The Cuban singer and songwriter Lenier Mesa revealed in an interview with the program La Hora del Tiza, hosted by Glenn Perez, that he was addicted to cocaine for years and suffered four overdoses that landed him in the hospital and brought him to the brink of death.
"I was addicted to cocaine for a long time. A long time. About four years ago, I quit all drugs. That has helped me. In other words, after that, I won the Grammys, I have focused," the artist declared in the segment shared on social media.
Lenier described his consumption as something completely integrated into his daily routine: "I would have breakfast, eat, press, etc., etc., etc."
Regarding the overdose incidents, the singer was emphatic in recalling the severity of those moments: "That's because I had four overdoses, you understand? In the hospital. No, no, that's a lie. I was dying."
Lenier also spoke proudly of his recovery: "And I live it with pride now, you understand? Clean, clean."
The artist also described the psychological scars that, as he mentioned, he still carries. Some places associated with his substance use trigger memories that lead him to avoid certain spaces. "Now I don't go to the bathroom because I can already see the place where, you know what I mean? Places like that. It's a trauma," he explained.
Lenier Mesa had already spoken about his struggles with drugs
This is not the first time Lenier has spoken publicly about his addictions. In July 2023, during an interview with El Gordo y la Flaca, he admitted that he "lost himself in drugs and alcohol" and that this phase nearly cost him his family.
In November 2025, the artist stated that he had been "almost a year and a half clean" and talked about the changes he had experienced in his personal and professional life.
That time reference contrasts with his most recent statement that he quit "all drugs" about four years ago. In any case, his new statements represent one of his most detailed public confessions about his addiction, as he identifies cocaine as the substance he was using, reveals that he suffered four overdoses, and describes some of the emotional aftermath from that period.
From its challenging beginnings in Miami to the Latin Grammys
Born in Güines, Cuba, in 1989, Lenier emigrated to Miami in his adolescence and went through a period of extreme hardship. He worked as a barber and even slept in a car for about 15 days upon arriving in the city.
His musical career took off with "Cómo te pago" (2020), which surpassed 90 million views on YouTube. His recognition as a songwriter grew when he won two Latin Grammys in 2022 for his work on the album Pa'llá voy by Marc Anthony, which includes the song "Mala."
Lenier himself attributed his departure from drugs to the progress of his professional career, stating that quitting allowed him to focus on music and enter a new phase of his life.
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