Venezuelan Artist Nacho Reveals Chyno's Label Struggles and Announces New Music with Fer Ariza: 'I'm Free Now' - EXCLUSIVE

Venezuelan artist Miguel Ignacio Mendoza, better known as Nacho, is ready to resume his solo career after a period of reunion with his inseparable partner Jesús "Chyno" Miranda . The singer has chosen a new partner for this comeback: Colombian Fer Ariza, one of the emerging voices of Latin urban pop.

In an exclusive interview with ENSTARZ and the MusicTimes, Nacho and Fer revealed how this unexpected collaboration came about, Chyno and Nacho's uncertain future, and their direct message to the millions of undocumented Latinos facing difficult times in the United States.

A dream collaboration and an unexpected return

Fer Ariza grew up listening to Chyno and Nacho's songs in Medellín. "I was about 13 when I saw them on HTV, and they were already a huge wave," recalls the singer-songwriter, who today shares a studio and microphone with one of his former idols. The meeting, Fer says, was an act of "manifestation and faith": someone on his team knew Nacho's entourage, and he didn't hesitate to share a demo, hoping that, one day, it would reach the Venezuelan artist's ears. The day finally arrived.

"I arrived really nervous, listening to Nacho's catalog on Spotify on the way to the studio," Fer admits. However, far from finding a distant star, he found a generous mentor. Nacho listened to the track, suggested new lyrics, and together they remade the song, an urban modern merengue titled Love Pa Ti No Hay. "We did it without egos, simply for the art of it," Fer assures.

Nacho, for his part, found in Fer a creative partner and an energy that, he says, he needed. "We connected because we're in a very similar place. This song has a message of self-love, of knowing when someone isn't adding up in your life. Loving your neighbor is also loving yourself," explains the Venezuelan.

There is no love for you : Urban Merengue version 2025

In this new phase, Nacho returns to his musical roots, but with a contemporary twist. The song, produced by Fer Ariza and his team, is an urban merengue with a fresh and modern sound. "I contributed the chorus and the original melody, but the production is Fer's credit. I think we achieved a very contemporary sound, one that will appeal to both longtime fans and new generations," says Nacho.

Urban merengue, a genre that Chino and Nacho popularized in the mid-2000s, is experiencing a new wave today with emerging Venezuelan and Caribbean artists. Nacho celebrates: "Many of these new artists grew up with our music. Now they bring their own vision, and we can add to it with our experience."

For Fer, who is known in Colombia as "the king of urban merengue," the collaboration is also a celebration of the cultural bridge between Colombia and Venezuela. "In the end, we are brothers. This song is a tribute to that union," he says.

Chino and Nacho's future: between contracts and freedom

Regarding the future of the iconic duo Chyno and Nacho, Nacho doesn't hide the difficulties. He explains that while he managed to free himself from the record contracts that bound him, his partner Jesús Miranda still has pending commitments with his record label. "I'm waiting for Chyno to close that cycle. Now I have the freedom to record whatever I want and with whomever I want, without asking permission to use my own voice," Nacho says honestly.

Although he acknowledges there are no set deadlines, he leaves the door open to future collaborations. "He can fulfill that commitment by recording songs with me, if he wants. Just as I fulfilled a contract by releasing an album under the name Chyno and Nacho," he explains.

However, plans to continue his international tour remain in place. "We're preparing everything," Nacho assured.

Meanwhile, Nacho plans to continue exploring his solo career and recording more tracks with Fer Ariza. In fact, the idea of a joint EP is already on the table. "We're going to go to the studio right here. Maybe this is just the beginning," Fer reveals.

A message for undocumented Latinos

Before ending the conversation, Nacho and Fer get serious. Aware of the immigration crisis and the rising deportations in the United States, both artists sent a direct message to undocumented immigrants.

"The most important thing is to continue having faith. It sounds cliché, but you have to trust in God. There are things we can't control," Fer reflects.

Nacho, who had supported President Donald Trump at an event in Miami before the election, adds: "We Latinos are the ones who move the world. We made Spanish fashionable. You can't accuse us of anything negative. We are hardworking, talented, and good people. And count on us as spokespersons to continue showing the pride of being Latino."

For them, music is also a form of resistance. "We dance, crying, worried, happy, celebrating... Always dancing. That's what we Latinos are like," Nacho concludes, smiling.

Return to the inner child

During the interview, the conversation turns to the physical appearance of both artists. Nacho's braids and Fer Ariza's hairstyle have more meaning than meets the eye. Both explain that their current looks are a reconnection with their inner child. Fer, who played drums in a punk rock band as a teenager, returned to the hairstyle his father forced him to abandon due to church rules. Nacho, meanwhile, recalls how his father, a macho and orthodox man, rejected his earrings, tattoos, and personal style.

"Growing my hair back is like coming to terms with myself," says Nacho. "I feel comfortable being who I am."

What's next: EP, tour, or both?

Although "Love Pa Ti No Hay" is just the beginning of this partnership, Nacho and Fer haven't ruled out recording more songs together. In fact, there's already talk of a full EP, following the example of collaborations like Bad Bunny and J Balvin's "Oasis " or Bomba Estéreo's most recent project.

"It's not a strategy, it's an identity. We want to make music that represents us and that the audience enjoys," says Fer. Nacho agrees: "We're going to give it our all, so they enjoy it a lot."

And if time permits, Nacho says we could have new music before Christmas.

In short, Nacho is resuming his solo career without closing the doors to Chyno and Nacho, but with renewed creative freedom. Alongside Fer Ariza, he celebrates urban merengue from a modern perspective and sends a clear message to Latinos in the United States: the pride of being Latino is non-negotiable. Meanwhile, the dance floor is ready, and "Love pa ti no hay" marks the beginning.

Originally published on Music Times