It’s a special first for Virlan García…

The 24-year-old Mexican singer has earned his first No. 1 on a Billboard airplay chart with “Híbrido,” as the banda-sierreño track rises 2-1 on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart dated May 14.

“Híbrido” became the artist’s highest-charting hit on the list two weeks ago, when it jumped 8-3 (April 30 chart), surpassing the No. 4 peak of “Quiero Intentarlo” (February 2019). “Híbrido” is Garcia’s third top 10.

“I’m beyond happy and grateful with my team and label,” García tells Billboard. “We’ve reached the top 10, but never did I score a No. 1, so this is a great satisfaction after so many years. It’s also the result of the support of the people and I hope it’s the first of many No. 1s. I feel blessed and enthusiastic.”

García’s maiden entry on Regional Mexican Airplay arrived in June 2017 with “Cambió Mi Suerte” (No. 24 peak). His first leader lands almost five years later thanks to “Híbrido’s” 10% gain in audience impressions, to 6.6 million, earned in the U.S. in the week ending May 8, according to Luminate.

“Híbrido,” released on Sony Music Latin, arrives at the summit in its 13th week, tying for the third-longest climb to No. 1 in 2022. It matches matching La Adictiva’s “Ya Sólo Eres Mi Ex” and Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga’s “Esta Vida Es Muy Bonita’s” 13-week trek.

Only two other tracks have taken longer to the hit the top this year: Calibre 50’s “Si Te Pudiera Mentir” (24 weeks) and Angela Aguilar’s “Ahí Donde Me Ven” (19 weeks). On the current chart, García evicts Aguilar’s “Ahí” which falls to No. 9 after a one-week lead.

Notably, García joins just two other acts who scored their first Regional Mexican Airplay champ in 2022: Banda Rancho Viejo de Julio Aramaburú with “Me Vale Perderte” (chart dated April 16-dated) and Maluma with “Cada Quién,” with Grupo Firme (Feb. 5-dated survey).

The norteño singer-songwriter concurrently scores his best ranking on Latin Airplay chart, dating back to his first entry in 2018 (“Mi Vida Eres Tú,” No. 24-peak), as “Híbrido” cracks the top 10 mark on all-Latin genre at No. 9.

Meanwhile, the song rises steadily on the all-metric Hot Latin Songs chart (a blend of airplay, streams, and digital sales), where “Híbrido” reaches a No. 27 high mainly on the strength on its radio push.