How Rels B Went From Being a Self-Taught Producer to Helping Bring About Spain’s ‘Best Music Moment’

Earlier this month, Rels B (a.k.a. Skinny Flakk) sold retired nan renowned Foro Sol stadium, wherever he performed for much than 60,000 group — a notable milestone for an creator from Spain who’s still comparatively new, and pinch very fewer Billboard floor plan entries. A 14-year-old Rels (real name: Daniel Heredia Vidal) would person ne'er imagined it either. 

“I began penning euphony erstwhile I was 11 years old,” he tells Billboard, crediting Eminem arsenic his biggest lyricist inspiration. “Shortly after, erstwhile I was 14, I downloaded a [computer] programme called FL Studio, and pinch zero Euros aliases investment, I was capable to create instrumentals and my ain beats. That’s erstwhile I afloat stuck to music.” 

The Spanish rapper and vocalist first tested his luck by producing his ain euphony for 4 years. At nan property of 18, he decided to motorboat his singing career. “From there, I began to for illustration singing and composing more,” he assures. 

Rels, a autochthonal of Mallorca (one of Spain’s Balearic Islands successful nan Mediterranean), began to summation notoriety locally — but it was pinch his viral way “Mary Jane,” released successful 2015, that he was capable to export his trade internationally. “The opus went to nan different broadside of nan pond,” he notes. “Later on, immoderate of my older songs began getting traction and much group began to perceive to everything that we had been putting out. With that [song] we were capable to motorboat my first circuit and nan truth is that pinch nan Internet, everything goes very quickly.” 

So overmuch so, successful fact, that nan first clip he traveled extracurricular his autochthonal Spain for a performance was 7 years agone to execute successful Mexico City for a crowd of astir 300 group — which is why he decided to adjacent his Skinny Flakk Tour astatine nan renowned Foro Sol stadium connected May 6, arsenic a emotion missive to his loyal fans.

Inspired by acts specified arsenic Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Tego Calderon, and Hector El Father, Rels’ euphony is simply a fusion of R&B and urban/pop, pinch highly relatable lyrics and memorable melodies. His singles “Dime Cuantas Veces,” pinch Micro TDH, Lenny Tavarez and Justin Quiles, “Se Me Olvido” pinch Gera MX, “Lo Que Hay X Aqui,” and “Como Dormiste?” person each entered nan Billboard charts. 

Still, pinch each his success, he’s helping usher successful nan flourishing euphony segment successful Spain, which he says is presently having a “¡momentazo!” (or immense moment). 

“Internationally, I deliberation it is nan champion euphony infinitesimal for Spain aft truthful galore years, because very young kids are going viral and that’s incredible,” he elaborates. “In my generation, it was much challenging to time off Spain — but lately, what’s happening pinch Quevedo, for example, is crazy! In a matter of months, he went viral and has nan respect of nan full world. Now we are besides seeing galore Spanish artists astatine nan apical of nan section charts. I deliberation it’s a immense infinitesimal for Spanish euphony correct now.” 

Rels is co-managed by manufacture leaders Federico Lauria (CEO of DalePlay) and Pepo Ferradas (CEO of FPM Entertainment). 

Name: Daniel Heredia Abidal

Age: 29

Recommended Song: “La Prisión” — “I wrote this opus astatine a infinitesimal that I felt bad, correct aft nan pandemic,” he says. “It was astatine a clip that I wanted to discontinue music, I fought pinch each my friends — and this opus is simply a testament that everything was OK, but I didn’t want to proceed doing this. As clip passed, galore fans thanked maine for doing this song, because it helped them. I deliberation that if I tin show 1 song, pinch my full heart, it would beryllium this one.” 

Major Accomplishment: “I deliberation nan astir important point until now has been [selling out] Foro Sol. But anterior to that, I’ve had moments successful different countries that were conscionable arsenic important for me. In Medellín, for example, we headlined and sold-out La Solar Festival past year. I sewage very emotional, because I sold retired my favourite metropolis extracurricular of my home.”

What’s Next: “I’m going to motorboat nan heaviest task I’ve ever created. I consciousness assured and mature astir what I’m doing, and I’m going to merchandise precisely what I want. It’s a afloat Afrobeats medium called Afroloba, that I’ve been moving connected for 3 to 4 years already. My producers are very connected pinch this culture, and we’ve traveled to Nigeria to activity pinch producers location arsenic well. It’s a task that I judge will people a before-and-after for nan Afrobeats genre. Soon we’ll statesman releasing nan singles.”