For the rising artist Cuco, life lately has been sweet and something to devour. Maybe because it was still 90 degrees nearing October in Houston, just days ahead of his show Saturday on the lawn at White Oak Music Hall, it got us thinking about paletas, the popular Mexican frozen treats. We asked Cuco if his music was a paleta, which flavor might it be?
“Limón, man, limón,” he said with a chuckle. “That’s it. It’s classic, it’s always reliable. Timeless.”
Anyone following Cuco’s journey might agree. His bilingual blend of sounds might be simplified as indie pop, but the 27 year-old California singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has created something limón-like by wheeling Chicano soul into the TikTok era. Check out the dreamy, creamy stuff he’s delivering on Ridin’, his latest album of bedroom pop songs, and you might want to call him “El Paletero.”
“I’ve always kind of leaned into the romantic music and I’ve been kind of a fan of soul music growing up. I think part of being a fan of the music is if you end up making it you have a good ear to know what makes a good song,” he said. “Making a soul record, I kind of knew what I wanted it to sound like, what makes a good soul record but what makes my music my music and finding that middle ground.
“I feel like, when it comes to music, I can be a little like a polyglot. I feel like I’m pretty good at capturing all the different textures and essence, even like the small little discrepancies in every genre.”
Cuco’s journey started the way many music success stories do in this day and age, with a social media following that blossomed thanks to his hustle. Like a popsicle vendor, he kept coming around, with new flavors for fans to savor. But he said the trek hasn’t always been smooth. Like many music success stories in this day and age, he’s also had to overcome some challenges.
“It’s a blessing, bro. I feel lucky to be doing all this. It’s one of those things you never imagine, that it becomes your life growing up and then suddenly you’re on the road playing for a couple thousand people a night. It’s insane. It’s incredible.
“When I first started I kind of dealt with a lot of substance abuse issues, before I ever did the artist thing, and then getting into touring it’s even easier to fall into that kind of stuff, especially when you’re on the road day by day, you kind of need that social lubricant sometimes just to keep yourself going every single day. You feel like that’s kind of the solution, then you end up falling in these spirals, you go through a lot of mental stuff.
“After the pandemic, I did three years of sobriety and got into a lot better coping mechanisms, getting into more athletic activities and whatnot. Being on the road is fun, it’s been a completely different experience. Now, if a have a little beer or maybe something after the show, it’s entirely to unwind, but I’m not dealing with the same issues anymore. I have really great people around me that make it enjoyable.
“All those challenges, I feel like I overcame them. It’s not to say that there’s not going to be more challenges that might arise in the future but I think I’m in a good headspace that I’ll be able to handle things pretty well because, I don’t know, I made it this far.”
That honest answer is reflective of Cuco’s music. Even though it started in virtual ways, listeners found something real and genuine in tracks like “Lover Is a Day” and “Lo Que Siento,” two breakthrough hits. They’ve wanted to bask in something true so Cuco has taken the music on tour. Houston’s show at White Oak is one of 30 dates the artist is making this fall and shows culminate later this year with Guadalajara and Mexico City dates before a Europe jaunt early in 2026.
“I actually enjoy touring, I love it. I’m a routine person so I also do miss being home and having my routine,” he said. “Once I get in the flow of being on tour, I’m really in it and I’m super happy to be playing all the shows, it being exactly what it is, which is a blessing.
“I’ve played Guadalajara and Mexico City, so we’re super familiar with what the crowd’s like and what the vibe’s like. It’s going to be great. There’s a different intensity because I don’t frequent Mexico so much when it comes to touring, like I do in the States, which is yearly. (Mexican audiences) are very quick to be ready and anticipate everything that’s coming and welcome the whole project with open arms.”
Cuco said Texas also is no slouch when it comes to followers. A healthy dose of his 6 million monthly Spotify listeners hail from here, as witnessed by him being a featured artist on the lawn at White Oak Music Hall.
“One of our biggest followings that we have is in Texas. It’s still growing,” he added. “I like seeing, every time we go, familiar faces and new faces, where we’re able to play a bigger venue, where we’re able to sell something out. It’s already huge, I’m grateful for it, but obviously I’m ambitious so I’m hoping we can keep expanding the market out there.”
Refreshing and cool, but steeped in the classics. It’s a winning recipe. Since Cuco has just released an extended version of Ridin’, his third studio album, with six additional tracks for fans, it got us wondering whether there were some covers he’d ever want to include in an extended version of the extended version of Ridin.’
“Like songs that inspire me?” he asked. “You know, it’s funny you mentioned Malo because I have been listening to ‘Suavecito’ like a lot. I love that song super heavy. I really like ‘She Don’t Ever Lose Her Groove,’ by Latimore. ‘Always and Forever,’ Heatwave, I mean that song was just always on repeat all the time. ‘If I Should Die Tonight,’ by Marvin Gaye. Crazy, crazy replay value. ‘Can We Pretend,’ by Bill Withers.
“I deep dive super heavy. I’m chronically on YouTube, chronically on platforms just to find music,” Cuco said. Not just finding it but now delivering it, rollin’ (or Ridin’) from this place to that to deliver the cool, refreshing stuff.
Cuco’s Ridin’ Tour hits Houston Saturday, September 27 at the lawn at White Oak Music Hall, 2915 N. Main. Doors at 7 p.m. for this outdoors, standing room only show. $54.40.
Jesse Sendejas Jr.
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