After years of touring and dozens of concerts in the United States, the Colombian band Morat assures in an interview with EFE that its presentations are spaces where “everyone is welcome”, despite the tension caused by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, which have left thousands of detainees and at least two deaths recently.
The band from Bogota, which will make its debut at the Coachella festival in California in April, defends the right of migrants to live without fear in a context marked by violent federal operations.
Morat sends message about migration and their concerts
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Morat, formed by Juan Pablo Villamil, Juan Pablo Isaza -both 31 years old- and brothers Simón, 32, and Martín Vargas, 29, was born in Bogotá in 2011 as a project of four childhood friends who, while studying at the university, alternated recording sessions with presentations in bars and informal events.
Six studio albums and more than a decade of friendship later, stages in America and Europe have accompanied their growth at the same pace that a community of followers has expanded beyond Colombia.
“Our concerts are places where everyone is welcome, regardless of where they come from,” says the eldest Vargas, and stresses that his way of contributing to the migratory situation is to transmit “good energy, openness and accompaniment” through music.
The immigration climate has also surrounded the Super Bowl on February 8 in Santa Clara (California), whose halftime show will be headlined by Bad Bunny, amid expectations for the deployment of federal security, including the presence of ICE agents as part of the overall event.
For Morat, who has built a solid relationship with Latin audiences in the United States after performing in large venues such as Madison Square Garden in New York, their concerts should be meeting places beyond the political situation.
“We defend people’s right to move and live with peace of mind, especially if they feel they are not generating any problems,” adds the elder Vargas.
A year to remember
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Minutes before announcing the first three dates of the ‘Ya es mañana’ world tour, which they describe as their “most nostalgic and ambitious to date”, they recall that 2025 was a “year to remember”, as they won their first Latin Grammy for that album.
After filling stadiums with their previous tour, Morat decided to return to the arena format, so the venue selected for the first three concerts of the tour was the Movistar Arena in Bogota, followed by nine other presentations in different cities in Spain.
“In an arena you can control the darkness, the staging and the proximity to the audience. The challenge is different and also more demanding,” Vargas added, noting that this format allows for a more comfortable and direct experience for those who attend.
Although the band has given no clues as to what the new shows will be like, the promotional poster shows the four members dressed in white suits and accompanied by a futuristic psychedelic aesthetic.
The image contrasts with the previous tour, whose dress code revolved around pajamas and which even earned them a Guinness record for the massive gathering of attendees dressed under that theme.
Kites and a link across the Atlantic
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The return to Bogota adds an intimate dimension to this stage.
The band returns to their hometown with a narrative marked by nostalgia and a shared symbol: kites.
“It is one of our most nostalgic stages. In August, no matter what happens, kites fly,” explained Martín, the youngest of the band, as an image that connects with childhood and with something that unites Bogotanos.
This idea of belonging is not limited to Colombia. Spain, where they will offer concerts in five cities, occupies a special place in their career.
It was there, they recall, that their project began to escalate to unexpected levels after touring the country “from end to end” and building a “very organic and real” bond with the public.
“It’s hard for us to find things that unite us, but the wind in August blows us all the same,” they reflected, convinced that this ability to bring people together is at the core of their music.
Filed under: Morat message migration concerts
With information from EFE
