Matisse

Mexican trio Matisse fuses folk, pop/rock, and singer/songwriter traditions with expansive, modern radio-ready production to deliver sweeping, romantic, and emotionally charged ballads.

The group took shape in Mexico City in 2014, taking its name from the French expressionist painter, and began as a duo featuring Pablo Preciado on vocals, guitar, and piano alongside Román Torres on vocals and guitar. The two had first connected while pursuing classical studies at the Guadalajara Conservatoire. After starting to compose material together, they attracted the notice of Paul Forat, vice-president of Sony Music Mexico, who offered them a songwriting contract. Several of their compositions were subsequently cut by Carlos Rivera, Cristian Castro, and “queen of rock” Alejandra Guzmán.

The pair later transitioned into recording artists, completing the trio with the arrival of Melissa Robles on vocals and ukulele. Robles had first gained recognition by posting an online cover of Rivera’s “Fascinación.” Matisse issued its debut album, Sube (“Upload”), in 2015; the set showcased the same lush, romantic, and heartbreaking ballad style, enriched by intricate vocal harmonies, on tracks such as “Si Fuera Fácil” (“If It Were Easy”), “Por Última Vez” (“For the Last Time”), and the group’s introductory single “La Misma Luna” (“The Same Moon”). The follow-up, Por Tu Bien (“For Your Own Good”), arrived in 2017. On the 2020 release Tres (“Three”), the trio introduced select urban touches while remaining anchored to its foundational approach.