If it were up to Myke Towers, he’d spend his summer like many of us: absorbing vitamin D on a sandy beach. But as much as the sunny outdoors might call to the 29-year-old Puerto Rican reggaetonero, he likely won’t stray too far away from his work this year. Less than four months after the release of his fourth studio album — La Vida Es Una — he’s ready to drop another one.
“I’m ready to do what the people want,” he tells Refinery29 Somos over a Zoom call. “I’m someone who loves to create music, so I want to release another album already. Slowly, we’re working on what’s next.”
“I’m someone who loves to create music, so I want to release another album already. Slowly, we’re working on what’s next.”
myke towersWhile having an eye toward the future is necessary for longevity — especially for someone as influential as Towers — he has plenty to celebrate in the moment. The song “LALA,” off his latest album, reached No. 1 on Spotify’s Global 50 chart in early July, and he’s preparing to embark on his U.S. tour. He also joined Caribbean artists Sean Paul and Grammy-nominated Shenseea on Vita Coco Spiked With Captain Morgan’s tropical takeover tour. (You can catch him in San Juan Capistrano, California, on Friday, August 4.)
And then there are the collaborations — an area where he is very deliberate. For Towers, being able to connect with the other person is paramount. Recently, he worked with Sky Rompiendo and rapper Feid for “El Cielo.” “It’s a great one,” Towers says of the summer hit. He also teamed up with producer Tainy for the latter’s album Data, which has two songs with Towers, including “Obstáculo” and “Pasiempre” with Arcangel, JhayCo, Arca, and Omar Courtz. “Working with Tainy again is like seeing a cousin again. When I first started doing music, I always had his support and respect and vice versa. It’s like coming home. Tainy respects me a lot and always helped me from the start; he’s a legend in music.”
As Towers plans his next moves, we chatted with him to learn more about what he hopes his legacy will be, the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, and the Vita Coco campaign.
This August marks the 50th birthday of hip-hop. Through the years, how has the genre inspired your own music?
Hip-hop inspired me a lot because it was the genre that made me fall in love with music. Through hip-hop, I discovered so many artists and studied the history. It was the genre that helped me prove my skills. I was born in the “Cuna of Reggaeton,” Puerto Rico. I always loved reggaeton. It raised me. But hip-hop is the reason why I fell in love with music in the first place.
Which hip-hop artists inspired you?
I have a triangle I’ll never break: Biggie Smalls, Jay-Z, and Drake are my favorites.
You’re a megastar. You can partner with anyone. What was it about this Vita Coco Spiked with Captain Morgan tour that made you want to be a part of it?
They are bringing the tropics into a can, and they wanted Myke Towers who is sonando in PR. They wanted me to bring that essence of the island from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to San Juan Capistrano, California. It’s something really crazy, so I’m going to give them the best show. We’re going to go hard. I’m representing my island. There’s so many people that are from the isla, and we’re trying to represent everyone that comes from there [with this campaign].
What do you hope people take away from your music?
I consider myself someone who represents el progreso, someone who followed their dreams and reached success. That’s what I want people to take away: that I don’t wait around to get things done.
What does it mean for you to represent Puerto Rico with your own music?
Being boricua, being from PR, es un orgullo. It’s more than a message; it’s appreciation. But it also comes with pressure. Everyone has been legendary in Puerto Rico, so that’s why you gotta come hard. I have to thank Puerto Ricans for building me up. They are very persistent fans. Those who are able to be loved by Puerto Rico can win anywhere.
We’re six months into 2023. What are you working on? Do you have any specific goals you want to achieve — musically and/or personally — before 2023 ends?
I’m so used to closing every year strong. I need to keep my fans happy. I’m going to end the year strong, but next year it will be so much more. Every year, I level up, so we’re going to go hard these next six months. Everytime that I go on tour, I make music that’s next-level, so I can’t wait to start going on tour soon.
