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How Rising Act Reyna Tropical Spun Tragedy Into a Long-Awaited Debut


Reyna Tropical's Fabi Reyna will release the alternative act's debut album and tour on her own following the unexpected death of her bandmate.

A stunning amalgam of inspirations including guitarist-singer Chavela Vargas and the cultural traditions of Columbia, Puerto Rico and more, Malegría “is something that I really needed to do for myself that’s full of life that I hope will continue far beyond my existence,” says Reyna, 32, who persevered with the band following the passing of its cofounder in 2022. A few years later, at a Red Bull Music Academy event, she met musician Nectali “Sumohair” Diaz, and they formed Reyna Tropical, which combined her expert guitar playing with his production prowess. With only four tracks released, all of which featured Afro Indigenous drum patterns and environmental samples, Reyna Tropical scored a major break in 2018 when Li Saumet of Colombian group Bomba Estéreo asked the duo to join the act on tour.

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