Ahead of his support slot at the Gorillaz’ huge London headline show this weekend, Argentine rapper Trueno talks working with Damon Albarn and his own new fourth studio album, TURR4ZO.

Getting a ‘co-sign’ as an artist has become a bit of an internet buzzword. But as receiving the backing of a more experienced creative goes, it really doesn’t get much better than Latin rap’s young king Trueno’s encounter with Damon Albarn. The now 24-year-old “was still at school when I met him,” the Gorillaz frontman chuckled during his interview for the iconic digital band’s Wonderland Spring 26 cover story. But the pair immediately struck up a personal and musical connection, resulting in Trueno reaching a peak achievement for any musician – featuring on the Gorillaz’ 27th February-released ninth studio album, The Mountain.

The Argentinian (a nation bolstering some of the best emerging musical talent on the globe right now) features on the sprawling, multi-section rap symphony, “The Manifesto”. Undoubtedly one of the record’s most unique and engaging tracks, Trueno goes back-to-back, bar-to-bar with Detroit rap legend Proof, a member of D12 collective who lost his life in 2006, but – thanks to Albarn’s visionary genius – poignantly and potently lyrically spars from beyond the grave with one of global hip-hop’s brightest modern sparks. 

Trueno was already undoubtedly among South American music’s A-list before his appearance on The Mountain – with a past trio of acclaimed albums and Latin Grammy nominations. But since then, the Buenos Aires musician – born Mateo Palacios Corazzina – has gone up a couple of rungs in star power. He has opened for Albarn and co across a plethora of UK and Ireland stadium dates, which will culminate this coming Saturday 20th June in a historic headline set at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. 

During the set, ahead of his own global tour later in the year, Trueno will be debuting songs from his new fourth – and finest – studio album. Entitled TURR4ZO, the Sony-released 14-track record plays out like a vibrant genre-shifting homage to Argentina and his upbringing. Co-produced by Spanish super producer El Guincho (Rosalía,FKA twigs), the work takes savvy, sophisticated sampling of traditional Latin sounds like cumbia and tango and merges it with contemporary rap that feels fresh, cinematic and enduring. Trueno, who you can tell has chiseled his craft abundantly in the past year or 18 months, holds together the stylistically wide-ranging sonic backdrops, with some of the sharpest wordplay and most demanding and consistent vocal showings of his career to date. 

Speaking exclusively with Wonderland ahead of his support slot for Gorillaz this weekend, the heir apparent talks youth, heritage, self-reflection, and the wisdom of Damon Albarn.

Listen to TURR4ZO…

Read the interview…

What’s the meaning behind the name Trueno?

Behind the name “Trueno”, we were looking for an artist name for me when I was young, and we started going through my father’s notepad. He saw one of his band’s songs called “Trueno en la madrugada” (“Thunder at Dawn”), which tells a story set in the La Oca neighbourhood, and that’s where the name “Trueno” came from.

How was growing up in Buenos Aires, Argentina? How was the music? How was the culture?

I grew up with a hip hop culture that was very underground and very Argentine. At the same time, I always feel it was heavily influenced by rock and roll, cumbia, and other genres that were outside of what I do, but which were also part of my upbringing and of Argentine culture.

How does your heritage influence your sound and your personal outlook? 

Yes, it influences it 100%. My father, my mother, my grandfather – my whole family are musicians, so everything I do I owe to them.

You’re currently being heralded as the future of Latin rap. Is the weight of expectation heavy? Or does it inspire you further?

It inspires me even more. I love it. It’s also a bit of what I perceive myself to be, so if people see it that way, I’m happy.

You are one of many esteemed guests on Gorillaz’s incredible new album, The Mountain. How did the opportunity first come about? 

Everything we did with Gorillaz was thanks to Damon. All the ideas came from him, directly person to person, with him pitching what he had in mind, and me simply being grateful and saying yes. So everything we did with them was a direct proposal from Damon to me.

To appear alongside the late, legendary Proof on “The Manifesto” must have been special. How did the track come together? Some of the back-and-forth barring is so seamless. 

Damon invited me to London. I remember recording the first verse, and then he showed me the Proof section, which he had already recorded and in mind for the track. That also inspired me to write the final part. But it was a little surprise Damon pulled on me, showing it to me after I had already finished my own contribution.

What about working with Damon specifically was exciting? Are you an old-school Gorillaz fan?

Yes, a lifelong Gorillaz fan. I’m very much of the same generation as their global explosion in the 2000s. I was also born in the 2000s, so they were with me my whole life, through videos on TV, murals in my neighbourhood. Their characters were all so iconic. Being able to become one more of those Gorillaz characters really hit differently.

You’ll also be joining Gorillaz at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the opening act. What can we expect from your performance? How are you feeling about such a big London show?

I love it. The bigger the show, the more I enjoy it. I’m grateful to Damon for giving me the chance to play in front of what I think is 60,000 people in his country. It will also be my first stadium show outside of Argentina as something I experience performing live, so I’m incredibly grateful. We’re going to bring the full “Turrazo” show.

Congratulations on your fourth studio album, TURR4ZO. It’s an incredible project. How are you feeling about it, now that it’s out in the world? 

I feel good. I’m really looking forward to touring it and I’m very excited about this chapter, which I feel represents a lot of different parts of my life and my personality.

You enlisted the likes of Milo J, Maria Becerra and Rubén Rada for the LP. What did the features add to the album? How do you decide on who to allow into your artistic world?

I think on this album, every collaboration felt like the one song meant for that specific person. I chose each feature as if it was the only possible choice. I also feel that what they represent is a generational and musical crossover that coexists within a single album, even if they come from very different places.

At its thematic core, what is the album about? What topics do you touch on?

I think the album, in a few words, is about my life, my characteristics, everything I go through. Each of my branches, my angles, my facets, I dedicate something to all of them. So you could say this album is what makes me who I am as a person, and I dedicate it to everything that makes me me.

In what state of mind does the record find you – both in your personal growth and in your musical evolution? 

I think it’s also an album of fulfilment, where I feel like I’ve arrived, where I have experience now. It finds me in a moment where music is no longer something new, but a decision I’ve already made, knowing it is my path in life.

What else is to come from you, this year and beyond? 

Now the TURR4ZO tour begins. We kick off at Tottenham with Gorillaz, then we continue to Japan, then Latin America, and we always leave Argentina for last. I think both this year and 2026 are going to be all about the TURR4ZO tour.

Words – Ben Tibbits