Nearly two decades after “Se Parece Más a Ti” became one of the defining hits of a generation, Argentine cumbia singer Néstor Ameri is preparing to release a new version of the track under his own name.
Originally released by Jambao in 2007, the song became a staple of the band’s approach to cumbia sonidera and helped introduce Ameri’s voice to audiences across Latin America. The song continues to be relevant online across, and as cumbia grows in popularity internationally it has reached listeners well beyond the period in which it was first released.
The anniversary edition is intended to celebrate that history while opening a new stage in Ameri’s career. Rather than treating the song solely as a piece of nostalgia, the singer is using its approaching 20th anniversary as an opportunity to reconnect with established listeners and introduce the track to a new generation.
Ameri’s career first began by performing as a child alongside his father and later recording music in Peru before returning to Argentina. In 1999, he became the lead singer of Jambao, a group that combined Argentine tropical music with the influence of Mexican cumbia sonidera. That combination helped the band build an audience beyond Argentina, particularly in countries including Peru, Chile and Bolivia. “Se Parece Más a Ti” eventually became one of the most recognizable songs in its catalogue reaching over 100 million streams on Spotify as well as 10 million views on YouTube Music with their lyric video.
The re-release will be a part of Néstor Ameri’s solo work with the goal of showcasing Jambao fans his own perspective on the hit song. The release also comes with the news that Nestor is planning a tour of the United States.
As cumbia continues to expand beyond its traditional markets, with regional variations and new interpretations finding audiences through streaming platforms, and Latin music growing exponentially in the United States. Ameri’s return to one of his best-known recordings could position him as a leader of this movement by drawing on a fanbase built before the streaming platforms.
For Ameri, the re-release represents more than a commemoration of a successful song. It connects the history that established his voice in Latin American cumbia with the next phase of his career.
