Peso Pluma Showcased Latin, Mexican Pride in Fort Worth Concert

Less than a year after packing The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory during his first ever U.S. tour — the Doble P Tour — Peso Pluma has grown from up-and-coming Latin music act to a global superstar. On Sunday night, Dickies Arena in Fort Worth was filled with fans on his Éxodo tour, showcasing Latin and Mexican pride, as Peso delivered a stacked set of nearly 40 songs.

Such an extensive set list is often expected of older, legacy acts, but Peso Pluma, even at 25 years old, has already begun to blaze trails for Mexican artists. Even as the musical landscape is constantly evolving, Peso shows us why he is what Latin music needs right now.

Hot off the release of his fourth studio album, Éxodo, Peso felt like royalty on Sunday. He began the show with “La Patrulla” from the latest album, while sitting on a black and gold throne. This lavish intro set the stage for a night of theatrics — a show divided into four acts and a grand finale. Much of the first act featured some of his global hits, including “AMG” and “Siempre Pendientes.” He closed the act smiling at the audience, letting them know they were in for a hell of a show.

In Act 2, Peso performed some of his sadder, downtempo tracks, “Por Las Noches” — one of his signature solo songs, detailing the one-sided nature of a relationship — and “Bye” — an emotional, deep-cutting breakup ballad. Toward the end, the act took an upbeat turn, closing with “Ella Baila Sola,” a viral collaboration with Eslabon Armado, which has proven to be Peso’s biggest hit. Before switching things up, he gave a kiss to the audience through the big screen. Peso turned up the heat in Act 3, with more rhythmic and dance-driven tracks, such as “QLONA” and “La Bebe,” as well as the Cardi B collaboration, “Put ‘Em in the Fridge,” and the reggaeton-fueled “Tommy & Pamela.”

Act 4 was composed of many fan-favorites including “Hollywood,” “PRC,” and the two-part track, “La People.” During this portion of the show, Peso paid homage to the Mexican artists who came before him, like Joan Sebastian, Jenni Rivera, Valentin Elizalde, and many others. Afterwards, he spotlighted a new generation of Mexican artists, like Eslabon Armado, Junior H, and of course, himself.

The final act comprised of some of his newer hits: “Lady Gaga,” and the DJ Snake collaboration, “TEKA.” Dancers with red flares surrounded Peso, symbolizing a triumphant closing, maintaining the perseverant spirit encapsulated within the Latinidad.

The late 2010s and early 2020s saw a wide range of global artists dominating the charts, when artists like Bad Bunny and Ozuna became some of the most easily recognized voices in mainstream music. While reggaeton acts continue to maintain a firm hold on pop culture, Peso reminds us that modern Latin music is more than reggaeton.

Peso definitely has reggaeton tracks in his catalog, but much of his discography recalls a regional Mexican sound, with a modern touch: live instrumentation, featuring accordions, horns and guitars, drive the Peso Pluma experience.

Pop radio might indicate a shift toward country, notably with artists like Jelly Roll and Morgan Wallen at the forefront, but the dominance of Latin music isn’t going anywhere. A report by Luminate indicates that in the first half of 2024, streams for Latin music increased by 15.1%, making it the fastest-growing genre of music in the U.S. But like pop, hip-hop, country and rock, Latin music contains many facets, and Pluma represents a region often overlooked within the mainstream landscape.

The Éxodo tour is a fully executed experience, with theatrics and perseverance at the foundation. Though Peso was seated for a good portion of the show, due to an injury from a previous performance, he maintained a strong command of the crowd, and still delivered some moves when he could. This marked his second performance in North Texas in just over a week — the previous being at American Airlines Center on July 20, after being pushed back due to the NBA Finals. As he managed to pack North Texas venues twice within the same month, Peso continues to level up in his performance craft.

With Latin music in high demand, Peso is preserving a component of Latin music — traditional Mexican sounds — and ensuring it won’t fade away. At 25 years old, Peso shows that he is a student of the Mexican artists that came before him, and a key driver of Latin music’s future.