Why Rosalía, Caín Culto & More Love Tribal Guarachero’s Pointy Boots
While the boots are having a moment, the genre is, too.
Over the past year, a unique Mexican fashion style has gained international recognition beyond its original dancefloor origins. Rosalía, a prominent Latin art-pop artist, made the style trend in August when she posted a photo on Instagram wearing white leather boots with upward-curving toes and her name stamped along the sides. Shortly after, Caín Culto, another influential Latin artist, showcased the trend on the cover of his debut album, CULTO, featuring knee-high brown cowboy boots with exaggerated points.
Despite Rosalía and Caín not being associated with tribal guarachero, the Mexican electronic genre typically linked to the trendy boots, the style had clearly crossed over to mainstream culture. Tribal guarachero, or simply tribal, originated from various regional influences, evolving into a youth movement in Monterrey, Mexico. Competitions were held to create the most extravagant boots, often crafted from an array of materials such as plastic hose, foam, leather, glitter, and LED lights.
The movement gained significant momentum in 2011 with the release of the documentary Mexican Pointy Boots, which shed light on tribal guarachero and its iconic footwear. The documentary's success helped launch the careers of 3BallMTY, a group whose hit single, "Inténtalo," became a crossover hit and propelled the trio to win the best new artist award at the Latin Grammys in 2012.
When Rosalía visited Monterrey recently, her team reached out to 3BallMTY to help find a pair of the signature boots. Meanwhile, Caín Culto explained his intention to wear the boots was to expand the cowboy archetype, merging the "witchy" and "phallic" aesthetic with the sexuality conveyed in his music. The artist crafted his first pair of boots from construction materials he purchased at The Home Depot; today, he commissions custom pairs from a Los Angeles cobbler.
The pointy boots are currently experiencing a resurgence, and the tribal guarachero genre is experiencing a revival as well. DJ Otto of 3BallMTY noted that the genre's popularity follows a cyclical pattern, occurring approximately every ten years. The latest wave of tribal is infiltrating new clubs, cities, and even giving rise to hybrid music forms.
Tribal Sound System, a party created by Mexico City-based DJ Rosa Pistola and La Chekera Records, launched in Paris in September, while Mexico City-based collective and independent label N.A.A.F.I., founded in 2010, released TRIBAL 2025 last December. The compilation features experimental producers who blend tribal elements with various genres, such as reggaetón, techno, and cumbiatón.
Label co-founder Tomás Davó emphasized that tribal is a genre embraced by the youth across Mexico, and its recent revival has become a global phenomenon.
Written by urgent.news from Billboard's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
