Jay de la Cueva Quits Moderatto After 24 Years – Billboard

Jay de la Cueva is saying goodbye to Brian Amadeus, the alter ego that has accompanied him since 1999 fronting the Mexican glam rock band Moderatto. The musician made the announcement on Tuesday night (Aug. 1) in a video posted on his Instagram account.

“I’m going to say goodbye to my alter ego, I’m going to say goodbye to that voice, leaving Moderatto,” De la Cueva said in the post. “It has not been an easy decision, since there is nothing negative, everything is going amazing, but today my heart resonates with the new music I am making. It’s very important for me to commit to that, to my first solo album and to the new band I have.”

Dressed in a red shirt and rocking his long hair down, the musician thanked those who have been with him all these years: his four bandmates (Cha!, Iñaki Vázquez, Marcello Lara and Elohim Corona), his management, the Universal Music label, his family and fans “for all the love” they have given him.

The 45-year-old singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist said that evolution seduced him, and that he is on a quest to “experiment.”

In March, De la Cueva announced the rock n’ roll supergroup The Guapos, alongside French-Mexican artist Adán Jodorowsky, Mexican singer-songwriter David Aguilar and the Spanish singer Leiva. With the group, he released the single “Soy Un Guapo,” part of his debut album Hey!, which will be presented live on Oct. 24 in Mexico City.

The rocker clarified that the commitments previously agreed to with Moderatto during 2023 that involved him will be carried out without setbacks. He also said that it will be a good opportunity for his fans to say goodbye to him.

So far, his bandmates in Moderatto have not commented on the matter. It is unclear if the group known for hits such as “Márchate Ya,” “Muriendo Lento” and “Sentimettal” will continue after De la Cueva’s departure.

Moderatto was founded in 1999 as a glam rock group that parodied the stereotypes of the bands of the musical genre that emerged in the ’80s, with obvious influences from groups such as Kiss, Twisted Sister and Mötley Crüe.

In its 24-year career, the group has recorded nine studio albums and one live album, including collaborations with artists such as Alejandra Guzmán, Belinda and La Arrolladora Banda El Limón. Their most recent album, Rockea Bien Duro, was released in 2022.

Jay de la Cueva is one of the most active musicians in the Mexican music scene. He rose to fame as a member of the children’s group Micho Chips in the late ’80s and, in addition to Moderatto, he was a member of bands such as Molotov, Fobia, Las Víctimas del Doctor Cerebro, Titán, Los Odio! and Mexrrissey.

Listen to De la Cueva’s full message below: