Music
Tornillo’s rap and DannyLux’s sierreño electrify Red Bull SoundClash
Here’s everything that went down at Red Bull SoundClash Los Angeles.
Despite their polar opposite musical styles, DannyLux and Tornillo have one thing in common: they have Mexican blood running through their musical veins. They also knew exactly how to hype their Latino community up at Red Bull SoundClash in Los Angeles, California (November 2). The audience lit up throughout the event whenever the artists called out for ¡Viva México! chants – giving them a sense of camaraderie even as they faced each other over an intense four-round competition.
Besides their similarities, the artists come from two completely different upbringings: DannyLux was born in Palm Springs, California, while Tornillo hails from San Luis Potosí, Mexico. DannyLux’s repertoire exudes sad sierreño, romantic ballads, and a melancholic innovation that ties regional Mexican music with folk music; while Tornillo’s hard-hitting rap flow on top of his exhilarating hip-hop/rap beats show a complete 180 on what Mexican music has to offer. These genre opposites made this year’s Red Bull SoundClash event one of the most thrilling to experience from the get-go – and based on the audience’s excitement and the event’s Decibel Meter, the pairing went beyond musical and creativity expectations.
Red Bull SoundClash Los Angeles
© Natalie Somekh
Upon arrival, a line of people wrapped around the corner as they waited to get inside the event despite the Pico Rivera night’s cold breeze. There were even people still in the box office line hoping to snag a ticket. The event attracted a multi-generational crowd: from young parents with their children, to the Gen Z crowd taking photos with special influencer guests roaming around the outdoor arena. Special TikTok stars and content creators like Trino and Adam, and Leo González were part of the stellar guest list, but perhaps one of the most surprising invitees was UFC fighter Raúl Rosas Jr. who took photos with fans that lined up for his attention in the arena’s surrounding bleachers. (But we’ll get the reason behind his appearance later.)
Tornillo started the Warm Up round with hits like “Me Pelo Pa'l Gabacho,” “Montecarlo,” and “Criminales,” setting up the tone of his rap excellence. DannyLux came in hot with his hits like “AMBICIÓN,” and “ZAFIRO” bringing in special guest Camila’s Pablo Hurtado on the guitar. Based on this start, it’s like both artists knew they’d have to pull out all the stops to rock the Decibel Meter the loudest – and neither held back throughout the stimulating competition.
Red Bull SoundClash Los Angeles
© Natalie Somekh
On The Cover round (Round 1), the Mexican stars showcased their individual creativity by covering popular songs. For example, Tornillo’s originality took him to cover the iconic salsa hit “El Día De Mi Suerte,” made popular by Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe. DannyLux shot back with his soothing alternative rock cover of Argentinean rock band Enanitos Verdes’ “Lamento Boliviano,” getting the crowd to sing along to the famous tune. Tornillo came back on stage, singing Santa Fe Klan and Lefty SM’s “Por Mi México,” giving tribute to the late Lefty SM and all his rapper colleagues. During this stint, the rapper took it to the next level by inviting the Rosas Jr. – also known as El Niño Problema – to hype the crowd on stage. DannyLux stood his ground with a heartfelt cover of iconic Mexican band Café Tacvba’s fan-favorite track “Quiero Ver.” At the end of the first round, the crowd’s applause declared a tie.
Round 2 – better known as The Takeover – featured the artists connecting their hits to their opponent’s. In this round, DannyLux’s “CIUDAD DEL SOL” opened the pathway for Tornillo to respond with his banger “Cypher.” DannyLux then performed “FRACASO.” This round ultimately went to Tornillo, who thrilled the audience with his wordplay and his consistent energetic stage presence that went beyond a singing performance. Throughout the event, he had his crew dancing multiple genres and spray painting – demonstrating what Mexican rap culture has to offer.
Red Bull SoundClash Los Angeles
© Daniel Topete
Round 3 continued with exceptional reimagined versions of both artist's popular songs during The Clash. This round especially captivated the audiences’ attention, as they marveled at the artists’ new song versions. DannyLux – who had a consistent rockstar vibe on stage – reimagined his hit song “Si Supieras” to a rock anthem by adding an electronic guitar solo to the mix. He also reconstructed “EL HOMBRE PERFECTO” from bachata to reggae; and “ATRAPADO” from his signature, emotional sierreño to a rhythmic cumbia. To fight back, Tornillo turned his emotional ballad “No Te Alejes De Mi” into a rhythmic cumbia. He also completely reconstructed his entrancing and romantic hip-hop track “Ven A Mi” to a salsa tune. He ended his set with “Nena Ven” by stripping its original hip-hop swag and instead, embracing an acoustic guitar-forward sound. The round’s winner was Tornillo, who maintained the event’s lead thus far.
The festivities were far from over. During the last round called The Wildcard, both artists had more surprises up their sleeves. For the Palm Springs native’s wildcard, he was joined by Eslabon Armado’s vocalist Pedro Tovar for the hit “Dame Tu Calor,” causing a thrill in the crowd. Tornillo bounced back by inviting Cypress Hill’s B-Real on stage for his wildcard. The two artists sang the iconic rapper’s track “Yo Quiero Fumar,” causing a frenzy in the audience. Based on the Decibel Meter, DannyLux took the round. However, it was not enough to take the championship – Tornillo won the title 3-2.
Red Bull SoundClash Los Angeles
© Daniel Topete
The final songs brought the crowd together, as they celebrated not only Tornillo’s win but Mexican excellence. DannyLux performed “Jugaste y Sufrí,” followed by his EDM gem “HOUSE OF LUX,” which was one of the highlights of the whole event. Tornillo ended the event on a high note by performing his hit songs “Morena 420,” and the crowd-pleaser “Un Día Todo Se Termina,” which fans echoed back to the rapper on stage.
Though the two artists went against each other, they praised each other’s talents and vibed to their songs between sets. Tornillo won the championship belt that night, but who really won was the audience who were reminded once again why their Latino roots should always be celebrated.