Ca7riel y Paco Amoroso at Radio City Music Hall

My first encounter with Ca7riel y Paco Amoroso was last summer while I was in Japan.

One of my favorite radio stations, FM802 in Osaka, was featuring their song "DUMBAI." The station selects two featured songs each month—one Japanese song and one international song. It's actually quite rare for them to choose a non-English song, it caught my attention.

After returning to New York, I got curious and looked them up. I learned they are a duo from Argentina called Ca7riel y Paco Amoroso. Their breakthrough came after their Tiny Desk Concert, and soon afterward they appeared as musical guests on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and performed at Coachella. I thought, "Wow, they're really up-and-coming or already huge."

I started listening to their earlier releases and quickly became a fan. Their music is catchy, blending elements of rock, funk, and pop. Their music videos are equally entertaining, featuring extreme fashion, strange humor, and performances that are just a little weird in the best possible way. I don't understand much of the lyrics because they're in Spanish, although I can catch a few words here and there. (And by the way, Paco is totally my type.)

Their album Baño María became my most-listened-to album of 2025 on Spotify.

I was really hoping to see them live someday. Luckily, I live in New York, where most international tours eventually stop. I assumed that when they released another album, they would announce a world tour that included New York.

Then something unexpected happened. They were preparing a new album but suddenly pulled it back. According to social media, they had rushed the project while dealing with their sudden rise in popularity, an intense schedule, and changing circumstances around them. They burned out.

In the meantime, they won a Latin Grammy.

So when they announced they were back, with a new album and a world tour, I was thrilled. And yes—New York was on the schedule.

My first impression of the new album was surprise. It sounded very different from their earlier work. The music felt more mellow, and at times I heard influences that reminded me of Asian music. Did I like it? Maybe. It wasn't an immediate "I love this."

But I kept listening.

And listening.

And watching the music videos.

Eventually, I became completely hooked.

There seems to be a theme running throughout the album: A free spirit.

The more time I spent with it, the more it resonated with me.

I bought tickets during the presale.

One thing that puzzled me was that I rarely heard their music around me. Not on local radio stations, not from friends, nowhere. I kept wondering: where are all the fans?

Then their show at Radio City Music Hall sold out.

Apparently, they were everywhere—I just wasn't seeing them.

On June 19th, I finally saw them live.

The concert was amazing.

My first thought was: "Wow, they're real. They actually exist."

Without many breaks or much talking between songs, they delivered an incredibly energetic performance. Both of them are tall and constantly moving—running across the stage, jumping around, even jumping rope at one point. I honestly don't know how they managed to sing while moving so much.

Ca7riel switched between singing and playing guitar, while Paco's voice moved effortlessly between soft, smooth melodies and powerful shouts. During some songs, it felt like the balcony itself was bouncing.

At one point they returned to the stage holding New York Knicks jerseys with their names on them, which got a huge reaction from the crowd.

The whole show felt more like a theatrical performance than a typical concert. They don't just write songs—they create an entire world around them.

Honestly, I don't actively search for new favorite artists as much as I used to.

That's why I'm especially grateful for this discovery.

Thanks to a random radio feature on FM802, I found an artist whose music now colors my daily life. They've motivated me to continue learning Spanish, and they've made me curious about Argentine culture.

That's one of the wonderful things about music. It can expand your world in ways you never expect.

I wish them continued success—and, most importantly, good health.

And I hope they come back to New York very soon.