Originating from Arizona, singer-songwriter Xavi developed a self-invented approach he labels "tumbado romantico." His original material draws clear threads from regional Mexican traditions such as corrido norteño, ranchera, cumbia, and mariachi while also linking to North American folk and pop currents, as heard throughout his catalog. Before affiliating with Interscope in 2021, he put out roughly six independent singles and videos on his own. The label’s first offering, “Me Aguanto,” surfaced that December, after which he maintained a near-monthly single pace across 2022. Streaming figures climbed steadily and media coverage followed. He sustained the single output through 2023; the seven-track EP My Mom’s Playlist arrived in May and earned widespread acclaim. August’s “La Víctima” climbed to number ten on the Hot Latin Songs chart and accumulated nearly 100 million streams, while the subsequent “Poco a Poco” with Los Dareyes de la Sierra matched that trajectory. November’s “La Diabla” merged ranchera, bolero, and mariachi textures, quickly turning viral and entering the U.S. Top 20. “Corazón de Piedra” appeared in 2024.
Joshua Xavier Gutierrez entered the world in Arizona on New Year’s Day 2005, three years after his parents relocated there. Radio, social platforms, and YouTube clips sparked his interest; he taught himself guitar at age ten, penned his earliest songs at twelve, and by fifteen was uploading videos to YouTube plus tracks to streaming outlets. Surging audio and video streams, especially on TikTok, drew notice from Interscope and competing labels, leading to his 2021 signing once “Amigos con Derecho” caught fire.
The Interscope debut “Me Aguanto” landed in December and drew favorable critical notice. January 2022 brought “Y Tú,” which logged nearly a million streams; roughly one single followed each month thereafter. April’s “Quiero Contarte” surpassed two million streams and established momentum for the rest of the year, with “Kilómetros,” “Loko,” and “Zero Sentimientos” each exceeding a million plays—the last surpassing two million.
Xavi opened 2023 with the expansive ballad “Aquí Estoy,” which registered over five million streams and entered the Hot Latin Songs chart. February’s “Solo Recuerdos” arrived via a partnership with Los Aptos. April’s seven-song My Mom’s Playlist presented covers of both contemporary and classic Latin favorites. “Sin Pagar Renta” registered on streaming rankings, while the jazzy mariachi cut “La Víctima” reached number eight on the Mexican pop charts. “Poco a Poco,” a team-up with Latin Grammy nominees Los Dareyes de la Sierra, landed in the Mexican Top 20 and registered across Latin America. October’s “Modo DND” paired him with corridos tumbados singer-songwriter Tony Aguirre. December saw “La Víctima” revived on social media and reissued, becoming his first Top Ten entry on Hot Latin Songs and Latin Streaming Songs. November’s “La Diabla” charted in multiple territories and marked his mainstream U.S. breakthrough at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2024 he released the 15-track debut album NEXT, which gathered prior successes including “La Víctima,” “La Diabla,” and “Poco a Poco” and debuted at number nine on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart.
