Last week, Mexican artist Nsqk took the COLORS stage to perform “tuffluv,” a sultry reflection on the push and pull between romance and creative ambition, and the emotional distance caused by the two.To continue our Latin Heritage Month celebrations, we asked Nsqk to curate a playlist exploring his favorite music and the inspiration behind his work.

Moving between salsa, indie, and alternative music, and spanning Spanish, English, and Korean-language tracks, the playlist brings together the different genres and influences that have shaped his sound.

Before the playlist went live, we caught up with Nsqk to hear about his personal connections to his chosen songs and the stories behind them.

Starting with Parannoul’s “Youth Rebellion,” a band he says he’s had on heavy rotation lately, adding, “There’s some amazing things going on in Seoul. This album has been my recent obsession,” to Mid-Air Thief’s “These Chains,” a song he stumbled across years ago and is “still dumbfounded” by every time he listens. He also gave a cheeky shoutout to Judeline’s “chica de cristal,” calling her “amazing” and the song “so nostalgic” for him.

Then, Nsqk opened up about some of the sounds that have stuck with him over the years. On Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work,” it’s the details that get him; he shares, “The vocal work in this song drives me crazy. The melody, the harmony, all the layers and different performance intensities.” His love for salsa is shared through Adolescent's Orquesta’s “Aquel Lugar,” which he calls “probably my favorite contemporary salsa song,” while Mecano’s “Un Año Más” takes him back to growing up listening to the band with his parents. “This song has always been my favorite,” he says. “The melody at the end is addictive,” and when it comes to La Rondalla de Saltillo’s “¿Hasta Dónde Te Quiero?”, the feeling is a little harder to explain, as he confesses, “Not a lot of music makes me as emotional as this song.”

And of course, he gave some insight into what his upcoming album, mosca, might sound like based on a few inspirations. He shares that The Marías’ “Back to Me” is one of the biggest inspirations for the sound of his new album, adding that he loves The Marías and everything they do. Radiohead’s “Bodysnatchers” also plays a role in the album's sound; Nsqk tells us the band is a standout for him, stating, “There’s a reason In Rainbows is considered one of the greatest albums of all time.” And then there’s Las Grecas’ “Te Estoy Amando Locamente,” a song whose intro inspired what Nsqk calls the “coolest song” off the new album.

Get to know the sounds, songs, and artists that have shaped Nsqk’s musical world...