Usted Señalemelo introduces Spanish indie rock and new album “Tripolar” to Chicago.

With the completion of their last U.S. tour stop and being the first Argentine band to play Lollapalooza, the trio Usted Señalemelo is expanding the scene of Spanish indie rock. 

Band members Lucca Beguerie Petrich, Juan Mango, and Gabriel Orozco’s first Lolla performances in Argentina and Chile led to the milestone of performing at the festival in Grant Park. 

Drummer Petrich described it as a dream to claim the U.S. as their third country to play the festival in. Usted Señalemelo carried the honor of introducing Argentine rock to Americans, but translating the language and music is a difficult balance to master. 

“Our language here is in the music. Sometimes the people here don’t understand the words we sing, but it’s fun to connect with music or dance,” said guitarist Orozco. “ I love to play in another culture and country that doesn’t speak our language. It’s beautiful.”  

Lucca Beguerie Petrich, Juan Mango, and Gabriel Orozco began releasing music at the ages of 17 and 18. The band members have seen each other’s personalities grow through their journey as musicians. Photo by Varun Khushalani.

Interactions between longtime fans and new listeners became memorable moments for the band. Embracing their own Latine culture has allowed the group to build parasocial relationships with their fans and share common backgrounds. 

Usted Señalmelo has the authentic sound of Argentine rock. The country is known for its top rock bands like Soda Stereo with lead singer Gustavo Cerati and legendary artist Luis Alberto Spinetta. 

The band’s fusion of genres was sparked from their background of reggaeton, hip-hop, electronic, jazz and pop. 

Owning the rich history of rock that lives in Argentina and experimenting with its different variations has kept the band’s albums ever-changing. Petrich, Mango and Orozco have been creating albums since 2015, allowing them to grow up alongside their music.

Orozco describes the changes in the trio’s albums as eras. He welcomes different phases and situations of life and allows those experiences to work their way into the music and capture the emotion.

“The music is like photos of our moments,” said Petrich. 

The band’s mix of musical styles was recognized at this year’s Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) when Usted Señalemelo won the Discovery Award.

The LAMC has been around for 24 years and is the largest Latin music conference in the U.S. The conference is considered the “Sundance of Latin music” by the New York Times and strives to make the alternative mainstream. 

Usted Señalemelo received an electric, bass and acoustic guitar when they won Discovery Artist at the LAMC awards. Photo by Varun Khushalani.

Winning and becoming an LAMC honoree was a type of intimate recognition for the group. The conference highlights a variety of artists that inspire Usted Señalemelo and expresses the need for Latine identity in the industry.

“I think maybe 10 years ago it was a little more difficult, but now with all the music in Spanish like reggaeton and those kinds of artists, it’s helping us break that wall with the language,” said Petrich.

The influence of Hispanic musicians like Rosalía and Charly Garcia have encouraged the group to create new melodies that are sure to impress admiring fans and fellow musicians. Their newest album, “Tripolar,” has 13 tracks and can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. The album will be the first step into indie music for some, or reminiscent of classic rock for those who aren’t so new to the game.

Photo Coverage of Lollapalooza Festival by Varun Khushalani.

Header by Rafa Villamar