For more than twenty years, the internationally acclaimed Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela built their formidable career entirely on an instrumental foundation. Powered by two mighty acoustic guitars, Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero conquered global stages without uttering a single word on record. However, with the release of their brand-new album, OurHome, the Grammy-winning pair has shattered their own long-standing boundary, adding lyrics and vocals to a song for the very first time and opening an entirely unexplored chapter of their artistic journey.
In their vocal and lyrical debut on the track "Somos Como Tú" (We Are Like You), the duo chose to confront profound themes such as migration, displacement, human dignity, and a shared global humanity. Approaching these heavy subjects from the perspective of individuals searching for a path and a place where they truly belong, Sánchez and Quintero deliberately chose to sing in Spanish, their native language, lending an even deeper layer of raw authenticity to the milestone recording.
Reflecting on the track’s origins, Rodrigo Sánchez shared insights into the long and deliberate process of bringing the song to life. "I wrote that song when I was living in Paris in 2015, and I’ve always loved it," Sánchez told Billboard Español. Despite their deep fondness for the composition, which serves as a standout piece on their new LP released via ATO Records, it took the musicians a decade to arrive at a recorded version that felt true to their signature aesthetic. "For some reason, we could never find a version that sounded like us," Sánchez explained.
Determined to finally capture the track’s essence, the duo revisited the piece during the production of their latest record. "We decided to try again for this album, and it ended up becoming something we felt was very powerful and honest, and even more relevant than it was ten years ago," he added.
The musical arrangement of "Somos Como Tú" matches the gravity of its lyrical themes. The track features Sánchez taking the lead vocal duties, while Quintero responds with a rapid, rhythmic cadence that subtly evokes her formative roots in heavy metal. This dynamic vocal interplay is underpinned by driving hand percussion and a passionate fan choir, giving the song a unique and resonant identity within the broader scope of OurHome.
The album itself is deeply shaped by a central thematic concept: the idea that "home" is ultimately an internal state of being rather than a fixed geographic location. Gabriela Quintero elaborated on this overarching philosophy when discussing the creative headspace that informed the new record, which was largely conceived and recorded during their time in Japan.
"For us, OurHome is about connecting with what you love and believing in it, putting your faith in it," Quintero said, describing the project as a meditative exploration of home, personal renewal, and human connection. "We can all enter this world of OurHome and reconnect with that part of yourself that doesn’t want to please, that doesn’t want likes, that is enough just as it is."
The 11-track collection was entirely recorded in Japan and self-produced by Sánchez and Quintero at NK Sound Tokyo. The duo has long maintained a profound artistic affinity for the Asian nation, noting that they have consistently felt drawn to its culture. "Because of its art, its aesthetics and its attention to beauty," the guitarists explained, Japan provided an ideal creative sanctuary for the creation of the album.
This deep connection to Japanese culture is further underscored by the visual accompaniments for the album’s rollout. The lead single from OurHome, titled "Monster," was released alongside an official music video created by the legendary Japanese manga artist Naoki Urasawa, whose celebrated literary and artistic works have long served as a source of creative inspiration for the Mexico City-born musicians.
Recalling how the dream collaboration materialized, Quintero shared that the partnership was born entirely out of organic mutual admiration. While performing a live concert in Japan, the duo publicly dedicated their song "Monster" to Urasawa. The track itself was directly inspired by the iconic psychological manga series created and illustrated by Urasawa in 1994. A member of the concert audience who happened to be acquainted with the legendary artist relayed the tribute to him, and within weeks, the musicians met Urasawa in person, discovering that the admiration was entirely mutual.
"That collaboration with Urasawa comes from our soul. It doesn’t come from any industry feedback. That’s the real value," Quintero emphasized. "’Monster’ is a very deep and philosophical story. It’s about a psychopathic killer, but at the same time, it’s incredibly hopeful and leaves you with a genuine sense of optimism. We had written that song without knowing that Urasawa was a fan of ours, and now he has created the video for us."
The arrival of OurHome arrives approximately two decades after Rodrigo y Gabriela first exploded onto the international music scene. Their enduring career has been consistently defined by the systematic breaking of musical, cultural, and geographical barriers. Following their initial relocation from Mexico, the duo achieved their breakthrough success in Ireland, eventually forging a massive global audience through an unmistakable, hard-to-classify sound that seamlessly bridges the powerful, driving riffs of heavy metal with intricate Latin rhythms performed through rigorous classical guitar techniques.
Continuing their tradition of innovative collaboration, the musical universe of Rodrigo y Gabriela expands even further on OurHome. The album features contributions from notable guest artists, including former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman, talented cellist Hiyori Okuda, and accomplished guitarist and composer Yukihiro Atsumi. To ensure the highest sonic fidelity, the project was mixed by five-time Grammy winner Dave Sardy—renowned for his work with legendary acts such as The Who, Oasis, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers—and mastered by industry veteran Stephen Marcussen, whose extensive credits include iconic albums by Nirvana, R.E.M., and The Rolling Stones.
To celebrate the release of OurHome, Rodrigo y Gabriela are preparing to take their new material directly to fans on an extensive live concert tour. The itinerary kicks off in the United States on September 30 in Dallas, Texas. The tour will subsequently bring the duo back to their native Mexico City for a pair of special homecoming performances on October 6 and 7. These shows will take place at the Polyforum Siqueiros, one of the city’s most emblematic cultural venues, famous for housing the sprawling mural masterpieces of legendary Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros. Following their hometown dates, the tour will continue across major cultural hubs, including Washington, D.C., New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.
