Here’s the Story Behind Peso Pluma’s Mullet-Like Haircut: ‘My Hair Is My Superpower’
Peso Pluma’s haircut sort of just happened.
Before the 24-year-old global star rocked the mullet with a sideburn fade, his previous ‘do was inspired by Justin Bieber. “Think back to when he released ‘Baby,’” the Mexican singer-songwriter tells Billboard during his cover story interview, offering a visual.
But on a trip to Medellín, Colombia, his haircut would take a drastic change. “This barber said he was going to give me a haircut that is very popular in Medellín — he said, ‘Trust me, you’re going to love it.’ I hated it at first,” Peso recalls. “I was like, ‘What did you do?’ My hair is a superpower, so I’m very particular about who cuts my hair. Then I recorded a music video, and when I saw it, I was like, ‘Wait, actually, se ve bien perro [it looks really good].’”
Now, it’s the haircut many teens in the U.S. and Mexico want to get. “The other day, a barber from Mexico City called me and said, ‘Thank you for giving us so much work.’ Apparently, 24 people had requested ‘the Peso Pluma haircut’ in one day,” Peso says.
Born Hassan Emilio Kabande Laija, Peso Pluma – Billboard’s latest cover star – is at the forefront of Mexican music, leading the genre’s seismic growth in the United States and beyond with his signature corridos tumbados. To date, he has more than 700 million on-demand official streams in the United States, according to Luminate, and 18 entries on the Billboard Hot 100. His new album, Génesis, debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 (dated July 1) — the highest rank ever for a música mexicana album on the chart.
“My life has changed a lot,” says Peso, who is currently on his first-ever U.S. tour, which is produced by Live Nation. Amid global stardom, the young artist has also launched his own label, Double P Records, to support young acts. “More than anything, I want them to know that if I could do it, so can they. I’m on this journey with them; we’re paddling together.”
Read Peso Pluma’s cover story here.
Griselda Flores
Billboard
