Released on May 21, Rivs’ debut EP “Contra Todo” channels the experience behind more than 400 credits and 15 billion cumulative streams into a project shaped by his own creative vision. The six-track release has since earned a nomination for Best Contemporary Mexican Music Album at the 27th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, adding another milestone to a career that already includes three Latin GRAMMY wins.
After years of shaping records for some of the biggest names in Latin music, the Monterrey producer and visionary brings that experience into a project that moves between traditional regional sounds, high-energy trap, and corridos tumbados. His work has placed him at the center of a new wave of Mexican music reaching audiences beyond its traditional boundaries, while “Contra Todo” gives him room to bring those influences together through a series of distinct collaborations.
Lead single “Beso de Novela” sets the benchmark right away as a gorgeous, high-caliber corrido featuring legendary Colombian luminary Juanes. Paired with astounding guitar work, the track and its colorful music video are nothing short of a masterpiece, elevating the genre to new heights with dead-on, cross-genre precision. It stands as the clear frontrunner of the project, proving exactly why it was chosen to lead the charge for the record.
“El Rollie” pivots into a more classic, gritty tumbado focused on the hypnotic lure of money, luxury, and excess. Featuring Nueva H and Dan Sanchez, the track leans into a crowded party atmosphere, using layered vocals and a dense arrangement to capture the chaotic energy of a packed room at full tilt.
Across the rest of the six-track collection, Rivs proves the versatility and beauty of regional Mexican sounds and why they’ve been taking over the airwaves. Tracks like “Terco” featuring Miguel Cornejo, and “Cuernito” with Sahir Montoya embody the perfected vanguard of the corrido tumbado, mixing gritty, ultra-modern trap elements with intense beats and complex, dexterous rap bars that intertwine with traditional horn and guitar sounds. Joined by revered Venezuelan rap icon Akapellah and Santa Fe Klan on “Me Iluminé” and Alex Favela on “No Digas No,” “Contra Todo” succeeds against everything because it relies on genuine musical direction and incredibly seasoned instincts and experience. It’s stacked to the brim with powerful features, but they don’t feel like co-signs from which Rivs borrows credibility and fire; instead, they feel like a whole industry that’s proud to stand behind one of its most successful and inventive figures as he steps forward from behind the scenes and into a spotlight that’s been waiting for him.
