After Maná became the first Spanish-language band to earn a nomination for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last week, drummer Alex González had an iconic José Alfredo Jiménez lyric ringing in his head: “No hay que llegar primero, pero hay que saber llegar.” (“You don’t need to get there first, but you must know how you got there.”)
The classic “El Rey” line speaks to the years of sacrifice and work that Maná and many major Latin American rock bands have put in to be finally recognized by an institution like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In their nearly 40 years, the band — comprising Olvera, González, Sergio Vallín, and Juan Calleros — has become one of the most successful Latin groups of all time.
Maná have sold over 40 million records and earned a combined 12 Grammy and Latin Grammys. They’ve packed stadiums across the world and broke records with a U.S. residency. Their songs “Oye Mi Amor” and “Rayando el Sol” have become staples in Latin American households — and they’ve done it all by only ever singing in Spanish.
Speaking to Rolling Stone just days after learning of the nod, González and Maná frontman Fher Olvera reflect on sticking to their guns (and their language) and why they decided to dedicate the nomination to Latino immigrants in the U.S.
“We take on the responsibility with all the humility and gratitude,” González says of the nod. “I hope this is the start of something much bigger.”
“We’ve always wanted to keep our music to the language we know and love,” adds Olvera. “I know there are still a lot of stories to tell as Latinos in this globalized, English-focused world.”
How are you feeling after receiving the news?
Fher: We feel great and very surprised. It’s a nomination that is hard to earn, especially singing only in Spanish as we do. It’s a historic moment for Latinos and we’re so proud.
Alex: We’ve gotten congratulated more for this than if it was Fher’s birthday! It’s been a rollercoaster of sweet emotions from so many people. This isn’t just for Maná, it’s for Latin music in general. The Hall of Fame is now looking at the Spanish-language space where there is so much talent. I hope this opens the door for more artists.
How did you find out?
Alex: I woke up and saw a text from our manager Jason Garner. I seriously couldn’t believe it because I’ve been following the Hall of Fame through the years. I never imagined that Maná would be nominated for the Hall of Fame, specifically because we only sing in Spanish. Historically, the only Latinos who’ve gotten the award are Ritchie Valens, who sang “La Bamba” in English, Carlos Santana, our great friend who we admire, sings in Spanish but mostly in English, Los Lobos, who are Chicano and from Los Angeles, and Linda Ronstadt.
I know that at some point there were conversations about Maná doing an English crossover. Why did you guys choose to stick to singing in Spanish?
Fher: Our story is very special. We received offers to do a crossover around 10 or 15 years ago to sing in English, like Ricky Martin and Shakira have. We could do it because our manager at the time, Angelo Medina, and the label were offering a lot of money for us to do it. We didn’t feel comfortable with the idea and they respected that. They backed us up.
In some ways, we’re like an alternative group. A few years ago, I spoke to Chris Martin about this and he told me, “Don’t ever make English music. Stay in Spanish. You guys have so much credibility already.” Bono told us the same thing when we were with him at a show in Italy many years ago. We knew we had to stay in this path. We followed our heart and our way of seeing the world and it has paid off.
It’s interesting to hear global icons tell you that. Your music has indeed resonated with many generations of Latinos.
Alex: In 2026, it’s Maná’s 40th anniversary. Forty years of making music, touring, and speaking up about social issues, which is extremely important to us, whether it’s global warming, human rights, or immigrant rights. We’ve been fighting for so many years for there to be immigration reform to help our people, especially with the labor power Latinos hold. Maná has always tried Lo chingón is that we’ve been able to represent Latin America as a whole, it’s more than just Mexico.
You dedicated the nomination to the “immigrants who are suffering right now,” following President Trump’s attacks on them. What led to the decision to do so?
Fher: We dedicated this nomination to them because we’ve been close to them and see how hard they work and fight to do well in this country. Latino immigrants have put bread and wine on the table of American people for decades. Latinos do the hardest jobs, and it’s why this society has been able to develop. There’s a potent labor force based on Latino immigrants. Without them, there’s nothing.
We want to honor them. It’s clear that there needs to be some sort of understanding of how the government will respect immigrants, who came here to work. As a band, we have faith and hope that these social issues will be resolved. Latinos are so important in the United States. It’s the truth.
You mentioned this nomination might help open doors for other Latin acts, are there other ones you think deserve this recognition?
Alex: There’s so much talent to mention. In the Sixties, I remember bands in Mexico would cover English songs in Spanish. There were huge movements in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Spain. All of them have helped build this path, as have we.
What would it mean for you to be inducted into the Hall of Fame?
Fher: We have been huge fans of the Stones, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Eagles, and Santana. We have literally dreamt with them, and to know they’ve received this award is a dream.
The first time we were nominated at the Grammys, we were slightly discriminated. We were up for an award, and we weren’t allowed to go to the main show and party. There was a separate event where the classical music, jazz music, and Latino groups were set aside, as if we were some sort of subculture. That affected me a lot, because it’s like you’re invited to a party and they leave you outside.
This is different: They’re nominating us and it’s not “These are the Latinos and those are the Anglos.” They’re seeing us as one of them. I thought that was great that they included us in the main group of artists. When that happened, we didn’t even go to that awards show. Now, we do feel part of the general collective.