Caloncho

The Latin Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Caloncho was born as Óscar Alfonso Castro on December 20, 1986 in Obregón, Sonora. Raised in western Mexico, he began playing drums and guitar as a child, developing a rhythmic style inspired by reggae, rock, pop, and urban music. His debut EP, Homeotermo, was released in 2011, followed two years later by the follow-up record Fruta. Caloncho received widespread critical acclaim for Fruta, which earned a Latin Grammy nomination for "Best Alternative Album" in 2014. The record also won a pair of Indie-O Music Awards that same year. A full-length album, Fruta (Vol. II), followed in 2015 and quickly went platinum. Caloncho's second album, Bálsamo, was released in 2016, introducing an expanded sonic palette that included synthesizers, R&B influences, and 1980s-inspired pop arrangements. Bálsamo went gold in Mexico, driven in part by the popularity of the single "Optimista." Caloncho released two EPs in 2019 — a studio effort, Pa, and a live record, Desde los árboles (En directo desde el desierto — before forming the group Vacación with fellow songwriter David Aguila. When the group's 2020 tour was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Caloncho returned to his solo material, releasing non-album singles like "Malvado," "Epitafio," and "Luna Completa" later that year.