Sael shares his experience being a part of Black Koi Entertainment & recent musical releases

Argentina has long been a hub for a new wave of reggaeton artists, and one to watch is singer, songwriter, and producer Sael. Born Santiago Elías Mercado Gómez in Villa Mercedes, San Luis, music has been integral to his life, from learning various instruments to mastering music production and songwriting. In 2017, Sael’s music caught the attention of Colombian singer Kevin Roldan, leading to his first international trip to Medellín. The following year, Sael returned to Medellín to pursue music full-time.

Sael has collaborated with notable producers and Latin artists, including multi-award-winning producer Sky Rompiendo, who signed him to his independent label, Black Koi Entertainment in 2021. He has also collaborated with Mariah Angeliq‘s on her popular certified Gold single “Perreito”. Sael has also collaborated on hits with artists like Duki, Feid, Emilia, and J Balvin, among others.

In May 2021, Sael was named Artista Radar of the Month by Spotify for the South Cone, and in early 2023 recognized as one of Pandora’s Artists to Watch 2023: Latin!. His achievements also include a standout performance at the renowned Lollapalooza Argentina festival. 

Sael’s latest single, “Úsame,” showcases his distinctive voice and creative lyricism. Written by Sael and produced by Danny Mads, the track combines classic reggaeton beats with a focus on self-realization and toxic relationships. Additionally, his EP H.10, released at the end of 2023, is a nostalgic tribute to his childhood that explores and expands the boundaries of reggaeton by incorporating elements of Reggaeton, Bachata, and more. The EP has already garnered over 12 million streams.

Quip caught up with Sael to chat about his latest release, career experiences, collaborating with J Balvin and more. Read below!

Sarah Ruiz: How has being from Argentina influenced your music and the projects you put out? 

Sael: Being Argentinian is what I like most about myself, our way of being, our customs, our origins and our music that has always transcended and adapted to any event happening, it is the meaning of having determination and knowing that there is always a way out and that if we are not doing well at a given moment it is only a matter of persistence to succeed.

SR: What is it like being a part of the Black Koi Entertainment Family?

Sael: Being part of Black Koi personally allowed me to learn that it’s not just about sitting behind a microphone and releasing music, but that behind it there is a structure where everyone takes care of me, pampers me and advises me in all aspects related to my music and my personal life. I am grateful to everyone who is part of Black Koi.

SR: What was the experience like working with J Balvin?

Sael: Working with Balvin and his team is an accomplishment that even when I was a kid I couldn’t have imagined could happen. They took me to New York and in theory I was only going to be there for 1 week, that week turned into 2 and then into 1 month, where we created over 20 songs and well, I was fortunate enough to have 3 of them that were selected where I was part of the production and songwriting. And for the future, I hope that “Rayo” will do super well and who’s to say that there isn’t something underway jointly…

SR: I listened to your new song, “Usame,” and I love it! Even before I read the press release, I could tell it had a nostalgic reggaeton vibe and beat. Then I saw in the press release it’s described as a single “to the beat of a classic reggaeton,” what made you decide to go that direction with that song? 

Sael: I’m so glad you like “Úsame”! It’s a song I wrote a long time ago, about 3 years ago, in which I was inspired by the couples that have toxic relationships and that even though they might be sharing a moment and enjoying it, a single word, action or comment can detonate a new excuse to argue, but in the end they always end up coming back for fear of change.

SR: In your career thus far, what has been the most memorable thing that has happened to you? 

Sael: The most memorable thing that happened to me in my career can be divided into two different contexts. One was being selected as the Radar artist and seeing my face in Times Square, I will never forget that moment. But on the other hand, having the opportunity to participate in J Balvin’s album is something that nurtured me a lot and opened many doors for me. Another extra fact is that thanks to Black Koi I was able to have my first show with a band, it was nothing more and nothing less than at Lollapalooza.

SR: Have there been any obstacles for you in this journey? If yes, how did you overcome that? 

Sael: Obviously, I had my biggest obstacles at the beginning when I did not have the necessary resources to be able to make my dream come true and that with time became the dream of many others. I’m sure we all face obstacles that make us either stagnate or deviate a little from the path. But the team, family and friends are what bring you back into focus.

SR: Any future projects this year that you can share with Quip? 

Sael: Regarding a project as such no, but I’m just focused on releasing my music, that people connect and feel part of it. And that they remember that nothing is impossible, that even though things are not easy, dreams can be achieved with persistence, love, friends and a pinch of luck.