Listen closely and you’ll hear the rhythm of Milwaukee’s vibrant music scene flow all throughout the city, like from a house emitting a muffled rumbling.
Inside, a purple glow illuminates a home studio where young creatives are crafting their sound. The air is filled with an upbeat blend of harmonic guitar chords dancing along a booming bassline.
Striking confidently through this melodic storm are the words of Jesus Armando Sanchez, lead vocalist of the group Klan 414. Guitarists Martin Flores and Ivan Roblero back Sanchez up with harmony and an energetic requinto.
Pedro Romo Mejia, co-founder and bassist, picks up the guitar as he joins this collective songwriting. Going over the verse together, everyone puts in ideas and builds the next line on the spot.
“i Y no digo mucho porque ustedes saben quien es el que manda!” (I don’t say much because you already know who is in charge!)
These first few moments with the group creates an unmistakable first impression. They are putting in the work.
Klan 414 has consistently shared their talent through the Milwaukee-based record label OZ Music — founded by Osvaldo Lomeli, the group’s co-founder, to promote the newest talent in Latin music.
“They give their 110%. I’m just really proud of them because I really saw them grow from nothing,” Lomeli says.
Klan 414’s music falls under the genre widely recognized as regional Mexican — an umbrella term for the diverse genres originating in Mexico and emerging as worldwide phenomena. Popular styles of regional Mexican include banda, cumbia, sierreño and, of course, corridos.
Corridos has a rich history in storytelling and influences based in Mexican folk. The genre features vivid narrative songwriting alongside a unique blend of accordions, 12-string guitars and bass.
“Every time we compose we try to hop on that trend, que suene algo de lo regional (let it sound somewhat regional) but at the same time giving our own little taste to it,” Sanchez says. “Now that it’s rising up it’s opening a lot of doors for us.”
Klan 414 is sharing a sound that fits right in with the musíca Mexicana rising in the global stage while keeping in touch with their Milwaukee roots.
“I see the young crowd really likes Klan because they feel like they can just do exactly what they do.”
The rise of regional sounds in the global music landscape amplifies artists worldwide and promotes creative cultural exchange. Since its exponential growth in 2023, new artists in the regional style are following the lead of contemporaries such as Natanael Cano and Peso Pluma, named as influences for Klan 414. This movement of Latin music on worldwide charts has not reached its peak. Mexico and Brazil led global audio streaming shares with a combined 11.20% in the first half of 2024 according to Luminate, an entertainment data and insights company.
Emerging artists are able to experiment with their sounds blending the traditions of musíca Mexicana with modern elements of hip-hop and R&B. Lyrical content regularly features celebrations of determination and perseverance when reaching goals — a testament to the attitudes the next generation of artists are bringing to the music industry.
“It’s not just music at the end of the day, you also need to have discipline and you need to focus and want to have it, and thankfully when I joined these guys it was a good opportunity to put those things to the test and actually pursue some big things,” Flores says.
As musical audiences and outlets are growing worldwide, the power dynamics shaping popular culture are shifting. Diverse audiences are tuning into global sounds that connect with listeners.
Photo by Anthony Gomez.
These trends in music and streaming create the perfect conditions for the continued growth and recognition of global Latin music. This change is fueled by younger listeners, who make up 37% of subscribers on streaming services, according to Luminate.
“I see the young crowd really likes Klan because they feel like they can just do exactly what they do,” says Alvaro Reyes, assistant manager of Klan 414.
Reyes supports the group as they navigate bigger stages and larger audiences. With his familiarity with the business side of the music industry, he sees the demand for Klan 414 and taps into growing audiences to connect the group to the local scene.
Reyes highlights the role of authenticity as Klan 414 curates their image, centering the experience on having a good time while making good music that people can truly connect to.
Beyond music, the group is focusing on growing their visibility. Giving listeners a behind the scenes look through Instagram livestreams and YouTube vlogs creates a sense of community. They also expand their reach through TikTok and collaborations with creators tapped into this musical subculture.
“One of my goals is to sell out a Klan 414 show, people just come and see us and sing all of our songs. People turn on their flashlights and they start singing an original song from us,” Mejia says. “That’s something I really want.”
These genre-bending creatives are ready to enter the stage and are putting in the work to claim their space in the spotlight. Pioneers like Klan 414 are popularizing this rising musíca Mexicana sound locally and showing how this global wave is manifesting here in Wisconsin’s largest city.
“We’re not stopping anytime soon. I think just with that motivation and discipline, who knows how far we can get,” Sanchez says.
Cover photo and tile photo: From left to right, Klan 414’s Ivan Roblero, Armando Sanchez, Pedro Romo and Osvaldo Lomeli record music in Lomeli’s home studio. Photo by Anthony Gomez.