Loverboy recently spoke with 2026’s breakout stars, La Bola Negra Directors, Los Javis about their incredible work and also all the amazing talent that is emerging out of Spain right now. From the duo themselves to Rosalía with LUX, her album of the year contender, and Judeline & Rusowsky who just topped the Billboard Global 200 alongside Karol G – Spain has definitely got it going on right now.

Well, now that he is entering his next album cycle, it’s the perfect time to add an important figure from Spain’s LGBTQ+ community to this list – singer/songwriter Juanjo Bona.

Coming out of Magallón, a small town in Aragon, North-Eastern Spain, Juanjo always looks to his musical roots for inspiration, namely the region’s uniquely traditional style of La Jota.

On new single, ‘Pobre De Mí’, Juanjo takes direct inspiration from the local ‘zarzuela’ entitled ‘Gigantes & Cabezudos’ – written in 1898. The twenty-three-year-old has worked the piece into the production of his powerful 2026 pop song about self-acceptance and being true to yourself.

‘Pobre De Mí’ was produced by Catalan duo, El Extintor, featuring Marcel Bagés who worked with singer/songwriter Maria Arnal on the stunning Clamor. Here he reunites with partner David Soler to bring touches of that same experimentalism to Juanjo’s rich folkloric sound.

The song opens with Juanjo singing: “I want to start leaving behind the secrets I was never going to tell. All the lies I thought were true, they’re all things of the past now.” Could this be an LGBT anthem in the making, perhaps? His voice takes centre stage, delivering powerful lead vocals alongside layers of beautifully stacked backing harmonies. These add that experimental edge to the production while allowing Juanjo to showcase the full range and versatility of his voice. Knowing it’s the local band from his town of Magallón playing behind him gives it that extra emotional kick – especially towards the end when we enter a joyous moment of maximalism.

Having overcome obstacles both in his personal life and in the making of the ‘Pobre De Mí’, Juanjo told Loverboy: “I’m so proud and happy because this single was a challenge for me!”

With JB2 on the horizon for 2027, all eyes are on Aragón to see what Juanjo Bona does next…