Meme Del Real Ignites His Own Path: From Café Tacvba to La Montaña Encendida

When Meme Del Real walked back into The SoCal Sound studios, it felt like a reunion. A bit longer than a year ago, Meme was here alongside his legendary band Café Tacvba, one of Mexico’s most innovative and genre-defying groups. For this visit, the acclaimed keyboardist, songwriter, and producer returned not as part of an ensemble — but as a solo artist discussing his new albume La Montaña Encedida with Nic Harcourt and performing 4 songs in and exclusive acoustic setting.

From Café Tacvba to La Montaña Encendida

Beginning the episode with host Nic Harcourt, Meme opened up about his creative journey and the genesis of his first solo record, La Montaña Encendida (“The Burning Mountain”). During the pandemic, Del Real and his family left the bustling Mexico City for the peaceful natural surroundings of Valle de Bravo — a move that had profound inspiration on Meme's solo music.

“I started playing without the idea of making a demo for the band,” he said. “I was just creating — and suddenly these songs showed me something different.”

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Encouraged by longtime Café Tacvba producer Elyas, Meme decided to trust those instincts and craft something personal, distinct from the collective process that defined his decades with Café Tacvba. The result is an album rich with sonic exploration and introspection, blending analog warmth, textured synths, and poetic storytelling.

Learning to Step Forward

Though Meme famously sang the Café Tacvba classic “Eres” from Cuatro Caminos, La Montaña Encendida marks his first full-length project as the primary vocalist and creative lead.

“I’m learning — sometimes in a terrifying way — what it is to be a frontman,” he admitted with a smile. “But the songs are holding me. I trust them.”

For Del Real, going solo also means embracing the digital era’s challenges — from how music reaches listeners to how artists connect across borders. Yet, through his thoughtful lyrics and layered arrangements, Meme’s artistry continues to bridge cultures, just as Café Tacvba has done for decades.

Back to Mexico City, Forward with Inspiration

After the move living so close to nature, Meme recently returned to Mexico City with his wife and children — a move driven by both practicality and inspiration.

“Nature showed me a new way of understanding my ecosystem,” he reflected, “but the city… it’s a company. You love it and you hate it, but it’s part of you.”

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That duality — between chaos and calm, isolation and community — courses through La Montaña Encendida, an album born from introspection but made to be shared.

The SoCal Sound Connection

Fans of Latin alternative and bilingual music can catch more from Meme Del Real and other genre-pushing artists on Bilingual Sounds, The SoCal Sound’s HD3 station dedicated to Latin and multilingual music discovery. It’s a natural home for Del Real’s new material, which continues to blur the lines between pop, experimental, and cultural identity.

After this session, Bilingual Sounds hosted a member-invite only Listening party of Meme's album at Arroz and Fun in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, complete with a short Q&A afterwards.

Meme’s visit to The SoCal Sound marks both a return and a rebirth — proof that artists are constantly evolving and pushing the boundaries of creative expression.

La Montaña Encedida is available to stream anywhere you get music from DOCEMIL MUISC/HYBE Latin America