Magical as it is, Disneyland at night can lead to sensory overload pretty quickly.
I think well thug it out.
Theyre very, very passionate.
But Cornejos music comes haloed with a gloomier, cooler quality.
Theres an edge to his bleeding-heart repertoire its emotion with a touch of darkness.
(Peso invited him to one of his shows and brought him out onstage.
He doesnt hold back when it comes to expressing emotion through his lyrics and his instrument.
Theres something my fans have in common: They have such a big heart.
And theyre very, very passionate.
But although Cornejo is reserved, it always feels as though theres a lot more brewing under the surface.
Hes also very, very sensitive.
His parents listened to some of Mexicos most tender-hearted balladeers: Juan Gabriel, Jose Jose, Emmanuel.
It was definitely scary, he says.
In the beginning and the early stages of singing, I was very intimidated about it.
But Cornejo always felt like he had something to say.
Hed jot down his observations, his feelings, his brief experiences with young romance.
Cornejos more alternative side also means he can take musica mexicanas DNA and shape it into something new.
Such an unreal moment, he says, still looking bewildered months later.
It turns out the guy is wearing a hoodie from the Terapia Tour.
Cornejo pulls his hat down lower and strides up to them.
I like your hoodie, he tells the guy.
Thanks, he replies absently but his girlfriend lets out a huge gasp.
It turns out, its her sweater and shes a huge fan.
All three of them take turns taking photos, and then Cornejo makes his way back to the group.
His fan base only seems to be growing, and theres a lot more in store.
Within seconds, were loaded up and buckled in.
The ride technician pulls the handle and we take off, all the swings soaring off the ground.
Someone lets out a gleeful scream, but I cant tell if its Cornejo.
I just know hes somewhere out there, no longer earthbound, rising higher and higher.
This scene is pretty reminiscent of Cornejos childhood.
Alfonso settled in California after coming from Michoacan at 17.
At one point, he caught a glimpse of Teresa in the mirror, and everything changed.
The next time he was in Mexico, he asked her father for permission to propose to her.
Alfonso and Teresa settled in North Hollywood and had their first son, Joel.
They later moved to Riverside, where they had Pamela a little more than a year later.
Ivan, the baby of the family, was born 10 years after.
Good job,mijo, Alfonso remembers saying in his even tone.
Those early songs actually got a lot of attention, attracting a sizable following of fans.
Eventually, when he was about 16, he decided to try singing, too.
Alfonso would bang on the window to get his sons attention: Its time to go to sleep!
Around then, a man who had seen Cornejos Instagram approached him about playing his first show.
The man, it turned out, was associated with a musica mexicana label in Texas.
He headlined for 72,000 in Houston.
Maybe theyre here for the rodeo, he worried.
His mom was instantly worried, and her instincts werent exactly wrong.
Ivan was talking to potential labels and managers on his own, even though he was only a teen.
Pamela was midway through college at the time, majoring in nursing with a minor in psychology.
She listened to her mothers concerns, but didnt necessarily share them.
And I felt like whatever he had going on was a lot more important.
Pamela decided there and then to leave college and help Ivan.
Honestly, it wasnt like a sacrifice for me, and I told him, Dont feel guilt.
After almost a year into the process, Ivan formally asked Pamela to be his manager.
Cornejo is quiet for a second as hes thinking about his sister.
And that was my parents main worry.
Cornejo was just 17 when he releasedAlma Vaciain 2021.
The process for that one was completely different than how I normally do it now, he explains.
It was just me and my cousin in a studio.
I think that was my first-ever professionally shot video, Cornejo says.
He remembers feeling wildly nervous.
It was Jhay Cortez.
It was just so much all at once.
The remix made Cornejo even bigger.
The album kicked off a slew of big moments; one of the most unbelievable was meeting Bad Bunny.
It was at a crazy time it was his afterparty forUn Verano Sin Ti, Cornejo says.
[He told me], I listen to you!
Other stars Cornejo would love to meet?
Cano, the corridos tumbados pioneer.
Then, in August 2023, he signed with Interscope.
Seroussi had been a Cornejo fan since his first album and understood what it meant for regional Mexican music.
It was like, Holy crap.
I think it didnt really hit me until I was out there onstage, he says, laughing.
I was sure half of them were going to leave, but that wasnt the case.
His parents were there that day; so were a bunch of his friends.
Cornejo tries to bring them along whenever he can.
It helps me stay grounded.
Thats one thing I wouldnt want to change.
Cornejo is still in Los Angeles when we catch up at the end of January.
The announcement came as the devastating wildfires broke out across Los Angeles.
He plans to donate some of the money from his ticket sales to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation.
It just felt like such a topic that was so close to home.
The least I can do is give a portion from the tour funds.
In early December, he caught Billie Eilish at the Kia Forum, and hes still buzzing about it.
Its all real emotion, he explains.
We naturally just aim for these very melancholy, eerie sounds.
He was floored from the second Eilish opened the show with Chihiro.
Hes learning to take fame in stride.
Recently, TikTok videos alleging Cornejo doesnt write his own music swirled around the platform.
Richard Vega, his agent at WME, has seen how much hes evolved.
Grooming byMELISSA DEZARATEatA-FRAME AGENCYusingLA MER.
Produced byPATRICIA BILOTTIatPBNY PRODUCTIONS.
Line Producer:JESSIKA YOSHIKAWA.
Production manager:STEFANIE BOCKENSTETTE.
Set design byROMAIN GOUDINOUXatBRYANT ARTISTS.
Cinematographer:JAY SWUEN.
First assistant camera:MIKE LEMNITZER.
Second assistant camera and data manager:MICHELLE SUH.
Gaffer:GABE SANDOVAL.
Key grip:EDGAR R. ARAGON.
G&E swing:MOE ALKAYED.
Field audio:CHUCK HENDY.
Photographic assistance:KENNY CASTROandJEREMY ERIC SINCLAIR.
Digital technician:ARON NORMAN.
Styling assistance:PAULINA MENDEZ.
Production assistance:ROBSON PEREIRA.
Leadmen:JOHN ARMSTRONGandDERREK BROWN.
Set-design assistance:MATT WILLITS.Postproduction:SPENCER PATZMANatCOSM FILMS.Colorist: CAMERON MARYGOLD.Photo retouching:PICTUREHOUSE + THE SMALLDARKROOM.
