rose to prominence with the release of their 2019 debut album “Mujer,” which included the hit singles “High Class” and “La Fuga.” Their string of successful releases continued with a fiery cover of Chico Che’s “Mata De Mota” featuring Tropa Magica, the nostalgic quebradita anthem “El DUI” produced by Eduardo Arenas (Chicano Batman), and the empowering track “La Poderosa.” In 2022, the band released their summer hit “Quemayama” and capped the year with the much-anticipated EP El After.
In early 2024, ¿Qiensave? partnered with Grammy-nominated nu-cumbia innovator El Dusty for “Reanimación,” a remix album that reimagined their popular tracks with an explosive nu-cumbia twist. Released in October 2024, the album featured collaborations with Deuce Eclipse and Boogát on the singles “Quemayama Remix” and “High Class Remix.” Just one week later, ¿Qiensave? released “Wake The Dead,” a collaboration with American singer-songwriter Chuck Prophet. The band contributed to eight of the 11 tracks on the album, which chronicled Prophet’s journey through cancer and his discovery of cumbia music.
¿Qiensave? is currently hard at work on their upcoming album “Y Así La Cosas,” set for release in summer 2025, with the first single dropping in May. In addition to their SXSW appearances, members of ¿Qiensave? are currently touring with Chuck Prophet along the East Coast.
Band members include Carlos L. Cortez (Rhythm Guitar/Vox), Alejandro Gomez (Lead Guitar/Vox), Mario Cortez (Guida/Keyboard/Vox), Ricardo Cortez (Drums/Vox) and William Cortez (Bass).
Throughout their career, ¿Qiensave? has shared stages with Latin music legends such as Grupo Kual, Ozomatli, Celso Piña, La Santa Cecilia, Las Cafeteras, and El Dusty. Their electric performances and genre-defying sound have solidified their place as a must-see act on the festival circuit.
For more information on ¿Qiensave? and their SXSW performances, visit their website.
