Mexican Singer Ramón Vega Rewrites Roy Orbison’s ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’ in Spanish
Ramón Vega is taking a classic hit and reinventing it for a new generation. The Mexican singer-songwriter is making history with his debut single “Contigo Mami,” a Spanish take on Roy Orbison’s beloved song “Oh, Pretty Woman.”
Ramón Vega is the youngest Mexican artist to co-write on a Roy Orbison song.
At 15 years old, Vega is the youngest Mexican artist to share a co-write with the late Orbison, who died in December 1988. Orbison’s estate heard Vega’s “Contigo Mami” and signed off on his regional Mexican version of the song.
Orbison took “Oh, Pretty Woman” to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1964. After his death, the song grew in popularity when it was featured as the theme to the 1990 movie Pretty Woman, which starred Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. Not only is Vega reintroducing the classic to his Latino audience, but he’s also schooling his Gen-Z crowd on the Orbison opus.
“I’m so excited to finally put my first single out,” Vega said in a statement. “Alex and the team really got behind my vision and helped me reach this point. ‘Contigo Mami’ is everything I hoped my sound would be. I can’t wait for you all to hear it.”
Vega updates “Oh, Pretty Woman” with regional Mexican music influence.
Not only does Vega give “Oh, Pretty Woman” a Mexican touch, but there’s also a reggae music influence on “Contigo Mami.” He calls out for the woman of his eye in both Spanish and English, evoking Orbison’s timeless chorus. Vega sounds beyond his years with this familiar yet fresh serenade. In the music video, he’s vibing with a pink-haired girl on a motorcycle.
Vega comes from a family of regional Mexican music stars like his uncle, the late Sergio “El Shaka” Vega, and his older brother, Cornelio Vega Jr. Eleven years ago Dominican-American pop star Prince Royce carved out a career for himself with his bachata take on Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me.” Expect the same success for Vega with “Contigo Mami.”
