Ivan Cornejo

“I think I have grown up a little bit more as an individual and just through experience,” Ivan Cornejo told Apple Music when releasing his third album, MIRADA. The California-born singer-songwriter helped redefine the landscape of Regional Mexican music by injecting traditional sierreño with a heavy dose of melancholy. He began uploading earnest, folk-influenced corridos to social media at age 14 and went viral three years later with his 2021 single “Está Dañada” and subsequent debut LP, Alma Vacía. The follow-ups, 2022’s Dañado and 2024’s MIRADA, saw him continue his “sad sierreño” trajectory. But he doesn’t want to be boxed in. “A lot of influence comes from sierreño and sad music,” he explained, “but I’d definitely say it’s not only sad sierreño.” By bridging the gap between ancestral sounds and modern Gen Z angst, Cornejo has not only carved out a unique space for himself but has also expanded the boundaries of what Regional Mexican music can be.