Willy Calderon
About this Artist
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Willy Calderon is a percussionist, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and composer who has become one of the most dynamic figures in contemporary Latin and fusion music. Raised in a deeply musical family, he began playing drums and percussion at the age of 2 and was shaped early on by mentors such as Alex Acuña, Luisito Quintero, Luis Conte, and his godfather Julio Ernesto Estrada. By the age of 13 he was already performing professionally, beginning a career that would eventually take him across six continents.
Over the last two decades, Calderon has collaborated and performed with artists including Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin, Carlos Vives, Bruno Mars, and Drake. In 2026 he appeared at the Super Bowl LX halftime show alongside Bad Bunny in what became one of the most discussed and politically charged performances in the event’s history, while also marking the first time a Latin male artist headlined the Super Bowl. That same year he launched his Signature Fiesta Timbales with Gon Bops, becoming the youngest signature artist on the US West Coast and introducing the first mass-produced steel timbales with dual neon finishes.
Beyond performance, Calderon has become an important cultural ambassador for Latin music, leading workshops, residencies, and master classes throughout Asia. He is also recognized for pioneering “City Pop Salsa,” a hybrid sound blending Latin rhythms with Japanese City Pop, introduced through his album Project Neon: The Birth of City Pop Salsa. A member of both the Recording Academy and the Latin Recording Academy, Calderon continues to push Latin music into new territories while remaining deeply rooted in rhythm, collaboration, and cultural exchange.