MANUEL TURIZO becomes the voice of heartache “EL DESPERTADOR” Ft. LOS ÁNGELES AZULES 

Colombian star Manuel Turizo immerses himself fully in cumbia with the release of his new single El Despertador, a heartfelt collaboration with the legendary Mexican group Los Ángeles Azules, which has a legacy spanning over four decades and has established itself as the most important cumbia band in the world. The song, a romantic and bittersweet farewell to a soul-crushing love, marks Turizo’s return to the traditional sounds of Latin America.

“It’s a song for those who keep moving forward, even if inside they haven’t fully woken up again,” shares Turizo, a lifelong fan of the iconic Mexican band. “This opportunity means a lot to me personally. Cumbia is the music of my homeland, but Los Ángeles Azules have made it a sound for the world,” he said regarding the global phenomenon the group represents, as it ranks among the Top 500 most-listened-to artists worldwide on Spotify, with 16 million monthly listeners.

With El Despertador, Turizo reconnects with his musical roots, following the global success of his record-breaking hits La Bachata and El Merengue, which topped charts across the world.

While he’s often seen singing classic cumbias on social media, El Despertador marks only his second official venture into the genre. His cumbia debut came in 2024 with De Lunes a Lunes, his hit collaboration with Grupo Frontera.

The official video for El Despertador captures the essence of Manuel Turizo and the Mejía Avante brothers of Los Ángeles Azules, blending traditional elements, like classic instruments and signature dance moves, with a modern aesthetic and vibrant color palette that highlights the generational connection between both artists.

The release of El Despertador marks the culmination of a milestone summer for Turizo. He is currently performing across the globe with his 201 tour, named after his latest album. In July, he also dropped the video for Cómo Sería, his collaboration with Spanish icon Alejandro Sanz, and joined Shakira onstage as a guest performer on her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran world tour, singing their hit Copa Vacía.

Additionally, Turizo recently topped Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart in June with En Privado, his collaboration with rising Mexican star Xavi. This July, his team won the latest season of La Voz Kids in Spain. Next up for the Colombian sensation, Manuel will appear on Good Morning America for its summer concert series on Friday, August 1.

Meanwhile, Los Ángeles Azules continue to conquer international stages and festivals, with tours in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Mexico City, along with standout performances at Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Vive Latino. For the first time, they will perform in Zaragoza, Madrid, Berlin, and London, and will return to Buenos Aires for a special concert on October 25 at Parque de la Ciudad, where they will celebrate their album De Buenos Aires para el Mundo, which has amassed 1.22 billion views on YouTube since its release.