Forest

Forest, born César Iván Lorca Abarca in the Villa O'Higgins neighborhood of La Florida, Santiago, initially immersed himself in hip-hop as a teenage rapper and DJ—but grew tired of repetitive beats and shifted toward production. Working blue-collar jobs during the day, he began producing cumbia and merengue tracks tailored for Chile’s neighborhoods, drawing inspiration from Elvis Crespo and traditional tropical rhythms. As early as 2000, Forest self-released mambo-infused tracks like “Yo voy por ella” and “Por más que traten,” which organically spread through community streets and vehicles—earning him underground status even while remaining largely anonymous. In 2018, he released his debut studio album El rey del mambo, reflecting his claim to the throne, followed by El rey in 2022. During this period, he recorded in studios across New York and Puerto Rico with producers linked to Ozuna and Myke Towers, gaining international production polish and securing back-to-back awards for Best Mambo Artist in Chile. His disciplined pivot away from lyrics glorifying drugs and crime was prompted by concerns for his family and a desire for artistic responsibility. In subsequent years, he collaborated with prominent urban figures including Pablo Chill‑E, Dref Quila, Arte Elegante, Santa Feria, and Jairo Vera, and continues to blend live instrumentation into his productions. In mid-2025 he released Bendito Mambo, a second studio album that affirms his maturity and deepens his ambition to bring mambo into mainstream urban music in Chile and beyond.

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