Bomba Estereo & Rawayana Are “Astropical”
Colombian stars Bomba Estéreo and powerhouse Venezuelan band Rawayana have joined forces to create the supergroup ASTROPICAL – a one-song collaboration that quickly evolved into a full project – combining the worlds of astrology and tropical grooves.
Tonight ASTROPICAL releases their lead single “Me Pasa(Piscis)” accompanied by an official video directed by Edgar Esteves, Paola Ossa and Ana Peralta Chong // watch here // stream here // and download // images here // credit: David Giraldo !
The debut single “Me Pasa (Piscis)” combines both bands’ devotion to tropical music, and their smooth, sophisticated approach to rhythm and dancefloor atmospherics. Anchored on a sharp Afrobeats groove, the song shimmers to the sounds of Colombian gaita flute and an impossibly nostalgic guitar line. With its witty references to Colombian champeta, Venezuelan arepas and the Caribbean anthems of Juan Luis Guerra, “Me Pasa (Piscis)” reflects the artists’ connection to the soulful qualities of Latin American culture.
For a number of years, Bomba Estéreo vocalist Liliana “Li” Saumet knew that she wanted to collaborate with Venezuelan indie pop band 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 200,000tickets and released fivealbums on its own indie label. The band recently won their first LatinGRAMMY and is currently nominated for the 2025GRAMMYAwards. The band has generated 7millionviews on its NPR “Tiny Desk Concert” and is set to perform at Coachella this April.
As it turns out, the initial collaboration turned 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 other festivals to be announced soon. 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.”