Reyna Tropical released their new album in March of this year, Malegría. Now, Fabi Reyna is amid a massic tour spanning various continents and bringing this tour de force and testament to Queer and Indigenous love and narratives.
Reyna Tropical is the collaborative project of duo Fabi Reyna and Nectali “Sumo Hair” Diaz. Diaz passed away in 2022, but that doesn’t mean Reyna wasn’t going to keep Reyna Tropical going.
If you listen to Reyna Tropical’s first full-length album, you can actually hear Diaz in several recordings. The album tackles love, loss, and highlights Queer love narratives in the warmest and most beautiful way.
The album title is a portmanteau that comes from a Manu Chao song of the same name. And Chao is an apt comparison not just for this album, but for the entirety of the spirit of Reyna Tropical’s work. Multilingualism wrought and wrapped together by warm and soft melodies that make you want to dance but also lie on the beach as the sun goes down.
Reyna Tropical performed at the Lowbrow Palace in El Paso, TX on September 24th before continuing on into Texas to Reyna’s hometown of McAllen, TX. Reyna is also the founder and editor of She Shreds Magazine.
Check out the gallery below and stay tuned for an interview with Fabi about the new album. Follow Reyna Tropical for more tour dates or to purchase/stream the album here.
By Antonio Villaseñor-Baca