Sporting flashy streetwear and shocks of pastel hair, Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Jhay Cortez is one of the most recognizable artists in reggaeton — but when it comes to his burgeoning celebrity status, the Bad Bunny collaborator would rather lie low and keep the sunglasses on, please.
“Artists lose their magic when they reveal too much,” he says, tapping the square frames that mask his face. Video-chatting from a studio in Los Angeles, Cortez has just completed production on his sophomore LP, “Timelezz.” Due Sept. 3, the 17-track collection further evolves his identity as an artist, floating beyond his tropical comfort zone and through the liminal spaces between pop, electronica and hip-hop.
“I wanted to go beyond the Puerto Rican sound and make music for everyone,” he says. “Anything that makes you dance can be universal.”Raised between his native Puerto Rico and Camden, N.J., Cortez, now 28, made a name for himself as a songwriter-composer for first-wave reggaeton MCs like Tito El Bambino and Yandel.
this mf sounds exactly like everyone else
saveanhar