Jonatan Sanchez

Jonatan Sánchez, an American-born vocalist and composer working in Mexican regional music, earned a place with Gerencia 360 at fifteen—the youngest performer ever taken by the agency whose roster already included Martin Castillo, Adriel Favela, and Grupo el Reto.

At seven he requested a guitar from his parents; they provided one even though he possessed no playing ability. While neighborhood children spent afternoons on baseball diamonds and soccer fields, he stayed indoors teaching himself material by Los Tigres del Norte, Conjunto Primavera, and Los Temerarios.

Over time he mastered both the instrument and his voice. During early adolescence he began uploading performance clips to various social platforms. Together with friends he assembled a group that interpreted Beatles numbers and other English-language pop alongside traditional Mexican repertoire. When the ensemble started working social events, Sánchez noticed that crowds reacted most strongly to regional Mexican selections and that those songs suited his own vocal approach. After the band dissolved he used social media relentlessly to seek a recording deal. In a bold move he direct-messaged Noel Torres on Instagram to request a guest spot at an upcoming Sacramento show; Torres agreed, and Sánchez joined him for a duet. Although he judged the appearance a failure, the moment taught him how to command larger stages.

Those same online posts secured his Gerencia 360 contract in 2013. The next June he appeared on Favela’s single “Mis Gustos Mis Placeres,” and in September he issued his own advance track, “Mi Primera Vez,” through Gerencia 360/Sony Music; the song led digital-download and select radio charts in both the Mexican Regional and Latin Pop formats. His first full-length album, bearing the same title, arrived in November 2016, followed the next year by the EP Necesito una Compañera.