Cuco is on tour and this time he’s bringing nostalgic Chicano oldies to stages near you. He released his Ridin’ album this May, and just recently released the deluxe version of the album on the 12th of this month. This latest release comes with a new sound, one very different from what Cuco fans may be accustomed to.
What Cuco himself described as a record that “you can drive to”, the young Chicano artist flexes a more refined sound, more polished than his original records he started recording in his bedroom.
But thematically, we have the same artist. Where once we were reflecting on driving around in a CR-V, now Cuco continues his trek just in a different vehicle. But we still have love ballads and Chicano crooning his music is famous for.
In an interview done via Zoom, Cuco talks about the process of making this album, the reception thus far, and what has changed over nearly a decade of making music.
Antonio Villaseñor-Baca: It’s going to be 10 years since your first release. This album that came out in May, was a little bit different from some of your earlier stuff. So I want to ask first, is there any difference? Also a bit more of an old school style for this album. Is there any difference in your songwriting process now and between when you started out?
Cuco: Yeah, I think when I first started out, I was recording in my bedroom and I was kind of just winging everything. I didn’t really know what I was doing. It was probably like the charm in those records but with these newer records I’m demoing and putting together the songs and reworking them with producers and trying to milk them in the best way and really just feeling like I’m delivering a final product every time. That feels more complete and to nnever be satisfied with the demo. I feel like I can always be better. So I always want to try, over and over until I get the the best result.
Right on. What is the payoff now? Having a more formal process for making your music. this album specifically it seems so dear and near to your heart being an homage to Chicano culture, car culture, what’s the payoff you see there and what is it that you’re liking about this process now?
I think it’s just satisfying to see myself grow, to hear myself in a different way, to know that I can do a soul record and really step up to the challenge, and every time I step up to the challenge, being able to do it really well. I think the mental satisfaction is just to pay off, and knowing through all like the easy parts and the hard parts of the process, like we’re able
to just pull it through and make a sick record.
Cool, for sure. How does it feel having a soul record that, I mean, so many of us, especially in Chicano culture, like what soul means to us, how does it feel having a record that sounds like that and that you get to call your own and now you’re the music playing in the car.
It feels good. I mean I’ve always wanted to make something timeless music but I feel like something about soul music makes it really really stamped something in a discography. I just want to have people playing this record from here until forever. I mean, that’s how I feel about all my music. I want people to bump everything, but I feel like with this one, it’s really a driving record. You know what I mean? You can drive, go walk, skate, bike, kick anywhere.
And it’s a record. I feel like it really accompanies you.
For sure. Yeah, it kind of just wafts in the air, something you can keep listening to. This tour started at the beginning of September. Well, at least like the dates that I saw us did run until the end of October. Can we expect any differences? Is there going to be a new style of Cuco with the new sound accompanying?
Yeah, we’re going to, we’re going to definitely try to go a soulful route, but we’re going to find ways to integrate like the old music and the new music into the into the set list and make it feel kind of seamless.
I’m wondering what has the reception been, and I know Cuco fans are some of the Most hardcore die -hard out there. I remember I’ve seen you here in El Paso a few times at different venues and always some of the loudest fans, so what’s been the the reception so far? Are we expecting a lot of you know the same kind kind of loud, rambunctious energy for a soul show?
Oh man, I’m hoping, yeah I’m hoping that that they sing all these songs super loud. They’ve been welcoming with the record and I feel like even some people that aren’t really serious with soul music, they’ve been really open about open with their minds about what the new style is and what the music entails. They’ve already been super loud whenever when it comes to like singing “My 45” like when we did that at the El Rey people were just screaming out the lyrics. Before the album came out we did the the listening party and they were just like going insane for the song So I’m hoping I’m hoping it translates with the rest of the album because I felt like there’s a lot of really good hooks.
Where do you see this record fitting in, especially now? You’ve never been very shy when it in comes to having a political notes in your in your music. Your very first release was out in 2016, very political year. Here we are at the end of 2025. Where does a Chicano soul album fit in today’s world?
I think more than anything, just existing as a Chicano artist and just as an artist, the artist of color is already kind of a statement within itself because it’s important to always point out how we made a space for ourselves. We made ourselves be very seen and using that platform to always try to push out a positive message but more than anything just trying to be there for each other as a community and, and making sure that we all stand in solidarity with each other.
Cuco’s Ridin’ Tour Upcoming Dates
9/21/25 – El Paso, TX @ Lowbrow Palace
9/23/25 – Albuquerque, NM @ Revel
9/24/25 – Denver, CO @ Ogden
9/26/25 – Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
9/27/25 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Lawn
9/29/25 – Austin, TX @ ACL Live
9/30/25 – Dallas, TX @ Factory
10/3/25 – Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
10/4/25 – Atlanta, GA @ Eastern
10/5/25 – Charlotte, NC @ Fillmore
10/8/25 – Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club
10/10/25 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
10/13/25 – Boston, MA @ Royale
10/16/25 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
10/17/25 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera
10/19/25 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
10/22/25 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Ave
10/24/25 – Kansas City, MO @ The Truman
10/25/25 – Indianapolis, IN @ Hi-Fi Annex
10/26/25 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
10/28/25 – New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall
10/31/25 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Theatre
11/27/25 – Mexico City, Mexico @ Foro Puebla
11/29/25 – Guadalajara, Mexico @ Echoes Festival
2/2/26 – Madrid, Spain @ La Sala del Movistar Arena
2/4/26 – London, UK @ Scala
2/6/26 – Paris, France @ Cabaret Sauvage
By Antonio Villaseñor-Baca