Maná announces 2023 US tour dates, teases new album: 'We're planning way ahead' (exclusive)
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For Maná, it's never too early to plan ahead. The Grammy Award-winning Mexican rock band is ending 2022 on a high note with big plans for 2023.
After nearly four decades of hits – including "Rayando el Sol," "Oye Mi Amor," "Mariposa Traicionera," "Labios Compartidos" and "Bendita Tu Luz" – the band, composed of lead vocalist Fher Olvera, 62, drummer Alex González, 53, guitarist Sergio Vallín, 50, and bass player Juan Calleros, 60, has no plans to stop performing.
USA TODAY can exclusively reveal Maná is embarking on a new North American leg of their México Lindo Y Querido tour. "Next year looks amazing and we can't wait to be back on the road," González says. "We haven't toured the U.S." since just before the COVID-19 shutdown.
The 19-date U.S. tour kicks off Feb. 10 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, a return to the venue where Maná played the city's first-ever arena residency last spring with 12 sold-out shows.
The band will play two nights in major cities including Los Angeles, Phoenix, Miami and Chicago and will conclude the tour Sept. 23 in Sacramento, California. (For a full list of tour dates go here.)
Tickets go on sale Friday.
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Now, Maná is "bringing a little piece of México" with their new tour. "We have put very high the name of México and Guadalajara … representing our land and where we were born, and while there's health – there will be Maná for many years to come," González adds. "Si Dios quiere (God willing)."
Since its 1986 start, the band has released 11 albums, including their 1992 album "¿Dónde Jugarán Los Niños?" which became the best selling Spanish-language rock album of all time. In 2019, Maná began re-recording some of their greatest hits with Latin music acts including Christian Nodal ("Te Llore Un Rio"), Sebastián Yatra ("No Ha Parado de Llover"), Joy Huerta ("Eres Mi Religion") and Alejandro Fernández ("Mariposa Traicionera").
But there hasn't been new music for fans since 2015.
González teases the wait may almost be over. "We’re going to be working on demos for a new studio album next year," he says. "The idea is to record at the end of 2023 and to be able to release the album in 2024."
"We're planning way ahead. … We're just so excited to be able to do what we love."
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Known for their evocative lyricism and high-energy shows ("Our concerts are a big party," says González), Maná places a premium on highlighting environmental, social, political and human rights issues.
In 2018, when they became the first group to receive the Latin Recording Academy’s Person of the Year award, they used their acceptance speech to promote a message of unity and justice during Donald Trump's presidency. "We will continue fighting for the rights of the immigrants who have made this country great in the last century," Olvera said at the time.
González says that's just "part of our philosophy and who we are as people."
He says the band learned from the best: The Beatles, The Police, U2, Bob Marley, Peter Gabriel and Bruce Springsteen. "We grew up listening to amazing artists and musicians … using their platform to talk about things we’re worried about," he says. "At the end of the day, yeah, we play in a famous band but we’re also human beings and we all live on the same planet Earth."
Most recently, Maná partnered with Dr. Anthony Fauci in support of President Joe Biden's Month of Action to encourage vaccination among the Latino population in the U.S.
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"A lot of people suffered because of the pandemic, millions of lives were lost," González says. "But we will remember them and celebrate them."
That love and respect for their fanbase is why the band continues to reach younger generations.
"People come to our shows to have a good time, it's an experience," he says, "and it's great to see how people have also passed our music from generation to generation. It's been a wild ride."
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Contributing: Charles Ventura
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Maná reveals 2023 Mexico Lindo Y Querido concert tour (exclusive)
