Chimbala attends Premios Juventud 2021 at Watsco Center on July 19, 2021 in Coral Gables, Florida.
Jason Koerner/GI
Dembow is having a moment, and hopping on the wave is pioneer Chimbala (real name: Leury José Tejeda Brito), who is recruiting colleagues for a forthcoming “bajo mundo” festival in New York, Billboard has learned.
Produced and presented by MTW Live, “Chimbala y El Movimiento” will gather renowned artists and newcomers in the flourishing dembow genre, including Bulova, Chucky 73, Dowba Montana, Juhn, Aventura’s Lenny & Max, Mozart La Para, Alex Sensation and Insuperable, with more performers to be announced in the coming weeks.
“Chimbala is an advocate of his colleagues and peers,” Diana Dotel, event organizer and founder of MTW Live, tells Billboard. “I wanted to always create shows in dembow but back in the days it was really underground. Chimbala loves and believes in this genre so much that I’m glad that we can do this and that it came together.”
The event is set to take place on March 26 at the staple United Palace in New York’s Washington Heights.
“I think it’s time,” Dotel elaborates. “This music has been around for a while and now it’s going mainstream. The only way the genre can evolve is by doing these types of shows and opening the doors so that these artists can begin touring. I think this event is going to help the expansion of the genre.”
But New York is only the beginning.
“We want to take it to several markets, and really push forward these guys that have been doing it for so long,” she adds. “There’s a reason so many artists are tapping into this rhythmic and provocative genre [Anuel, Rosalia, Myke Towers]. There’s definitely a lot of plans to keep growing.”
Tickets for Chimbala y El Movimiento are already on sale at ticketmaster.com.