Chris Lebrón and El Alfa Mix Strategy and Passion in ‘Jaque Mate’—A Love Song with a Twist
Rising Dominican singer-songwriter Chris Lebrón has joined forces with the King of Dembow, El Alfa, for their highly anticipated track “Jaque Mate.” Featured on Lebrón’s debut album En Honor Al Que Ama, released last month, the song marks a first-time collaboration between the two artists. And now, they’re bringing the heat with the official music video, released today.
A Fusion of Genres
For both artists, coming together on this track was a natural decision. “One of the main reasons was to bring that essence of rhythm that has been defining us lately, putting us in the global spotlight—dembow. And, most importantly, to work with a fellow artist who has carried the representation of our genre on his back,” Lebrón tells CREMA.
El Alfa, known for pioneering the dembow movement, immediately saw the potential of merging their styles. “Chris has a unique sound, and I knew that by mixing it with mine, we would create something special and authentic for listeners,” he shares.
“Jaque Mate” is a Metaphor for Love
Co-written by both artists and produced by JH Beats and Carlos Armando Rivas, “Jaque Mate” plays with the theme of love through a chess-inspired metaphor. The title, which translates to “Checkmate,” reflects that moment when love completely takes over. “It’s the point where you know you’ve completely taken over someone’s heart, or they’ve taken over yours. We wanted to bring that intensity to the song, capturing both the strategy and passion that come with relationships,” Lebrón explains.
Chris Lebrón & El Alfa Showcase their Playful Side with the Music Video
Filmed in Miami and directed by Orange, the music video radiates charisma between both artists. El Alfa shares, “The whole shoot flowed effortlessly because we both knew exactly what we wanted to bring to the video. It was all about having fun and giving the audience something entertaining to watch.”
In the video, the duo gets creative, shrinking down to miniature size as they perform on a chessboard, inside a dollhouse, and in other playful, larger-than-life scenes.
A Checkmate Move for Dominican Music
With “Jaque Mate,” Chris Lebrón and El Alfa prove that blending genres isn’t just about music—it’s about pushing culture forward. This collaboration highlights the evolving sound of Dominican music while staying true to its roots. “It’s not every day you see two Dominican artists from different worlds coming together like this, and we want people to enjoy it as much as we did,” El Alfa concludes.
