Exclusive ACL Interview: Chuwí on Bad Bunny, Puerto Rican Pride, and Finding Their Sound

Chuwí

From the coastal town of Isabela, Puerto Rico, to sharing stages with Bad Bunny, Chuwí is redefining what it means to make music from the island. The indie quartet, comprised of siblings Wilfredo "Willy" Aldarondo, Lorén Aldarondo, and Wester Aldarondo, along with close friend Adrián López, has quickly become one of Puerto Rico’s most exciting rising acts, known for fusing soulful melodies, experimental production, and a deep sense of Caribbean identity. With 7.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Chuwí is clearly resonating far beyond their island roots. Their impact was cemented even further when they appeared on Bad Bunny’s sixth solo album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, lending their voice to the hit single “WELTiTA,” which climbed to #8 on U.S. Latin charts.  Chuwí continues to push creative boundaries, blending indie, funk, and alt-Latin sounds into something entirely their own. As the group steps into a new era, their sound isn’t just resonating across Puerto Rico; it’s echoing far beyond.

Is this your first time at ACL?

Lorén Aldarondo: It’s our first festival ever. In Puerto Rico, there are festivals, but obviously not to this scale, so we are seeing people perform that we have listened to for years. It has been really good.

You’re fresh off releasing your new single, and of course, your feature on Bad Bunny’s “WELTiTA” caught everyone’s attention. How has this moment felt for you as a band, coming into ACL with that kind of momentum?

Willy Aldarondo: It’s exciting but overwhelming, a mix of everything. We are adapting as we progress, so we will see where that takes us.

Lorén Aldarondo: Yeah, and it has been very crazy to see really incredible artists that we admire, and then we see the set list and they're there with us. We are sharing stages with incredible artists; it’s a little trippy! We don't feel that huge.

Wester Aldarondo: Performing-wise, we didn't know what to expect. We weren't expecting anything, and I think it broke all expectations. It was great!

What did performing at Bad Bunny's 'Una Más' residency finale mean to Chuwí, especially in terms of representing Puerto Rican culture on such a massive stage? 

Willy Aldarondo: It’s just unreal that we get to be part of maybe the biggest place where Puerto Rico has ever projected what it is in history, probably. I don't know, it's just crazy. 

Wester Aldarondo: We are super grateful he even considered to show case our sound on such a big stage. That was very surprising and shocking.

When people see you live, there’s so much energy, percussion, harmonies, emotion. What do you hope the crowd at ACL takes away from your set?

Chuwí performing at ACL

Willy Aldarondo: I just hope they take away feelings, not necessarily positive or negative, but that they can come to our set and feel like they’re in a good space to engage with their emotions and take that away and feel what we feel when we wrote the songs.

So much of your music speaks to migration, independence, and gentrification. How do you balance telling deeply local Puerto Rican stories while also connecting with a global audience?

Lorén Aldarondo: This is the first time that we are really experimenting with what that would look like. The first couple of days, we have been able to share our music with different Latin communities, and that's where they understand it. They might not understand this location or this government's regime name, but they understand the sentiment behind the struggle.

Willy Aldarondo: When we are making our songs, we always try to approach it from that angle. How it feels, what it makes me feel like, and what it makes us feel like. Hopefully, that helps people connect with it more without being so specific to Puerto Rico.

Wester Aldarondo: I think Puerto Rico's struggle is also a struggle of Latin America. Even more out of Latin America, I feel other people could understand that. Especially in places where they have been forced to be displaced. 

You’re siblings and close friends,  what does your creative process look like in the studio? Is it more structured, or do ideas just flow naturally from jamming together?

Willy Aldarondo: It’s usually like in a living room! [Willy Laughs]

Adrián López: I think the flow is more... I’m a very analogy person. I’m just going to say it. Sometimes someone brings the egg. Sometimes someone brings the chicken already hatched. Depending on what stage you bring it, we all get our hands on it, but also respecting who the original father is.

After ACL, what’s next? Are there any new collaborations, visuals, or maybe even an album we can look forward to?

Lorén Aldarondo: We are currently on our first we are calling it the Chuwí mini tour because it’s on the East Coast. Coming next, we are going to have a show in New York, Philadelphia, Massachusetts, and Miami. That’s tour-wise but...

Willy Aldarondo: We are going to release our album before the year ends.

You’re sharing a lineup with some of music’s biggest names. Was there anyone you were especially excited to catch while you were here?

Willy Aldarondo: The Strokes. The Killers. It was my dream, my entire life, to see them live. It’s crazy! I didn’t know they were going to play until yesterday.

Lorén Aldarondo: Olivia Dean for me.

Wester Aldarondo: I want to see Mk.gee tonight. I’m very excited.

Adrián López: I’m kinda just vibbing. I didn’t have anyone particularly, but I saw The Strokes, and it was great.

Do y’all have any pre-show rituals or routines, either together or individually, that help y'all feel grounded before stepping on stage? 

Wester Aldarondo: Go to the restroom [Wester laughs]

Willy Aldarondo: Vocal warm-ups. Sometimes we do them all together. Loréna always has to do the vocal warm-ups. That’s the most consistent ritual we have before the show.