Morat is a Colombian Latin pop rock band formed in Bogotá. The band consists of Juan Pablo Isaza (guitars and vocals), Juan Pablo Villamil (banjo and vocals), Simón Vargas (bass and vocals), and his brother Martín Vargas (percussion and vocals). Initially, the band included drummer Alejandro Posada, who left in 2016 and was replaced by Martín Vargas. Friends since childhood, the members of Morat began playing music together and decided to form a band after finishing high school, drawing musical influences from Joaquín Sabina, Coldplay, and Bacilos.
Originally named “Malta,” inspired by Isaza’s pet, they switched to “Morat” after an ancestor of Alejandro Posada and the farm “La Morat” where they first rehearsed. Their breakthrough came when Paulina Rubio showed interest in their song “Mi Nuevo Vicio,” which was released as a single in 2015, reaching No.12 on the Billboard Latin Pop Airplay chart and No.1 in Spain.
In late 2015, Morat achieved further success with “Cómo Te Atreves,” topping iTunes charts in Spain. This momentum carried into June 2016 with the release of their debut studio album, Sobre el Amor y Sus Efectos Secundarios, through Universal Music Spain. The album debuted at No.1 in several Hispanic countries and was certified 4× Platinum, earning them a Latin Grammy nomination for “Cómo Te Atreves.”
In 2017, Morat collaborated with Álvaro Soler on “Yo Contigo, Tú Conmigo,” the theme for Despicable Me 3. The song peaked at No.9 on Billboard and won the “Song of the Year” award at LOS40 Music Awards 2017. This track was included in the reissue of their debut album, featuring an acoustic version of “Cómo Te Atreves.”
Morat released their second album, Balas Perdidas, in 2018. The single “Cuando Nadie Ve” peaked at No.1 on Billboard in August 2018, and “No Se Va” garnered nearly 2 million YouTube views within a week of its release. In 2019, Morat embarked on their first US tour, starting in San Francisco and concluding in Orlando, with stops in major cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York.
In April 2019, Morat released “Presiento” with Aitana, later included in the reissue Balas Perdidas (Edición Especial). Their Spain tour concluded on 15 December 2019 at the WiZink Center in Madrid, featuring guest performances by Antonio José, Aitana, Cali y El Dandee, and Cami. By this point, Morat had performed over 80 concerts in 13 countries.
Morat continued to release new music in 2020, starting with “No Termino” in March, followed by “Nunca Te Olvide,” “Bajo La Mesa” (with Sebastián Yatra), “La Bella y La Bestia” (with Reik), “Más de Lo Que Aposté” (with Aitana), and “Labios Rotos” (a tribute to Zoé). Their virtual concert “Echando Un Cuento” in November 2020 was a significant success.
The band released “Al Aire” on 13 November 2020, and in 2021, they collaborated with Danna Paola and released their third studio album, ¿A Dónde Vamos?, influenced by their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Morat’s blend of pop rock, rich harmonies, and heartfelt lyrics has solidified their place in Latin music.
