Jhayco Says His ‘Vida Rockstar’ Era Is About Ending Feuds – And Channeling Hot Topic
Two weeks before the release of his third studio album, Le Clique: Vida Rockstar (X), Jhayco answers my video call from the terrace of the Biltmore Hotel in Miami, where he’s seated for lunch. Hiding his blue eyes behind a voguish pair of shades, he points out the mystic sequences of numbers tattooed on his body: 333, 444, 555. These numbers, called angel numbers, often appear to him by chance, whether from clocks, receipts, addresses, or if he happens to be looking at his phone at the right time. Jhayco, 31, believes these numbers reveal themselves as affirmations of divine protection.
“My mom prays for me a lot,” he says. “I need that.”
Jhayco, who was born Jesús Manuel Nieves Cortez in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has emerged as one of the most prominent — albeit enigmatic — figures in reggaeton: a sensitive artist type who makes his boldest statements in the lusty pop hooks of his songs. He got his first taste of the music industry at 15, when he began writing songs for genre veterans like Tito El Bambino, Zion & Lennox, and Natti Natasha. By 2019 he got his first big break as a marquee performer in the haunting reggaeton number, “No Me Conoce,” or “She Doesn’t Know Me,” with Bad Bunny and J Balvin. Following the triple-platinum success of his 2019 debut, Famouz, Bad Bunny called him up to co-star in what became a worldwide Number 1 hit in 2020, the bass-bumping “Dákiti;” the two later performed the song at the 2021 Grammys.
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After further expanding his sonic borders with the electronic flair of his sophomore album, 2021’s Timelezz, Jhayco continues that mission more literally this year with LE CLIQUE. The project is an epic three-part series of reggaeton fusions recorded in several studios around the world, from Puerto Rico to Paris. To shape what he calls the “global character” of his album, he assembled a United Nations of collaborators — among them DJ Khaled, Eladio Carrión, Peso Pluma, Omar Courtz, Kapo, Bryant Myers, and Quevedo. This concept, which started with many debaucherous all-nighters in cosmopolitan cities, has become Jhayco’s greatest musical odyssey.
“It’s been a journey getting to know me as an artist, because I started producing and writing [for others],” says Jhayco. “Now it’s been three years, and I grew a lot because I lived. This is my rock star reggaeton.”
You’ve called this your “Vida Rockstar” era, which is also the name of your opening song. It’s as if lightning strikes, and you’re rocking out with a pop-punk band. What was the inspiration behind this concept?
I wanted it to sound like one of those records from the 2000s — like what you hear when you walk into Hot Topic! It’s my personality and what I’ve grown into. I linked up with Tainy and one of his producers [who] does rock. We had the guitars already, but when he sent me the drums… it was mind-blowing. I’m not trying to impress [anyone] with my music. I’m just making music that I love, that resonates with my day-to-day life.
Who are some rock stars that influenced this project?
A rock star to me is different from the classic rock stars people usually think of. I would say The Weeknd inspired me, and Travis Scott. Hector Lavoe was a rock star too, you know? Don Omar is a rock star. Draco Rosa is a rock star.
It’s nuts to think that a guy like Draco Rosa was ever in Menudo. You’ve made a similar transition, in that you’re establishing your individuality after being known for your work in groups.
Draco Rosa is my inspo — he’s a writer, he’s mysterious, and he [also] came from a band, so I get him. I was once in [Stereo 4], this band with great singers [who] challenged me. I sat on the computer for months doing singing classes on YouTube, until I found my voice. Then I put more attitude in it. Made it suavecito. Now, what do I bring to reggaeton? What’s my lane? I’m not the colorful one, I’m not funny about it, I’m just mysterious and dark.
Something that you’ve done consistently in your career is that you’ve combined reggaeton with so many different sounds. Who’s someone you learned that from?
When I was growing up, Don Omar was like my Power Ranger. I had the posters on my walls. I woke up and thought of Don Omar. I went to sleep [listening] to his songs. The first time I bought an album I was 11, and it was The Last Don. I adopted his attitude. I have different vocal tones, but the way that my voice is raspy, I unconsciously took on. He taught me how to fly on a beat.
Your new album is full of collaborations — take the song “Ex-Special” with Peso Pluma. What do you think about collaborating with [regional] Mexican artists? They work with horns and guitars, you work with rhythms.
Puerto Rico is so rich in culture, and Mexico is so rich in culture, that it just comes out perfectly. Obviously they’re really different genres to bring together, but I feel that there’s so much culture to grasp and play with. [I] feel like it was meant to be.
On your dancehall single “Passoa,” you collaborated with the Colombian singer Kapo. You both have these rich voices, and the interplay is very beautiful. Can you talk about making that song?
We did a couple, but [“Passoa”] was the one. We meet in the middle of his sound and my sound. His writing is like poetry, and I write punchlines. We got to really collaborate. It wasn’t just like, “You record this part. I record my part.” We got to work on the estructura, en su voz, en su color, en mi color, en mi verso, su verso. It feels like an art piece.
You and Bryant Myers used to have beef, but here he is on your new song, “KTM.” How did you guys make peace and start recording together?
We grew up. When you start in this business, you’re around so many people, then suddenly from one day to the next, you have fame. When you understand that we’re all just trying to do what we love and make our dreams come true, you chill out and try to see everybody’s perspective. We come from an island where we’re always taught, “?Tira pa’lante!” (“Move forward!”) I didn’t want to get caught up, I just wanted to enjoy every minute. Sometimes I go to sleep and I’m so excited to wake up because I have things I love doing. [So] we just talked it out like men.
You landed your first acting role on the 2023 Netflix show, Neon. (Ed’s note: the author consulted on the show.) In it, you played a reggaeton artist and aspiring magician named Javier Luna. How did it feel to bring this quirky pop star to life?
[Acting] is something that I’ve wanted to do all my life. It was pretty easy playing an artist, but it’s not like being an actual artist. You really have to tap in and not make it cheesy when you’re reading lines. It was a lot of hours of being [on set] and waiting. But it came really naturally to me. It was just supposed to do one scene, but after that, they were like, “Yo, we need you for more!”
What’s been the biggest change for you since releasing your last album?
I found my vision. I found my lane, I found my colors. People get so caught up in trying not to lose numbers and not lose fans [that] they lose touch when making the album. An album shows your growth. One year wasn’t enough for me to put in my growth, everything that I’ve learned, and what I want people to know about me. I had to raise the bar. I had to push myself. I had to push my creativity. I feel good that I was able to do it with this album.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Le Clique: Vida Rockstar Tracklist
PHASE I
1. Vida Rockstar
2. Grecia
3. Porsche Carrera (ft. Yandel, Haze)
4. Natural
5. En la Bently
6. Passoa (ft. Kapo)
7. El Final
8. 58 (ft. Deiv)
9. 100 Gramos
10. Habibi
11. XX
12. Holanda
13. Quimi-K (ft. Omar Courtz)
14. 0 Milla
PHASE II
1. Le Clique (ft. DJ Khaled, Young Chvmi)
2. No Entiendo (ft. Eladio Carrion, Omar Courtz)
3. Viene BASQUIATa€|
4. Murci
5. 2C
6. Ferragamo
7. Mokai
8. Joe
9. Graxxx & QSJM
? X
1. 3D (ft. Tivi Gonz, De la Rose)
2. Mami Chula (ft. Quevedo)
3. Ex-Special (ft. Peso Pluma)
4. Torii
5. KTM (ft. Bryan Myers, Luar la L)
6. Cuerpecito
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