Who is Mastradom?

For people discovering you for the first time, who is Mastradom?

Mastradom is my artistic project. My name is Bryan Pena. I’m a Mexican-American artist, producer, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist making music in the Latin alternative space.

I was born in Sioux City, Iowa and raised in Denison, Iowa, so a lot of my perspective comes from growing up Mexican-American in the Midwest. My parents are from La Ciénega de los Ahumadas, Jalisco, and that connection to Mexican culture, family, and music has always been a huge part of who I am.

Later on, I went to school for marketing and fashion, then moved to Los Angeles to pursue my dreams as an artist and creative. Mastradom is really the result of all those worlds coming together — small-town roots, Mexican family history, fashion, production, and the need to make something that feels true to me.

How would you describe your sound?

I would describe my music as Latin alternative.

It pulls from bedroom Latin pop, alt-cumbia, experimental reggaeton, electronic music, indie urbano, Spanglish songwriting, and lo-fi textures. I like music that feels emotional but still has rhythm. Something can be soft and intimate, but still make you want to move.

I don’t really see my music as traditional. It lives somewhere in between. It has rhythm and feeling.

I like the idea of making music that feels familiar, but a little unexpected.

When did music first become serious for you?

Music has been around me my whole life, but production became serious for me when I was around 12.

I remember discovering Skrillex and Porter Robinson and finding out they were making music with a laptop. That completely changed how I looked at music. It made everything feel possible. I realized you didn’t need a huge studio or expensive setup to start creating. You could have an idea, open your laptop, and make an entire album from your bedroom.

After that, I started teaching myself how to produce. I didn’t really know what I was doing at first. I honestly really sucked but I was obsessed with figuring it out. I would experiment, learn by ear, mess things up, and kept it pushing. I eventually got the hang of it and didn't really take it that serious until around Covid. I like my music to sound and feel personal, a little raw.

What was your musical background growing up?

I come from a family with a deep musical background, especially through mariachi and Mexican music.

My grandfather played violin and other instruments, so music was already part of my family before me. My dad also played keys growing up, and that really inspired me. Seeing him play made me want to learn keys too.

Over time, I learned how to play keys, picked up a little guitar, and played trumpet in school band and mariachi. So even though I started producing digitally on a laptop, my relationship with music also comes from real instruments, family, and tradition.

I think that mix shaped me a lot. There’s the modern side of me that loves electronic production and experimenting with sounds, but there’s also this deeper connection to melody, emotion, and Mexican musicianship that comes from my family. Who knows it wouldn't be out of the ordinary to compose some musical pieces with traditional sounds in the near future.

How do your roots influence Mastradom?

My roots influence everything, even when it’s not obvious.

I don’t think every song has to sound traditional to carry tradition. Sometimes it’s in the way a song feels. My family’s roots in Jalisco, my upbringing in Iowa, and my life now in Los Angeles all shape the way I hear music.

Growing up in Denison gave me a specific perspective. I was surrounded by Mexican culture despite being in the Midwest. Moving to Los Angeles opened up a completely different world creatively. Mastradom sits somewhere between all of that.

I like the feeling that I can create whatever it is I want.

I don’t want to feel boxed into one sound. That’s what excites me. I like music that feels like it is still becoming something. Almost like it's edging you on. I like when a song has rhythm, but also has vulnerability. I like when something feels Latin without feeling predictable. I think that contrast is what makes it feel like me.