Morat

Morat is a Colombian folk-pop quartet from Bogotá featuring childhood friends Juan Pablo Villamil Cortés (voice, banjo), Juan Pablo Isaza Piñeros (voice, guitar), Alejandro Posada Carrasco (percussion), and Simón Vargas Morales (bass). Their sound melds contemporary and folk instruments with expert songwriting that walks the edges of traditional folk, hook-laden pop, rock & roll, cumbia, vallenato, and more, evidenced by their 2016 debut long-player Sobre el Amor y Sus Efectos Secundarios. The album showcased a bright, sunny, anthemic sound, complete with four-part harmonies and smooth organic production. Their singles and albums have charted across Latin America and have made inroads in the U.S. In five short years, they netted a Latin Grammy nod, won four Cadena Dial Awards, and have been certified gold and platinum numerous times. Their sophomore outing, 2017′s Balas Perdidas, boasted the smash “Besos en Guerro” in collaboration with Juanes. 2021′s double platinum A Dónde Vamos boasted four charting singles including “Bajo La Mesa” with Sebastian Yatra. 2022′s Si Ayer Fuera Hoy was certified gold upon release, while its two collaborative singles — “506” (Juanes), and “Salir Con Vida” (Feid)– charted internationally. In December 2023, Morat released the Antes de Que Amanezca EP. In February 2024, a special edition appeared as an ambient collaboration with Berlin-based sound wellness company Endel. Morat was formed in 2015 by childhood friends Juan Pablo Villamil Cortés (voice, banjo), Juan Pablo Isaza Piñeros (voice, guitar), Alejandro Posada Carrasco (percussion), and Simón Vargas Morales (bass). Their sound combines what Billboard called “Perfect summer road trip pop in Spanish, with banjo adding an Americana touch.” The band was assembled when these friends and classmates graduated from high school. They made their recorded debut with the 2015 single “Mi Nuevo Vicio,” whose version with Paulina Rubio reached the charts not only in Colombia but also in Spain (number one) and Mexico as well as inside the Top 20 on the Latin Songs Airplay chart. They followed with the EP Grabado en Madera, that included the chart-topping digital single “Cómo Te Atreves.” Their debut long-player for Universal, Sobre el Amor y Sus Efectos Secundarios, included no follow-up singles. While on a promotional tour, they began writing their second album. A slew of singles hit the airwaves and streaming services including “Del Estadio al Cielo,” “Amor con Hielo,” and “Ladrona.” In April of 2017, “Se Que Te Duele,” a collaborative single with Alejandro Fernandez, peaked inside the Top 50 on the Hot Latin Songs chart, followed by the full-length Sobre el Amor y Sus Efectos Secundario...Y Unas Cuantas Cosas Más in June. It peaked at number five on Spain’s album charts and was certified gold and later platinum. It netted them a Latin Grammy nomination and its singles, including “Cómo Te Atreves” were all certified five-times platinum. After wildly successful tours of Spain, Colombia, and Argentina, Morat re-entered the studio. Throughout 2017 and 2018, singles and videos were released, among them “Amor con Hielo,” “Yo Contigo, Tú Conmigo” (feat. Alvaro Soler), and “Besos en Guerra” (feat. Juanes), and all were certified multi-platinum and charted across Latin America. In 2018, Morat released their sophomore long-player, Balas Perdidas. Its title-track single reached number one in Mexico, followed by gold and platinum certifications, tours of Mexico, the U.S., and Latin America. They also received a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Album. Throughout 2019, Morat delivered singles and videos that registered at radio and on You Tube. They started 2020 with “No Termino” and followed with “Nunca Te Olvide”; both landed on the airplay charts in Spain, Argentina, and Mexico. In the early spring, just as COVID-19 was shutting down the globe, Morat released the single “Bajo La Mesa” (feat. Sebastian Yatra) and followed it in May with “La Bella y La Bestia” in collaboration with Reik. In 2021, they issued the chart-topping, 14-track A Dónde Vamos. Certified double platinum in Europe and gold in the United States, it boasted four charting singles including “Idiota” in collaboration with Danna Paola. They hit the road for nine months. Si Ayer Fuera Hoy appeared at the end of 2022; certified gold in the U.S. and Spain, it reached number two on the Top Latin albums chart and spent 14 weeks on the list. Morat continued to release charting singles in 2023, including “Someone I Used to Know” with James TW. In December they compiled all six as the Antes de Que Amanezca EP. In January 2024 they released “Perderme,” an original contribution to the soundtrack for the television series Zorro. In February they issued a special 90-minute, ambient digital edition of Antes De Que Amanezca [Endels Sleep Soundscape] in collaboration with Berlin-based sleep wellness sound company Endel. In April, Morat released the single “Faltas Tú,” showcasing a new, more rock-based pop sound; it hit the Colombian, Spanish, and Mexican charts within a week of release. ~ Thom Jurek