Eladio Carrión on Paying Tribute to His Mother With ‘Sol María’: ‘She’s the Best Mom in the World’

“It’s different from the albums I usually drop, [which are] usually urban, like 80% trap, and maybe a few dancehall and reggaetón [songs],” he points out. “But with this one, I went more commercial, not worrying about getting songs to pop up in the club; doing what I wanted to do and getting my mother her flowers.”

Carrión spent an entire day at his parents’ house searching for the perfect photo for the artwork and found a picture of a young Sol María, his mother. “When I saw that pic, it just spoke to me,” he reveals. This week, the album debuts at No. 6 on Top Latin Albums and No. 3 on Latin Rhythm Albums.

The album’s uplifting sentiment echoes throughout all 17 songs, a reflection of Carrión’s current state of happiness. “It was a challenge to get in that [head] space. But it wasn’t that hard either, because right now life is good. I’m in a very happy place in my life,” he says. “I didn’t think about anyone else except her, but it’s cool because my fans get to experience it. I could have just made a mixtape and given it to her, and just kept on putting out the albums I usually put out.”

His positive outlook is palpable in tracks like opener “Bendecido,” where the 29-year-old manages to blend gratefulness with his signature sense of cool, or with the gut-wrenching ballad “Mama’s Boy,” featuring Spanish wordsmith Nach. In the latter song, Carrión delves into a well of raw, candid emotion that transcends mere words. “It was the intro [track] but I didn’t want people bawling out in the first song,” he reveals with a chuckle.

The idea for Sol María emerged about a year ago. Carrión had initially planned to take a break from music until 2025, but felt compelled to create something special for his mother. “I wanted to give her something to look forward to, something to be happy about,” he says.

Carrión chose the Afrobeats-laden “TQMQA” as the first single to prepare his hardcore trap fans for the album’s different style, while still maintaining elements familiar to his audience. 

On “Sonrisa,” Carrión weaves a narrative about a captivating smile that leaves him utterly smitten, set against an invigorating Jersey club and dembow mix. “Sigo Enamorau’,” featuring Yandel, reinvents Sean Paul and Sasha’s “dutty rock” classic “I’m Still In Love With You,” and he turns up the vibe on “Todo Lit,” merging more raucous lyrics with a subdued trap beat alongside featured guest Duki. “I wanted to keep it more Latino,” he added about the collaborations, pointing out that his last album, 3MEN2 KBRN, had mostly brought American rappers as guests. Panamanian star Sech, Puerto Rican trailblazers Arcángel and De La Ghetto, and Rauw Alejandro also make appearances.

Reflecting on the journey from his first album, 2020’s Sauce Boyz to Sol María, the US-born star recognizes the growth and synergy in his team. “We’ve gotten better and better. Me and my producers, we understand each other better and better every day,” he boasts.

Watch the full Billboard TalkShop Live interview above.