Argentina and Uruguay are two nations with deep roots cumbia. Throughout history, artists of the genre have emerged from both sides of the Río de la Plata, becoming the soundtrack of daily life for millions of families in both countries.
Over the past year, this heritage has been further enhanced by Valentino Merlo and The La Planta. At 15 years old, Merlo has already established himself as one of the most distinctive voices on the Argentine music scene. Hailing from the city of Rosario, Santa Fe, Merlo debuted on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 in 2024, ultimately placing four songs in its top 10 throughout the year: “Tu Foto” featuring Q'Lokura, “Princesa ” with Paulo Londra. and Luck Ra, “Si Un Día Estás Sola” featuring Emanero and Big One and “Hoy” featuring The La Planta.
Merlo (left) and The La Planta.
Tute Delcroix
Tute Delcroix
Nicolás Choca, better known as The La Planta, is widely recognized as one of the leading figures of Uruguayan Cumbia. His music, which resonates in both Argentina and Uruguay as of 2020, includes the hits “Mil Preguntas” and “A Prueba de Balas” (which peaked at No. 10 and No. 27 on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 , respectively), “Quiero Llorar” featuring MYA and “Lo Mismo Que A Mi”.
Merlo and The La Planta's first and only collaboration to date, “Hoy” is a cumbia reinterpretation of a classic song originally composed by Peruvian artist Gian Marco and popularized by Gloria Estefan in 2003.
Released in May, it became an instant hit, garnering over 230 million views on Merlo's official YouTube channel, making it one of the most viewed Argentine songs of the year on the platform. “Hoy” debuted on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 the week of May 25 (one week after its official release) and peaked at No. 1 the week of July 6th. The song held that position for 11 consecutive weeks, setting the record for the highest national chart performance of 2024 at the time.
