Mau y Ricky are embracing family, roots and creative independence with their new album “Hotel Caracas,” a project that brings together multiple generations of the Montaner family and marks a major return to Venezuela after more than a decade away. The Venezuelan singer-songwriters, sons of Latin pop star Ricardo Montaner, have long been open about their famous lineage, but the new album turns that connection into a central part of the music. Their sister, Evaluna Montaner, and brother-in-law, Camilo, appear on the project, while Ricardo Montaner also joins his sons on the hidden feature “Muriendo de Miedo,” creating a symbolic full-circle moment for the family.
The brothers say their upbringing in Caracas shaped both their musical identity and their bond as a duo. They grew up watching Ricardo perform to large crowds and occasionally joining him on stage. They also saw firsthand how sibling collaboration could work in Latin music through their father’s earlier work with Servando & Florentino. That influence helped inspire Mau y Ricky’s own path, while also reinforcing the importance of family support in their careers. Ricky says he is proud of the way the Montaner family has lifted one another up and connected with audiences across generations.
Even with their famous last name, Mau y Ricky say they had to earn respect in the industry through their own work. Alongside longtime collaborator JonTheProducer and Camilo, they formed a songwriting collective that helped create major hits for artists including Becky G, Natti Natasha, Karol G, and Ricky Martin with Maluma. The group also played a key role in launching Camilo’s pop career. For Mau and Ricky, those collaborations were built on friendship, shared ambition and a desire to make music together on their own terms.
“Hotel Caracas” also marks a new chapter professionally, as it is the first album released through their own label, Why Club Records, in partnership with Warner Music Latina. The record arrives during a period of major personal change for both brothers. Mau became a father in 2022, welcoming his son Apollo with wife Sara Escobar, while Ricky married Argentine model Stefi Roitman. They say those life changes gave them more confidence and emotional security to write openly about romance, heartbreak, sex and the past.
To support the album, the duo is staging intimate Lobby Bar shows across the United States and Latin America, with a full tour planned for later in the year. The project is deeply tied to their return to Venezuela, where they filmed all 15 music videos and worked with more than 200 local crew members. The brothers describe the experience as both personal and healing, saying it helped them reconnect with their identity and their homeland.
