Imperio is a powerful cognate that translates directly to "empire". It's a word that evokes images of power, wealth, and grand success.
In "Poco a Poco", Xavi tells a story of rising from humble beginnings. He sings, "empezamos desde cero / Y lentamente formé un imperio" (we started from zero / and slowly I formed an empire), using this word to describe the culmination of his hard work and struggle. It perfectly captures the song's triumphant rags-to-riches theme.
Poco A Poco is a classic come-up track where Mexican singer Xavi and Los Dareyes De La Sierra look back at where they started and laugh at everyone who doubted them. The title literally means "Little by Little," and the story starts right down in the dirt. They talk about the days when they pulled themselves out of the mud ("salimos del lodo") and had to walk everywhere on foot because nobody paid them any attention ("andábamos a pata y nadie nunca nos peló"). In Mexican Spanish, andar a pata is everyday slang for walking without a car, and pelar a alguien means giving someone the time of day. Instead of holding a bitter grudge, life taught them an unexpectedly polite lesson: always stay decent to the people who once humiliated you ("tienes que ser decente con el que un día te humilló").
From there, the grind kicks into high gear. The narrator mentions hanging out on the street corner with his crew ("con los plebes") and hustling hard ("chingándole para hacer billete") as the only one in his family brave enough to get into the game ("andar en la movida"). He crosses over to the other side ("brinqué pa'l otro lado"—meaning crossing into the United States) to start from scratch, building his way up from twenty-dollar bills to kilos until he built an empire. It is blunt, bold, and fueled by two simple things: proving the non-believers wrong and carrying his mother's blessing ("la bendición de mi madre").
Xavi, born Joshua Xavier Gutierrez Alonso in Phoenix, Arizona, is a Mexican-American singer and songwriter who has been redefining Regional Mexican music since his debut in 2020. Known for blending traditional sounds like urban sierreño and corridos tumbados with modern romantic lyrics, he quickly rose to fame with viral hits such as "La Víctima" and "La Diabla".
Signed to Interscope Records, Xavi's music gained massive popularity on platforms like TikTok, leading to chart success in the US and Latin America. Despite recovering from a serious car accident early in his career, his resilience and distinctive style have earned him a dedicated fanbase and critical acclaim. With his debut EP "My Mom's Playlist" and upcoming tours, Xavi continues to be a leading voice in contemporary Latin music.