Denver-based band BRŪHA embodies the true essence of indie music while paying homage to their Latin roots. A family band, BRŪHA was initially formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Fabian Guerrero and his brother, Nic Guerrero, who plays drums. Later on, they recruited bassist Christian Olsen and their cousin, Max Guerrero, to form the band’s current lineup. With the guitar as a focal point, BRŪHA is known for their coastal, surf-inspired indie sound. By incorporating samples of traditional Latin music, they also create a sense of nostalgia for the sounds that colored their upbringing while retaining their modern twist.
READ: Profile — DOGTAGS Make Music to Take Refuge In (Exclusive Interview)
BRŪHA was originally a small concept that Fabian started in high school, later roping in his brother Nic and convincing him to learn the drums. Fabian explained that the name was inspired by his mother’s heritage and the cultural environment he grew up in. “My mom is from the town of Vera Cruz, and they have this song called ‘La Bruja.’ I grew up listening to that and surrounded by that culture and that song always stuck out to me.”
Speaking further about the role of culture in their music, Fabian shared how the music he grew up listening to played a role in the sounds he leans toward today when creating music today. “Well, for me personally, growing up, my dad was a big music guy. I was always surrounded by rock, but it was always in Spanish. So I got shown rock in Spanish but I never really saw that in a modern era until recently, so I felt very inspired by bands in California that are mixing the two [Spanish music and rock music].”
The band’s EP, “H.E.X.D,” which was released in late March, stays true to their coastal-inspired sound with the song “Malibu Lies,” which Fabian said was heavily inspired by the surf-punk scene in Southern California. The album also includes “A Donde Vas,” a song sung entirely in Spanish that talks about having a “crazy Latina girlfriend,” which is something the bandmates can all relate to. Another song, “I Know Enough (Cowcity),” truly showcases the band’s affinity for working with acoustic guitar and is significant because the lyrics were written collaboratively between Fabian and Nic Guerrero. As a whole, the album is a culmination of the experience of being young, Latino, and carving out their own space in the music world.
When discussing their recording process, all the bandmates agreed that they’re moving toward embracing a sound that’s closer to how they play live. Regarding the choice, Max Guerrero explained, “A lot of people say, ‘Oh, your recordings are different from how you play live,’ so we’re trying to capture that feeling because I feel like we play pretty good live. We’re doing a lot less lo-fi and a lot more live recording.”
Adding on to that, Olsen discussed how their upcoming, unreleased music will continue to ride on BRŪHA’s desire to experiment while retaining a connection to their Latin heritage. “The new song we have coming out in a little bit, probably around mid-June, we’re trying to release right before we go on tour. It’s called “Terminal 3,” and it’s like a bossa nova style, so it’s a little different from the other BRŪHA music, but I think it has more of a cultural aspect to it than some of the rock stuff.”
As they continue to evolve in their process and experiment with different sounds, BRŪHA is also in the process of figuring out if Denver has the right audience to continue fostering their sound. “There’s definitely a community based around music, but a lot of it’s white boy indie rock and that’s kind of what we’re tired of, personally. It was influential for me when I saw other people that looked like me that were doing what everyone else dreams of doing. That’s kind of why I chose this spot [Contreras Market, for the interview], because we’re trying to represent our culture and be the face that can inspire the next generation of musicians here in Lakewood, or wherever, you know?” Fabian stated.
Elaborating further, Max explained, “The So-Cal scene that we talk about, it’s a lot of Hispanic kids, and it’s a lot of love for that culture. It’s a huge community. And there’s a big Hispanic community here in Denver too, but they don’t know we have music like this and that other Hispanic kids are making music. There’s not a lot of representation, so that’s why we’re trying to get the word out because there’s definitely that demographic here, but they just aren’t aware. I think where that representation already exists here is in the sense of old-school Mexican music, like Cumbia and Mariachi. And not that that’s wrong, but it just kind of leaves you feeling stuck.”
But in terms of the community that’s grown around BRŪHA as they release more music and play more shows, they feel supported in their endeavors. Describing what it feels like, Olsen shared, “It’s a cool feeling. God, I’ve never been in a band where people who aren’t in or closely related to the band are excited. It’s a really interesting experience in that regard, but it’s a great experience.”
The support BRŪHA has garnered is only going to continue to grow. Since forming in 2022, they’ve released multiple EPs and played a multitude of shows, including the Underground Music Showcase (UMS) last year. Reflecting on their first UMS performance, the band shared that they had anything but a smooth sailing experience. However, the festival showed them just how resilient and adaptable they are.
“We actually have a funny story. So we’re big comic book fans, and we had tickets to go see Deadpool vs. Wolverine because that was a huge event, for us at least. And we bought movie tickets, and then I looked at the tickets and realized, ‘Dude, we play an hour before it starts.’ And at the time we were practicing at some hot-ass garage with no AC. It was hot, and we got in the car, and it was already all bad because I get stressed out and anxious before shows, which these guys know. And then I looked at my brother and realized, ‘Where’s your drum?’” Fabian laughingly recounted.
“Yeah, I left a snare drum behind, and it was the one thing I had to bring,” Nic added.
Continuing the story, Fabian recalled, “We were in traffic, and we couldn’t turn around. I had this important piece of gear as well, for my vocals, and I opened the truck, and I was like, where is it? So we forgot two things. I was mad and sweaty.”
“It was sweaty, really hot,” Nic shared, thinking back to the ordeal.
“And so we walk in, not knowing how many people are going to be there, and there’s a sea of people in the Skylark [Lounge]. There are like 400 people, and I’m like, ‘Oh man.’ So what did I do, dude? I just had a beer, and then we went to play the show. And it turned out to be one of our favorite shows of all time. It was a lot of fun,” Fabian smiled as he shared. After having that experience under their belt, the band is excited to tackle their second UMS this year, which will take place from July 25-27.
BRŪHA also happens to be going on their inaugural tour with fellow artist Manny this summer, with the tour starting and ending in Denver on June 26 and July 11, respectively. Preparing for their first tour is a special kind of challenge, but BRŪHA feels confident that they’re equipped to handle this next phase of their musical journey. Between finally finding the right mix of bandmates to maintain creative chemistry and getting their van, BRŪHA is ready to take off and share their music with a broader audience.
In terms of what else the band hopes to achieve in 2025, they’re simply grateful for everything they’re already doing but always looking toward the future. Speaking for the band, Fabian expressed, “We’re always chasing the next big thing. Not that we aren’t grateful for what we have now, because we’re always going to be grateful. It could end tomorrow, and I’d be happy where it is. But we always want to chase the next big thing and never settle when we know we can achieve.”
Stream BRŪHA’s latest EP, “H.E.X.D.,” here!