Playlist: Hasta Mero Arriba a la Derecha

Just south of the border lies the northern Mexican city of Monterrey. You don’t need the six-hour road trip to get to know the city — instead, let these regiomontano artists take you there.

Written by Valeria Mota

Illustrated by Luke Rathbun

Regiomontano artist Jonaz said it best in his hit song, “Noreste Caliente”: when you look at the map of Mexico, the best way to get to the city of Monterrey is “hasta mero arriba a la derecha” (“all the way up and to the right”). Found in the state of Nuevo León, the northern Mexican city is known for its booming industrialization, excellent barbecued meats, and intense soccer games between its two home teams, Los Tigres and Los Rayados. Yet, the city also hums with musical creativity, contributing to genres like latin pop, norteño, and hard rock. It is hard to believe that such a dynamic city with loads of untapped musical potential is only a ] one-hour flight from the city of Austin, but instead of booking your plane tickets right away, let these native sounds introduce Monterrey to you first. From the metallic rock of The Warning to the soft pop of HUMBE, these regiomontano sounds are just as vibrant as the city they come from.