Grupo Niche Reflects on 40 Years of Salsa Anthem ‘Cali Pachanguero’: ‘The Song Became a Myth’

Grupo Niche‘s “Cali Pachanguero” has transcended generations, cultures and language barriers. The fast-paced track, penned by the legendary Jairo Varela in 1984, took on a life of its own, becoming an unofficial anthem for Colombians around the world. Forty years later, the song continues to have a lasting impact not only on the new generation of Grupo Niche singers, but on salsa singers across the globe.

The band recently spoke to Billboard about the cultural significance of the song, and the importance of preserving the legacy of Varela, who died in 2012. “‘Cali Pachanguero’ is our popular anthem,” says group member Luis Araque Mejia. “People sometimes know more ‘Cali Pachanguero’ than they do Cali’s national anthem.”

“Maestro Jairo Varela was a genius by composing and making all the arrangements of the song,” adds Adolfo Fito Echeverría, who is also one of the band’s lead singers. “But this song is also about regret and longing of someone who was in New York at the time, right? Many people when they listen to the song start digesting the whole idea of the track, and it identifies all of Latin America, all salsa singers, salsa groups that grew up with this music. The song became a myth.”

“Cali Pachanguero” marked a before-and-after for Grupo Niche. After the song was released, the band rose to national and international fame. Grupo Niche remains strong as ever, touring around the world with stops in Australia, Europe and the United States. The group is also set to release new music in the coming year.

Watch Grupo Niche’s interview with Billboard‘s Leila Cobo above.