Morat

Biography

Morat is a Colombian Latin pop rock band formed in the country's capital city, Bogotá. The band is made up of Juan Pablo Isaza (guitars and vocals), Juan Pablo Villamil (banjo and vocals), and the brothers Simón Vargas (bass and choruses) and Martín Vargas (percussion and choirs). Drummer Alejandro Posada was also a founding member of the band, but left in 2016 and was replaced by Martín Vargas.

Formation

The members of Morat have known each other since they were five years old in Colombia and have since shared a love for music. The band was initially formed by Juan Pablo Isaza, Juan Pablo Villamil, Simón Vargas, Martín Vargas, and Alejandro Posada. They all attended the same school so it was easier for them to combine their friendships with music. As teenagers, they began playing the music of their favorite artists in their free time for fun. After high school, they formalized their musical meetings by forming a band. After trying different sounds and genres, they started writing their own songs.
Originally, the band was called "Malta", but years later, they decided to change it to "Morat." This name was born after putting together two ideas: the surname of Alejandro Posada’s family member and the name of the place where they played music for the first time, known as "La Morat." Their inspiration began with their love of Colombian music but expanded to artists such as Joaquín Sabina, the group Bacilos, and the rock band Coldplay.
Juan Pablo Isaza and Juan Pablo Villamil became the vocalists and instrumentalists, while Simón Vargas and Martín Vargas took on bass and percussion. Another percussionist, Alejandro Posada, departed from the band in 2016.

2014–2017: Sobre el amor y sus efectos secundarios

Morat saw their first turning point when the singer Paulina Rubio showed interest in their composition "Mi Nuevo Vicio×Mi nuevo vicio17 February 2015 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Mi nuevo vicio4:01" and wanted them to turn it into a single. In 2015, it was released under the collaboration of Paulina Rubio and Morat, achieving international success. The single rose to No.12 on the Billboard Latin Pop Airplay chart, and reached No.1 in Spain. The single was also certified Platinum Record.
At the end of 2015, they received another international success with the new single, "Cómo te atreves", topping iTunes and bringing them to fame in Spain. In June 2016, Morat released their first studio album Sobre el amor y sus efectos secundarios×Sobre el amor y sus efectos secundarios17 June 2016 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Mi nuevo vicio3:572En un sólo día3:223Aprender a quererte3:494Yo más te adoro3:225Di que no te vas3:586Cómo te atreves4:007Una vez más4:018Mil tormentas3:539Ahora que no puedo hablar4:2410Cuánto me duele3:5011Ya no estás tú3:1912Mi nuevo vicio4:01 through Universal Music Spain. The album debuted at No.1 in several Hispanic countries, including Colombia, Mexico and Spain. The album was certified 4× Platinum, and the band received a Latin Grammy award nomination for "Cómo te atreves". After the release of this album, Alejandro Posada left the band and was replaced by Simón Vargas' brother Martín.
In 2017, Morat produced the single "Yo Contigo, Tú Conmigo" in collaboration with Álvaro Soler as the theme music of Despicable Me 3. The single peaked at No.9 on Billboard on 19 August 2017 and won the "Song of the Year" award in LOS40 Music Awards 2017. This single was later included in the re-issue of Sobre el amor y sus efectos secundarios, which also contains the acoustic version of "Cómo te atreves".

2017–2019: Balas perdidas

In 2018, Morat released their second studio album, Balas perdidas×Balas perdidas25 October 2018 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Otras se pierden3:552Acuérdate de mí3:413Besos en guerra3:524Cuando el amor se escapa2:565No se va3:376Mi vida entera3:357El embrujo3:598Yo no merezco volver3:409Maldita costumbre2:4610Cuando nadie ve3:4011Punto y aparte3:311211 besos1:59. The single "Cuando nadie ve×Cuando nadie ve8 June 2018 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Cuando nadie ve3:39" peaked at No.1 on Billboard on 18 August 2018, and the single "No se va", released on 7 March 2019, hit almost 2 million visits on YouTube in less than a week.
Following the release, Morat kicked off their first US tour to promote their album in 2019, with the first performance in San Francisco on 4 April 2019. The tour ended in Orlando on 5 May 2019, with performances in other cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York.
In April 2019, Morat released a song with Aitana called "Presiento". "Presiento" was later included in the re-issue of Balas perdidas, Balas perdidas (Edición especial), on 10 May 2019, together with three other songs.
On 15 December 2019, Morat ended their Spain tour with the last performance at the WiZink Center in Madrid. Antonio José, Aitana, Cali y El Dandee, and Cami were also invited to perform at this concert. Up to this show, Morat had held more than 80 concerts in 13 countries.

2019–2021: ¿A dónde vamos?

On 13 December 2019, Morat released the single "Enamórate de alguien más×Enamórate de alguien más12 December 2019 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Enamórate de alguien más3:49", the second single from their third album cycle (following the title track).
On 6 March 2020, Morat released "No Termino×No termino6 March 2020 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1No termino3:59", the third single and the first of 2020. On 2 April, "Nunca te olvide", the fourth single was released. On 22 May, "Bajo la mesa", along with Sebastián Yatra, was released, the fifth single from the third album and the first collaboration. On 11 June, the band released a collaboration with Reik titled "La Bella y la Bestia." On 30 July they released "Más de lo que aposté"—their second collaboration with Aitana—and on 6 August they released "Labios Rotos×Labios rotos7 August 2020 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Labios rotos3:372Labios rotos (live)4:05", which is a tribute to the Mexican band Zoé.
On 7 November, after more than 5 months without playing on stage, Morat played a virtual concert through Rappi called "Echando un cuento." On 13 November, "Al aire×Al aire13 November 2020 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Al aire2:49" was released, the sixth single from their third album, with its respective music video, which was recorded in the municipality of Guasca, Cundinamarca. On 3 June 2021, they released a collaboration with Danna Paola. On 15 July 2021, Morat released their third studio album, ¿A dónde vamos?׿A dónde vamos?16 July 2021 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1A dónde vamos3:252No termino4:003En coma3:244Al aire2:495De cero3:076Primeras veces3:127No hay más que hablar3:328Enamórate de alguien más3:499Date la vuelta3:1710Idiota3:0411Bajo la mesa2:3712Nunca te olvidé3:3213Mi pesadilla3:2614Simplemente pasan3:01. The album was influenced by the band's experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2022–present: Si ayer fuera hoy

On November 4, 2022, Morat released their fourth studio album, Si ayer fuera hoy×Si ayer fuera hoy4 November 2022 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Llamada perdida2:462Segundos platos3:053Salir con vida2:574Debí suponerlo2:2555063:016Santa Fe2:477Nunca al revés3:028Si la ves3:499Las cometas siempre vuelan en agosto3:3910Valen más3:0911París3:03. It was inspired by nostalgic songs from the early 2000s for its characteristic folk-pop style, which captivated millions of listeners around the world. They began their new tour that covered cities in Latin America and Europe, the Si Ayer Fuera Hoy Tour. In 2023, they announced a stadium tour called Los Estadios Tour, which was closed through Disney Plus.
At the beginning of 2025, their new song “Cuarto de Hotel” became part of the film El secreto del orfebre by Mario Casas. In March, they collaborated for the first time with Camilo creating "Me toca a mí". This was the start of their upcoming and 5th album titled M5 which was expected to the end of 2025.

Juan Pablo Isaza Piñeros – songwriter, guitar, piano, ukulele, lead vocals

He was born on August 9, 1994, in Bogotá, Colombia. From his childhood, he cultivated his love for music by learning to play multiple instruments such as guitar and piano. Years later he studied music production allowing him in the future to become the main composer and be of great help in the formation of the band's sound. As a composer, among his most outstanding creations are: "Cómo te atreves", "Besós en guerra" y "No término". He has also collaborated in the writing of songs for singers such as Sebastián Yatra and Aitana.

Juan Pablo Villamil Cortez – banjo, lead vocals, guitar, songwriter

He was born on September 1, 1994, in Bogotá, Colombia. Before devoting himself fully to music, he pursued a career in engineering. He has stood out as the vocalist of the band and has made a great contribution by adding the banjo to the musical themes, which is an unusual instrument in Latin American songs. Together with Isaza's voice, he has transmitted warmth and love to their songs, creating a great impact on her audience and Spanish-speaking music. In addition, he has helped in the composition of some of the band's songs and has stood out as a literary writer by publishing his first book “Las canciones que no escribimos”.

Simón Vargas Morales – bass guitar, backup vocals, songwriter

He was born on October 24, 1993, in Bogotá, Colombia. He is Morat's bassist and backing vocalist, known for his energetic stage presence. Beyond bass, he co-writes songs, contributing ideas and lyrics that shape the band's emotionally driven music. Like Villamil, he has a deep love for literature, reflected in his published novel titled A la orilla de la Luz. Among the band's members, he maintains the most active presence on social media, engaging closely with fans.

Martín Vargas Morales – percussion, backup vocals

He was born on July 25, 1996 in Bogotá, Colombia. He joined the band in 2016 just after Alejandro Posada's departure, becoming the youngest member. Before being part of Morat, I studied music while playing drums in local bands. His drumming gives life to Morat's signature sound after mixing folk, pop, and Latin music. In addition to being a drummer and percussionist, he often contributes vocals by constantly adding different sounds to songs.

Alejandro Posada – percussion, backup vocals (2011–2016)

Alejandro Posada was one of the founding members of Morat and the original drummer. However, in 2016, he decided to leave the band to focus on personal projects and other professional opportunities. His departure made Martín Vargas the new drummer of Morat. Despite leaving the group, Posada remains close friends with the band members.