Alvaro Diaz

Born Jorge Álvaro Díaz Rodríguez in 1995, in the San Juan neighborhood of Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, Alvaro Diaz developed an early passion for music. His mother, a singer, and his father, a member of a salsa orchestra, nurtured his musical interests from a young age. Díaz participated in and won rap battles at school, while also sharing his work on popular music forums in Puerto Rico. He discovered hip-hop through Eminem, later drawing influence from Kanye West and Kid Cudi, which differentiated him within the Puerto Rican hip-hop scene. He pursued higher education in public relations and co-founded LV CIUDVD, a collective dedicated to merging indie music and fashion.

Díaz’s career progressed significantly with his breakout single “Chicas de la Isla” in 2015. This was followed by his debut album, _Hato Rey_ (2015), which showcased his versatility by blending genres such as soul, funk, reggaeton, plena, and bomba. The independent 2016 EP _San Juan Grand Prix_ presented a more combative sound. In 2017, he released club hits including “West Side” and “Asiento de Atrás.” His collaborative endeavors expanded in 2019, working with artists like Rauw Alejandro on the charting single “Videos” and releasing the EP _Díaz Antes: Wavy pa las Bbys_, also featuring on Tainy’s electro-cumbia hit “Mera.”

The 2020 album _Díaz Antes_ included guest artists such as Yandel and Cazzu. In 2021, Díaz released _Felicilandia_, an album inspired by a fictional amusement park, which brought him into the mainstream Latin urbano scene. His 2024 album, _Sayonara_, thematically linked to _Felicilandia_, explores themes of romance and letting go with a darker, more experimental sound. During its production, Díaz contributed music to artists like Karol G and Daddy Yankee and toured Latin America and Spain. _Sayonara_, described by _Rolling Stone_ as evoking a vintage arcade feel with neon Eighties sounds, anime references, and heavy synth experiments, features collaborations with Feid, Tainy, Quevedo, Mora, and Rauw Alejandro. He dedicated the track “Golden Gun” to his late manager, Alex Malverde. Díaz performed a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR Music in July 2024 and is a member of the Neon16 management roster, led by Lex Borrero.