Although Sahir Montoya’s roots are connected to corridos with live instrumentation, the artist seeks to explore new resources without abandoning the elements considered essential to making the music recognizable, such as the voice, the way the songs are interpreted, the songwriting, and active involvement in every stage of the creative process.
That need to remain involved in the lyrics, melodies, rhythms, production, and arrangements has become a way of protecting that identity while expanding the boundaries of the sound within a new generation of Regional Mexican artists.
Cuenta, the collaboration with Memo Piña, reflects that intention to experiment because, while the song maintains the narrative essence of the corrido, it also incorporates basslines, synthesizers, electric guitars, and production influenced by electronic music.
The collaboration came together naturally when Piña reached out to Montoya about working together. After Montoya shared several songs, Piña chose Cuenta, and the track took on a life of its own before its release, as preview clips began generating thousands of TikTok videos and sparking an organic trend around the song.
The balance between staying rooted and pushing the sound forward runs through Montoya’s approach to *Cuenta*. From preserving the storytelling at the heart of the corrido to embracing electronic production and responding to an audience that found the song on TikTok before its release, the track reflects an artist willing to experiment without treating evolution as a departure from his roots. Montoya opens up about that creative process, his collaboration with Memo Piña, and the choices shaping what comes next.
For those discovering your music through Cuenta, how would you describe your artistic approach and the current stage of your career?
My artistic vision is experimental, and I'm always looking to be versatile. Cuenta is a song where I wanted to experiment a little, because my roots are more in corridos with live instrumentation. But I also enjoy giving people some of what they're listening to right now. That's why we decided to experiment and release something that's connecting with audiences at the moment.
You have been building your identity within the new generation of regional Mexican artists. What elements do you consider essential to defining your sound and setting your work apart?
I think what defines my sound the most is my voice, the way I interpret my songs, and my songwriting. I always try to make sure the lyrics, melodies, and rhythms carry my personal signature. When I'm working on corridos with live instrumentation, I'm also deeply involved in the production and every arrangement. I like being part of every step of the creative process because that's what allows me to maintain a sound that's uniquely my own within Regional Mexican music.
How did the connection between you and Memo begin, and what made you feel that this was the right time to collaborate on Cuenta?
It happened because we were both open to collaborating, and we started building a good friendship. I sent him a few songs, he picked Cuenta, and that's how the collaboration came together. Honestly, there wasn't much behind it; it all happened really fast. It was basically, "Hey, here's this song." "Let's do it." "I'm in." And that was it. Everything flowed naturally, and in the end, it worked out really well for both of us.
The production features basslines, synthesizers, electric guitars, and an energy closely connected to electronic music. How did you work to make those elements coexist without losing the essence of the corrido?
The essence of a corrido is in the lyrics. The only thing that really changes is the beat. We still use the same writing style and the same approach to making corridos, just with a different kind of production. I think that's why the fusion works so well—we're still rooted in Regional Mexican music, but the beat gives it a different energy without taking away the essence of the song.
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What did each of you contribute to the creative process, and how did you divide the decisions related to the songwriting, performance, and sonic identity of the track?
The song was already written when Memo joined the project. It was written by my friend Mark from Guadalajara. We put it together really quickly, and in about 15 minutes the song was finished. After that, we recorded the demo; I later recorded the final vocals, and we started sharing it with the idea of making it a collaboration. Memo came in at just the right time, really liked the song, and I loved the feeling he brought to it. I think one of his biggest contributions was the exposure he gave the track, especially on TikTok, where the trend started to take off.
Cuenta follows a very self-assured and seductive character whose life unfolds between risk, toxic relationships, and luxury. What interested you about exploring his story?
Some parts come from real-life experiences, while others are fictional or a little exaggerated. But we always start from something real—real emotions and real experiences that we then turn into music. We give them rhythm, we bring them to life, and sometimes we exaggerate certain elements to make the story more compelling, but there's always a real experience behind the song.
Before its official release, some previews of Cuenta began generating organic interest on TikTok. What signs made you realize that the song was connecting with the audience?
The biggest sign was seeing so many people making videos and recreating the trend before the song was even officially released. That's when we realized it was really connecting and that we needed to move quickly to get it out. We kept pushing it, letting more people discover it and create their own videos, and we were really happy to see the response. From that point on, we both went all in to get the song released as soon as possible, and that's how everything came together.
After Cuenta, what’s the next chapter for you?
To keep writing songs, keep looking for collaborations that help us grow, and keep working. Honestly, that's the only way in this industry; you have to keep putting in the work every single day and always find ways to keep evolving.
Listen to Cuenta and connect with Sahir Montoya on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
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