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How Valentino Merlo and The La Planta Reinterpreted a Classic — And Went to No. 1


Valentino Merlo & The La Planta's 'Hoy' puts a cumbia spin on a Gloria Estefan track — and went to No. 1.

Hailing from the city of Rosario, Santa Fe, Merlo made his debut on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 in 2024, ultimately placing four songs in its top 10 throughout the year: “Tu Foto” with Q’Lokura, “Princesa” featuring Paulo Londra and Luck Ra, “Si Un Día Estás Sola” with Emanero and Big One and “Hoy” with The La Planta. Merlo and The La Planta’s first and only collaboration to date, “Hoy” is a cumbia reinterpretation of a classic song originally composed by Peruvian artist Gian Marco and popularized by Gloria Estefan in 2003. Released in May, it became an instant hit, one that has amassed over 230 million views on Merlo’s official YouTube channel, making it one of the most-viewed Argentine songs of the year on the platform.

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