Latin

In December 2014, I saw Ariel Camacho perform at Guelaguetza, a popular Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles. He was making the rounds as the emerging sierreño act to watch from Sinaloa, known for his extraordinary guitar skills and striking vocals. In his early 20s and on the brink of stardom — signed to the indie label DEL Records — Camacho stood confidently in the middle of the stage with his band Los Plebes del Rancho with a pumping tuba that commanded attention and his mesmerizing requinto. All eyes were on this new artist, who had modernized a música Mexicana subgenre that was mainly popular in the Northern regions of Mexico, and played in the rancho.

Two months later, in February 2015, Camacho died in a tragic car accident in his native Sinaloa at age 22 and instantly became a legend. While the young signer’s career was extremely brief — he had only emerged in the musical spotlight in 2013 — he’s had one of the most consequential careers in Mexican music since corridos icon Chalino Sánchez. Ask anyone from Peso Pluma to Fidel Castro (Grupo Marca Registrada), Christian Nodal and Jesús Ortiz Paz (Fuerza Regida), and they will all categorically say that it was Camacho who paved the way for them. In fact, Castro, Peso and Paz all spoke at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week about how the late artist has impacted their respective careers.

Trending on Billboard

“Ariel Camacho was the pioneer of everything,” says Ángel del Villar, CEO of DEL Records, the label that signed Camacho early on and eventually brought Ariel Camacho y Sus Plebes del Rancho to the United States for promo and shows. “Only someone with his essence could take such a local genre to an international level. What we are living now in the regional Mexican genre has its roots in the music he created. He led the way for a revolution in the genre.”

Ariel Camacho y Los Plebes Del Rancho earned their first Billboard chart entry, and top 10 hit, through “El Karma,” which debuted at No. 40 on the Latin Digital Song Sales in August 2014. The song returned to the chart seven weeks later, for its second week, peaking at No. 7 in March 2015, a month after Camacho’s death. The track earned Camacho his first No. 1 on any chart: the posthumous champ surged 30-1 on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart in March 2015. Overall, Ariel Camacho y Los Plebes del Rancho’s albums have earned a combined 2 million equivalent albums units, according to Luminate, and 2.7 billion on-demand official streams in the U.S.

When Camacho launched his career in 2013, regional Mexican music wasn’t the global force that it is today. The genre was mainly dominated by corrido singers and banda ensembles like Banda MS and Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda led by a frontman — most were older men that didn’t play an instrument onstage. Camacho — who was managed by Jaime González (Christian Nodal’s father) — was refreshingly different. He was very young compared to his fellow genre mates, he sang romantic songs and he brought along his requinto (a six-string guitar), which he learned to play thanks to his father, also a singer and musician.

“He was a boy with his guitar,” Nodal told Billboard during his interview for his 2024 Billboard SXSW cover story. “It was something so simple that made such an impact at the time that, when Ariel passed away, he invited me to dream. It was because of him that I started listening to regional Mexican music and began to write songs.”

The guitar part of it all is “extremely notable,” says Tere Aguilera, Billboard and Billboard Español‘s correspondent in Mexico who has covered música mexicana extensively. “It was no longer just about wanting to be a singer or the vocalist of a group. All the kids who were looking for a start found a reference point in Ariel because he was a young person singing something that wasn’t just their parents music anymore. It’s also important to note that because Ariel was mainly successful in the U.S., aspiring Mexican-American artists took note. They too could succeed outside of Mexico, it was no longer a ‘regional’ thing.”

It’s precisely what Paz, frontman of Fuerza Regida born and raised in San Bernardino, Calif., saw in Camacho. “He really lived life to the fullest — doing his thing, getting on radio shows in L.A, and pushing a genre that was part of our childhood. He was making space for us outside of Mexico, and as someone from California with Mexican roots, that hit close to home,” he tells Billboard, adding that his favorite Ariel Camacho song is the emotionally-charged “Hablemos.”

Marca Registrada’s Fidel Castro was perhaps one of the few artists who actually met and hung out with Ariel Camacho. They also recorded together. “The first time I heard Ariel’s voice it caught my attention,” Castro remembers. “It was a voice with a lot of feeling. And whatever song he sang, it was beautiful because he had the talent to not only feel it but make it his own.”

Castro and Camacho met in Sinaloa through a colleague: “When he arrived to the house we were meeting at, he was listening to a song of mine called ‘La Vida Ruina,’ and in fact we re-recorded it together. For me it was an honor, it was immediate chemistry and we became friends. After that we went everywhere together.”

Castro’s relationship to Camacho is peculiar, in the way that not many in the industry had the chance to meet this ephemeral talent. “Ariel was super humble, but had a lot of personality. He was a great friend, he loved jokes, and he was a big foodie,” Castro shares. “If we were in Culiacán and all of a sudden craved something from Guamuchil, where he lived with his parents, we had to travel from Culiacan to Guamuchil just for a torta from Tortas El Rey. If something got into his head, there was no one to stop him.”

It’s hard to pinpoint just one reason why so many artists that are ushering a new generation of regional Mexican music look to Camacho for inspiration. Whether it was because he was young, successful outside of Mexico or because he dared to refresh a decades-old genre with his requinto and the mighty tuba, it’s clear that Camacho left a blueprint for hitmakers today.

“Even if they don’t sing the same style as Ariel, those new artists are influenced by what Ariel did,” Castro adds. “Today, Peso and Fuerza Regida are monsters in music, and their foundation is Ariel Camacho. That’s his legacy: starting a new era of Mexican music.”

Read manager Jaime González share his first-hand memories of Camacho here.

Iconic Chilean songstress Myriam Hernández graced the stage on Monday (Feb. 24) at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival, marking her first performance at the event in over 20 years. At 7:45 p.m. ET, the singer made a memorable entrance with “El Hombre Que Yo Amo,” her hit from 1992, accompanied by a live band featuring keyboards, melancholic violins, and a cello.
Dressed elegantly in a black, beaded gown with a leg slit, Hernández showcased her signature vocal range and poise right from the start. She continued with a seamless transition into “Te Pareces Tanto A Él,” accompanied by striking visuals including fiery planet imagery, masks, and bucolic scenery.

The show continued with the ranchera-tinged “Nos Lo Hemos Dicho Todo,” continuing to display her exceptional vocal prowess. “Good evening Viña, I dreamed of this moment. 23 years have passed, and 35 years since I stood up on this stage for the first time; and you made that dream of that four-year-old girl come true,” she said in between songs. “I just have to give infinite thanks to God, to you, to all of you.”

Following nostalgic hits like “Mío” and a vibrant medley that included “Dónde Estará Mi Primavera” and “Rescátame,” the stage came alive with more dynamic visuals. Chilean musician Valentín Trujillo also joined her for “Se Me Fue” on the grand piano, enriching the historic moment.

One of the night’s highlights was the appearance of the Power Peralta twins, whose electrifying dance moves in fiery red pants and sparkly B.B. Simon belts — and their washboard abs — complemented Hernández’s performance of “Leña Y Fuego.” The star, now in a shorter, more flamboyant dress, continued to rev up the energy, surrounded by a dozen female dancers, cementing her status as a queen of the stage. “Myriam, you are the queen of Chile, and thank you very much for representing us so well,” exclaimed one of the Power Peralta brothers.

The emotional peak of the night arrived as Hernández was awarded the prestigious Gaviota de Platino — which has only been awarded four times (Luis Miguel, Juan Gabriel, Lucho Gatica, Los Jaivas) in its 64th history of the festival; she is the fifth artist to receive the coveted prize. “It is so difficult to talk and describe what I feel,” said the emotional performer. “I am proud to be Chilean, and that is my flag to the whole world, you are my greatest motivation.”

As Hernández sang “Ay Amor,” tears streamed down her face. “Myriam Hernández, the balladeer of America, leaves an indelible mark on Viña and all who witnessed this historic return,” remarked one of the announcers as the showcase came to an end.

Viña will continue that night with the duo Ha*Ash, and on Tuesday (Feb. 25) with Colombian’s Morat headlining and Sebastian Yatra; Feb. 26 with Carlos Vives headlining and Carín León; Feb. 27 with Incubus, Juan Carlos López and The Cult; and Feb. 28, urban night, with headliner Duki, Eladio Carrión and Kid Voodoo.

Ariel Camacho’s career was brief, but his legacy has touched and influenced every aspect of regional Mexican music today. In 2013, the Sinaloa-born artist rose to fame as one of the most promising Mexican music acts of his generation. At only 20 years old, Camacho redefined and globalized sierreño, a style popular in the Northern parts of Mexico. A gifted requinto player, Camacho delivered anthems like “Te Metiste,” “El Karma” and “Hablemos.”

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

On Feb. 25, 2015, at 22 and on the brink of stardom, Camacho died in a car accident. The young singer not only became a legend, but he inspired acts like Natanael Cano, Jesús Ortiz Paz (Fuerza Regida), Nodal and Peso Pluma, who credit him for forging a path for a new generation of música mexicana artists.  

His manager, Jaime González (Christian Nodal’s father), worked closely with Camacho for nearly three years. Below, González speaks with Billboard about Camacho’s humble beginnings, how Camacho dreamed of going global, and why the late artist continues to fuel the regional Mexican movement.  

Trending on Billboard

It is an honor for me to talk about Ariel Camacho. Era mi bebé.

A friend told me about Ariel. He said there was this guy who sang at parties. He passed me his contact info, I called him and told him I was going to be in Los Mochis [Sinaloa] one day to produce an album. He came to see me and said, ‘I want you to listen to me to see if we can do something together.’ This was like in 2012.

Well, I heard it and it gave me chills, that’s when the whole story began. He was a person from the rancho, very simple, super humble. I remember that he arrived in those Sinaloa style guaraches, with his Levi’s pants, T-shirt, a baseball cap and his requinto (six-string guitar). He was with two other guys, and they sang for me a corrido and a [romantic] song and that was enough for me. I had never had anything like that happen to me before, there was something very special there. He trusted me and I trusted him.

I signed him and I was his manager from beginning to end. I told him that música sierreña and campirana is sung with a tejana and cowboy boots. But he wanted to wear those Ferragamo shoes that were in style and a little blazer. We almost had to force him to wear the tejana, and then he didn’t want to take it off.

Ariel Camacho and Jaime Gonzáelz

Courtesy of Jaime Gonzáelz

Ariel learned to play the guitar because his dad is a musician. His dad plays guitar and sings. He had a group in Sinaloa and he took Ariel with him from a very young age to the concerts. He sang with the church choir, and those were his early beginnings. He was an excellent performer, and had a lot of freshness. Ariel loved the guitar. He would get up with his guitar in his hand, and he had a repertoire of songs that would drive you crazy.

With Ariel, we innovated sierreño music by adding the tuba. In fact, we fought because he wanted to add bass and I wanted to add tuba to the sound. “No, I don’t like the tuba,” Ariel told me. I replied, “Give me a chance to let you hear the recording with tuba. And then we’ll take it out if you don’t like it.” I had a specific tuba player that I envisioned for the Ariel Camacho y Los Plebes del Rancho project. This tuba player, his name is Israel Meza, he was the producer of all of Julio Preciado’s albums, he worked with Joan Sebastian, he is a savage on the tuba. So, I hired him to help us record.

Ariel was worried about what people would say and if they were going to criticize him for incorporating tuba in sierreño. We recorded all the songs on the album with guitars, bass and vocals. And in another version, we added the tuba.

In the end, the one who decided whether it was tuba or bass was a guy who was selling tamales… We went out to the garage to discuss whether it was going to be with tuba or bass, and at that moment, a tamalero was passing by on a bicycle selling tamales and champurrado and listening to music on his little stereo. I remember that very well. I said to Ariel, “You know what? Neither you nor I are going to decide this. We’re going to buy tamales from the tamalero and ask him if he knows about music. If he knows about music, then he’s not going to decide either.” We shook hands. So we bought tamales, and we asked him if he knew about music. “What do you mean?,” the tamalero asked me. “I mean, do you know about notes, do, re, mi, fa, sol,”‘ I answered. “I don’t know anything about that, but I like music, and I know which song is good and which song is not good.”

Ah, perfect!

Ariel was like, “First play him the bass version.” And Ariel was selling the story like, “Doesn’t it sound so cool?” And then we played the version with tuba. When the two versions finished we asked him which one he liked better. “he second one, it’s better with the tuba,” he answered. We agreed, it’s with tuba. Special shout out to the tamalero, and I would like to thank him for that wise decision he made.

We started looking for his musicians to put the band together, and then we started recording songs. “El Rey de Corazones” was one of his first songs and it was a hit. That is to say, it was a very fast, fleeting career. He had a brutal talent and he was very young. He was one of those artists that came into the world and won you over. Whatever song we released, it was a hit. I had never worked with an artist as much as with Ariel Camacho — there was so much demand. I met him and after three months, we started working at an exaggerated pace in Mexico. It took him time to assimilate what was happening because he didn’t believe it. I remember that he dreamed a lot about earning money to build a house for his mother, a nice house, or to buy his first Cheyenne.

We lived through a lot of good and bad anecdotes — from not filling a venue to selling out out a venue. There are many videos of him crying at his concerts in Tijuana, Nogales, Hermosillo, Los Angeles, many places. When he finished, he would get off the stage and give me a hug of relief, of emotion. He thanked me and I thanked him for the opportunity.

Jaime Gonzáelz and Ariel Camacho

Courtesy of Jaime Gonzáelz

Even when he started earning money and so on, he was the same, he never changed. He was a family person, very cheerful, loving, loved to joke around. He was a kid who came out of the rancho, with a guitar on his back to look for his dream and he found it. I think that connects with this new generation, especially being very young like them. He has definitely been a reference for artists like Peso Pluma, Natanael Cano, Fuerza Regida. Besides the innovation, the idea of adding the tuba to sierreño — that had never happened. That’s what encouraged everyone to make their fusions. They’re adding trombone, charchetas, etc. It motivated young people to dare to start something new. And everything we are listening to now with guitars, includes a reference to Ariel Camacho.

Ariel was a very special person. He was like another son — because he slept at my house, he ate at my house, I was his producer, his manager, his psychologist. And I was his friend.

We talked about many things that were left unfinished, that we could not achieve obviously because of his death. I have not healed. It is still very hard for me to process what happened — I have many mixed feelings.

But I am grateful for the opportunity he gave me, and it was a beautiful experience. I am sure that if he were alive, we would be at another level right now, we would be global, we would have done a thousand things, because there were many plans. He wanted to sing with mariachi, to conquer all the countries, and it makes me angry that he died before his time — but, well, God is in charge.

Every year on his death anniversary, we do an event at his grave. We always put up a stage, we make carne asada, birria, bring seafood and beer. Almost always a lot of people get together, and all the artists who want to come, come. Natanael has been there to sing for him, many artists have been there, and obviously Los Plebes del Rancho, who continue his legacy.

Ariel Camacho may be physically dead, but he is alive, his music and his legacy live on.