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CHICOS
Y MENDEZ
El camino
For the past ten years, Chicos y Mendez have been tracing their trail between Europe and Latin America - from Belgium to Mexico, via France, the Netherlands, Peru and Ecuador - with a Latin Alternative sound: a vibrant mix of stage energy and committed poetry, carried by lyrics in Spanish and French.
After a diversion into theatre, with the success of "Recordar, c'est vivre à nouveau", a play co- created with his sister and hailed as "the finest show of the season" by the RTBF, David Méndez Yépez has returned to his first love: music.
Chicos y Mendez puise sa richesse dans l’identité plurielle de son leader belgo-péruvien, David Méndez Yépez. Bercé dès l’enfance par les sonorités latines qui résonnaient dans la maison familiale, il attrape sa première guitare à 12 ans et commence à chanter ses deux patries : le Pérou de ses racines et la Belgique de sa naissance.
Naviguant entre les langues et les cultures, l’auteur-compositeur s’inspire de ses nombreux voyages pour façonner une musique sans frontières, résolument hybride.
De la cumbia péruvienne à l’énergie du reggae en passant par des influences urbaines, son univers musical reflète pleinement sa personnalité multiple et engagée.
Between the heights of the Andes and the cobbled streets of Brussels, David chose music as a universal language — a way to connect with others and to express, in just a few chords, all the poetry of the world.
His songs resonate with the rhythm of human emotions — joy, pain, doubt — and gently challenge the truths we take for granted…
The story of Chicos y Mendez is shaped by a series of key encounters.
At the age of 16, David Méndez Yépez took the stage with Éléonore Coyette to perform "Se quedó", a song dedicated to his Peruvian aunt and grandmother. Refusing to sing without him, Éléonore encouraged David to share his story. Since then, she has accompanied the project as a director, contributing to its visual identity.
During that same concert, 17-year-old Benoit Tempels — just beginning his studies in sound engineering — was struck by David’s artistic approach. On impulse, he told him, “If you ever start a music project, I’ll do your sound!” Benoit would go on to become not only the sound engineer of Chicos y Mendez, but also a key figure in its production, sound identity, and album mixing. As a trusted collaborator, he plays a central role in the project’s artistic coherence, both in the studio and on stage.
Quelques années plus tard, la rencontre avec l’auteur-compositeur Thibault Quinet (alias Tito) marque une nouvelle étape. Leur collaboration musicale repose sur une forte complémentarité : David s’appuie sur ses racines latino-américaines et une approche instinctive teintée de reggae, tandis que Tito apporte une construction musicale plus réfléchie, inspirée par le jazz, la soul et les musiques urbaines. Ensemble, ils développent un style Latin Alternative, nourri d’influences actuelles (musique urbaine, rock, pop, reggae…), ancré dans la tradition tout en s’ouvrant à la modernité. Les textes — en espagnol et en français — traduisent la double culture de David et s’inscrivent dans une démarche artistique engagée.
On stage, the band is joined by Nicolas Scalliet (drums), François Cappelle, Jeff Kayaerts (bass), and Sam Versweyveld (trumpet), further expanding their sonic palette.
With a standout collaboration with Flavia Coelho, an opening performance for Manu Chao in Groningen, and over 300 concerts from Brussels to Mexico—via Lima and Cologne—the band has built a strong connection with its audience, and its music transcends linguistic and cultural boundaries.
After the EP “Siempre de Pie” and the debut album “Esencias”, Chicos y Mendez is back with a new album set to be released in September 2025!
La historia
