Los Chicaneros is a family of four, consisting of Antonia, Nicolás, María Cristina, and Nelson, who have gained immense popularity on social media platforms for their original and relatable skits. Based in Orlando, this Colombian family has become a fan favorite among Latin Americans and Latinos in the United States. They are known for their videos of everyday moments that can amuse and entertain audiences of all ages.
The family has recently welcomed a new member, Javier, and together, they have connected with millions of viewers on social media. With over 17 million followers, the Los Chicaneros account has become the Spanish language’s most prominent content creator. Their organic posts garner over 3 million views per video, proving their engaging and down-to-earth approach.
Although their primary audience is in Mexico, Hispanics in the United States, and other countries of Latin America, the family’s popularity has also caught the attention of major brands such as Netflix, T-Mobile, and Universal Music. These brands have recognized the high impact that Los Chicaneros have on social media platforms and have hired them to collaborate on projects.
To learn more about the creatives behind Los Chicaneros, HOLA! USA and Américas sat down with Antonia, Nicolás, María Cristina, Nelson, and Javier to learn more about how they build a successful career on social media, how is to work as a family, if the money they show on their skits is real, and what the future holds for them in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Considering that the term ‘Chicanero’ is very Colombian, we want to know what it means to be a Chicanero
Nelson: Chicanero is a very Colombian term. It refers to a character who wants to show off and pretend to be what they are not. They say that they have money, travel a lot, etc.
Nicolás: The term was born because the original idea of our videos was inspired by immigrants who moved to the United States, and within two months, they said that they had gotten cars, buildings, and not that many other things, and it was all a lie. It was only for those he had left behind in their countries to think they lived in the United States as rich.
Who decided to take the Chicanero character to social media?
Antonia: The idea came from Nicolás, my older brother.
Nicolás: The idea was between my dad and me since we wanted to show that funny side of my dad. He is always making jokes, and he doesn’t take anything seriously. The original idea was called “El Chicanero,” because it was just him, and then we decided to turn it into a family channel.
The entire family has a natural talent for acting. At what point did you all realize you were all such good actors?
Nelson: We have not received any courses or acting education. We are that way. It is our reality. What you see is what we are.
Javier: Our acting teacher has been Nicolás
Nicolás: It has been easier for me to see and direct them. When it’s my turn to record the scenes, it’s more difficult because it’s hard for me to know how I’m doing it.
María Cristina: He is so professional that he directs us on pronouncing the words in our scenes. We laugh at it, but when we see the result, we realize the excellent production of the videos.
Producing, recording, and editing videos takes quite a bit of time. Being the ones in charge of the entire process, what happens when something doesn’t go as planned when you see the result?
Nicolás: We are perfectionists and try to avoid these situations. We write the scripts, and you know the audio, the angles, what is missing, and what is not. However, we lost a video on one occasion, and we decided to recreate the video again. But honestly, planning is what has led us to be successful.
And is this your main job, or is Los Chicaneros a hobby?
Nelson: This is like family therapy for us. It is a job that we use to carry a message.
Nicolás: It is a job we have taken very seriously and have never seen it as a hobby. Yes, we have regular office jobs, but this is another job for all of us.
With Mr. Nelson being the main inspiration, how do you feel about being able to work with your entire family on something so fun?
Nelson: This is my and María Cristina’s dream since we married. We always wanted to work together and raise the family together. This is a very great satisfaction for me. Maybe people say: ‘Oh, your kids are adults now, and they are still living in the house.’ And I think that I hope they never leave our house. The family is the main axis.
Nicolás: We are independent in our lives. We live together, but everyone does things individually, but we like to live together.
A big question is whether the money Los Chicaneros show in the videos is real or fake.
Nicolás: They are fake bills. We bought them at a costume store.
Nelson: They’re fake. If you look at the bills, they are big.
The popularity of Los Chicaneros led to a chance meeting with Karol G at her 2023 concert. How was the experience and treatment?
Antonia: The best day of our lives.
Nicolás: We have always admired Karol G. We have made videos dedicated to her. They have always been very respectful, and we never imagined that we would meet her and that she would know who we are.
María Cristina: When we met her, she treated us very well. So special. She has incredible patience and charisma.
Nicolás: We met her at 1 in the morning after she gave the concert. She was tired, but she still made time to greet us.
With so many experiences, at what moment did you realize as a family that you have achieved success?
Antonia: We realized it during the Coca-Cola Flow Fest in Mexico in 2023. We were in an exclusive area surrounded by other content creators, and there, we realized that we were going places.
Nicolás: My parents couldn’t attend, and everyone asked where they were. That was where we had our most popular video; we are very proud.
Nelson: We love the Mexican community, and thank you for your support.
Nicolás: We love you all!
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