As tears run down one’s face while lying in bed, one can find oneself reminiscing about what could have been. Running, sleeping, hiking — out of all the distractions available, music can be the most effective. Having relatable songs that bring comfort with a soothing guitar and beautiful lyrics is none other than Ivan Cornejo.
Ivan Cornejo is a 21-year-old singer and songwriter who pursued his dream at 16 years of age. Cornejo’s sense of style is what often draws him apart from other musicians. His emotional lyrics often feel so powerful that they make his listeners fall into tears. He manages to connect with the audience through his music, maintaining his career as a safe place for people to relate to. Over the past few years, Cornejo has become one of the leading voices in sad sierreño, a subgenre of regional Mexican music that blends acoustic guitar with emotionally vulnerable lyrics. His songs often center on heartbreak, regret and longing — themes that have helped him build a strong teenage following on platforms like Spotify and TikTok.
With multiple albums and viral hits under his belt, narrowing his discography down to five songs is no easy task.
#5 “Mirada”
In Cornejo’s “Mirada” album, released in 2024, a song that rose out of the many masterpieces was the titular track. The song portrays a tragic struggle of emotional distancing between loved ones. Seeing the change is visible through their eyes and is expressed in the song. A guitar keeps a steady rhythm as it quickly changes its intensity to support the chorus. In exchange, a second guitar plays a beautiful melody to accompany the vocals. The melody is at a moderate pace, but the notes are stretched, making it feel like it is slow, allowing the lyrics to breathe.
Although a great song, the lyric flow feels like there is a lack of something: an empty feeling.
#4 “Estas en Mi Pasado”
“Estas en Mi Pasado” is one of Ivan Cornejo’s older songs, released in 2021. This song expresses the feeling of finally getting over a past relationship and learning to live without that person. Cornejo talks about how that person hurt him and wants them to stay away since he has been doing so much better without them. Three guitars are playing differently: one is the lead, playing embellishments and some strumming, and also the requinto that ties back to the chorus. While the second guitar is strumming, which makes it complex with the high pace of the song, the third, being an electric guitar, doesn’t come in until the end of the song, echoing in your ear a melody different from the previous one, making the ending unique.
This song is higher than the other for its instrumentation, making it very unique. The track is not being about heartbreak, but moving on.
#3 “Tatuajes”
“Tatuajes” in the “Dañado (Deluxe)” album released in 2022, is a slow-paced song with its usual instruments being guitars and a bass, but also having a tambourine in the chorus. The song starts soft, setting the scene of waking up in tears, thinking about an ex. It describes how no matter where someone goes, it is not the same without them. Cornejo questions his worth and believes his ex made a bad choice. In the chorus, Cornejo admits he gets jealous and imagines someone else touching her tattoos. Cornejo does not refer only to the tattoos in a literal sense, but also uses them as a metaphor for someone else becoming close to her, both physically and emotionally. He ultimately faces the truth that she has moved on, but he has not.
The instrumentation used in “Tatuajes” is different from the other songs, being calmer, and Cornejo’s vocals are smoother and feel restrained, which really digs deep into one’s emotions.
#2 Noches de Relajo (Single)
“Noches de Relajo,” being his first song released in 2020, is different from the rest because it is not about heartbreak, but instead about love and yearning for someone. Cornejo starts off being out with friends, but shifts his attention to one person. He describes how being tipsy creates this vulnerability, wanting this person to stay and have this romantic tension. The single version of the song really captures the feeling of being in love and is more soothing compared to the album version. The guitar in the song is heavy on embellishments rather than strumming, which makes it stand out from other songs. The guitar is accompanied by a bass, which brings out that vibrant feeling that the artist aims for.
This song was Cornejo’s first, and it is about love instead of heartbreak, which is different from the previous songs. This was the start of his journey that shortly after fell into sadness and sorrow that fans all know and appreciate.
#1 Me Hiciste un Loco
“Me Hiciste un Loco” was released in 2022 and expresses a really bad heartbreak, one where the feeling of emptiness and loss is prevalent — one where a person is wandering, trying to move on. Cornejo drinks as an attempt to forget about his emotions, but instead, it makes the pain unbearable. He tries to act like he is okay, but once he witnesses his ex with someone else, it makes him go crazy. The singing is accompanied by an electric guitar with bell tones and embellishments, drawing listeners in deeper to the lyrics. The requinto is played the same as the chorus, making one think back to the lyrics. The song starts at a high tempo, and slows down completely for the last minute, repeating the same line “Mas mejor” in a soothing voice, allowing the lyrics to sink in.
This is by far the best song Ivan Cornejo has written. It deeply touches the listener’s soul. Even without personally experiencing the situation described, the song feels so real that it resonates as if one has already lived it. It does not feel exaggerated but authentic, which allows for a profound connection with anyone who listens.
