Oscar De La Rosa Announces Solo Album, Talks La Mafia Tequila and 46 Years of Music in New Interview

Oscar De La Rosa of La Mafia kicked off a new chapter—both personally and professionally—during a wide-ranging interview with Bo Corona on Fierro HD, marking Bo Corona’s debut as the station’s morning host on February 2. After years as a familiar voice in the afternoon on 107.5 HD2 in Dallas–Fort Worth and 101.1 HD2 in Houston–Galveston, Bo Corona’s first morning show featured one of Tejano music’s most iconic voices reflecting on legacy, innovation, and what lies ahead.

During the conversation, De La Rosa announced that he is preparing to release his first-ever solo album, while also diving deep into the story behind La Mafia’s Blanco Rosa tequila, the band’s creative process with longtime bandleader and producer Armando “Mando” Lichtenberger Jr., and the unmistakable hat that has become part of his identity.

From “Un Millón de Rosas” to Blanco Rosa Tequila

De La Rosa shared details about the launch of La Mafia Blanco Rosa tequila, which officially debuted in October 2024 after nearly four years in development. The idea, he revealed, stemmed from La Mafia’s classic hit “Un Millón de Rosas.”

“Actually, it was the people that we were working with on this tequila,” De La Rosa explained. “And you know Mando was the one who said, well we have the song ‘Un Millón de Rosas,’ can we come up with something?”

The solution became Blanco Rosa, a naturally colored tequila created by resting blanco tequila in Napa Valley wine barrels in Jalisco for approximately 14 days.

“That’s why it’s called Blanco Rosa,” he said. “It gives it the color of the wine. So there’s no coloring, nothing like that—it’s natural.”

De La Rosa also revealed that he temporarily broke a personal two-year promise to stop drinking in order to properly taste the tequila before release.

“It was important for me to know what it tastes like,” he said. “We did several tastings in Jalisco… and we finally got what we wanted with the tequila.”

He added that while many celebrities have tequila brands, La Mafia’s approach was different—and more personal.

“There’s a lot of politics behind doing a tequila,” De La Rosa noted. “But we said, ‘We’re gonna do it different.’”

In a surprise reveal, De La Rosa disclosed that La Mafia actually has a second tequila brand in development, one that has yet to be released and has already drawn interest from other celebrities.

“Look, I’m telling you stuff nobody knows yet,” he said with a laugh. “But I have to be honest—the one who had the whole idea of the tequila was Mando, not me.”

46 Years of Creative Chemistry with Armando Lichtenberger Jr.

Reflecting on nearly five decades of collaboration with Lichtenberger, De La Rosa described how their recording process has evolved over time.

“Back in the day, we would bring everybody in and we would all do it together,” he recalled. “But now Mando starts off with the drums, then brings in the bass player, then the guitar player. No one is there at the same time, and he’s arranging this in his head.”

Despite the changes, De La Rosa said the trust and synergy between them remains unshaken after 46 years of working together.

A First: Oscar De La Rosa Goes Solo

Perhaps the biggest revelation of the interview was De La Rosa’s confirmation that he is set to release his first solo album, titled Si Fuera Mías, marking the first time he has recorded a full project outside of La Mafia.

“I had never done an album without La Mafia,” he said. “This is going to be my first album without La Mafia.”

The album’s first single is expected to arrive soon, and while the project bears his name, De La Rosa emphasized that Lichtenberger played a key role in shaping its sound.

“It was my ideas with his ideas,” he said. “We did real live strings—no keyboard strings. It’s all real live musicians.”

The Hat That Became the Man

De La Rosa also spoke candidly about his signature hat—an accessory that has become synonymous with his image.

“It’s hard to put it away because it’s become me,” he said. “A lot of the album covers have always been different hats.”

He even revealed that “Un Millón de Rosas” was one of the few times he tried to move away from the look.

“The idea was to do away with the hat,” he said. “It didn’t work.”

See La Mafia Live in Dallas

Before wrapping up the interview, De La Rosa invited fans to catch La Mafia live at Longhorn Ballroom – Backyard Amphitheater in Dallas on March 28 for the Fierro HD 10th anniversary celebration, promising another powerful performance fueled by the same chemistry that has carried the band for decades.

Listen to the full interview with Oscar De La Rosa of La Mafia on Fierro HD below to hear more about his solo album, the future of La Mafia, and the stories behind the music that helped shape Tejano history.

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