Mexican music
From being a virtually unknown mariachi singer, Deyra Barrera has gone on to headline international news as the surprise Spanish voice that opens Kendrick Lamar‘s GNX album. “Siento aquí tu presencia/ La noche de anoche/ Y nos ponemos a llorar,” she sings soulfully at the beginning of “Wacced Out Murals,” reappearing again in the middle of the song.
And her sweet, penetrating voice resonates in two more tracks: “Reincarnated,” a tribute to the late Tupac Shakur, and the closing song “Gloria,” with SZA. The LP has been No. 1 on the Top Rap Albums, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and all-genre Billboard 200 charts for last three weeks.
“I didn’t expect it because I didn’t know what was going to happen,” Barrera tells Billboard Español about her appearance on the album after what had already been reported: in late October, she was invited to sing at the Dodger Stadium in tribute to her late friend, the Mexican baseball player Fernando Valenzuela. Lamar — “or his team,” she’s not sure — heard her, and a few days later they contacted her.
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Everything happened very quickly, and the interest in the artist has grown in ways previously unimaginable for her, but Deyra Barrera is not a rookie. Originally from Villa Juárez, Sonora, Mexico, the singer — who arrived in Los Angeles at the age of 17 and has spent more than half her life in the U.S. — has been trying to make her way in music for decades on both sides of the border.
“I was first in [the singing competition] La Academia in Mexico City in 2010. And then I was in La Reina de la Canción on Univision,” she shares. “I also returned to La Voz México in Mexico City in 2021, during the pandemic. It was tough. As I tell you, I’ve been knocking on doors for many years.”
“It’s a very difficult career but well, this is what I love to do. Since I live here, I live off music,” she adds, detailing that she has been in various regional Mexican female bands, including Las Adelitas and Mariachi Divas. More than 10 years ago she formed the quartet Corazón de México, which was reduced to the current Trío Corazón, made up with her sister Verónica and Cynthia Reifler Flores. “We work a lot at parties,” Barrera says.
Now that she’s the talk of the town — far beyond Mexican or Latin music — she reflects that what she is experiencing at this moment is owed to her great friend Valenzuela.
“I was always joking with him and telling him, ‘Oh, take me to sing at Dodgers,’ and finally he took me when they retired his number in August 2023,” she explains. “Thanks to that, they called me after [he died] to sing at the tribute along with my friend Julián Torres, who is another ranchera music singer whom I admire very much and who is the one who always sings at the stadium.”
Barrera confessed to Billboard Español that up until now she didn’t follow rap music, and spoke about her newfound appreciation for Lamar and his work, her gratitude for the cultural bridges he has built by inviting her to be part of his project, and her own future plans and prospects.
To start, what did you feel when you hit play and the first thing you heard was your voice on Kendrick Lamar‘s album?
I got goosebumps. It was a surprise for me. I didn’t expect it, because I didn’t know what was going to happen. Then I got a call from Rolling Stone magazine, and that’s how I found out.
And you’re not on just one song, you’re on three! What DID you know when you recorded your parts?
I’m not allowed to talk much about it. The only thing, and what everyone already knows, is that I was at a baseball game where they invited me to sing in a tribute to Fernando Valenzuela. He [Lamar] was there, or his team. Then they contacted me. I went and recorded without thinking it was going to be something so big. I didn’t imagine it.
Did you get to meet Kendrick in the studio?
Yes, he came quickly and left. But it was something magical, like a dream.
Have you spoken to him since his album came out?
No.
Have you thought about the possibility that he might take you on his next tour with him?
Well, I have all my prayers. I have it well visualized in my mind; whatever comes next for me, then let it be. I have many years in this music career looking for opportunities, throwing in the towel, picking it up again. So God’s timing is perfect. A moment in my life that I never expected — always wanting to collaborate with artists of my own genre, I never imagined that I would collaborate with the No. 1 American rapper in the world. I mean, rap music! And that it would take me to something so big.
Did you listened to rap music or followed Kendrick Lamar’s career before?
No, I honestly don’t listen to much rap music. Obviously, I knew who he was, he has many hits. And yes, I like the music… but I am 100% Mexican. I’m always listening to mariachi music, regional Mexican music.
Have you heard more of Kendrick’s discography as a result of this collaboration?
Yes, of course. I have looked at everything he has done and wow, he is so great. Everything he does — I understand why, on this new album, he put his genius mark, like putting my voice on three of the songs as an introduction.
Why do you think he did it?
He loves giving those surprises, from what I’ve read. But more than anything to unite cultures, and that is what I appreciate the most. I’m super happy that he loves our music and wants to unite our cultures, our music with his.
Did he tell you anything about Mexican music?
No, I didn’t talk [about that] with him. It was just “Hello, thank you, goodbye.” That was all. But I thank him for that, for uniting us. I never imagined that I would now have so many fans of rap music. I mean, the little bit that I sang, they tell me so many beautiful things, they flatter me. They say, “What a beautiful voice.” It’s wonderful that we have united our cultures.
It’s exciting to see a female regional Mexican music singer being highlighted in this way, as they are a minority in a genre traditionally dominated by men.
Yes, believe me, I have also been so emotional and also in carrying the name of so many women, raising the Mexican flag in representation of so many women of our mariachi music. There is so much talent, so many beautiful voices, and I feel blessed to have been the one chosen to be here at this moment.
What did your Trio Corazón bandmates say when they found out about this?
They couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t say anything until it came out. And wow, they are super proud. Now I have to work hard to make the most of this moment and let people know who Deyra Barrera is.
What doors has this experience opened for you? Have any record labels contacted you?
We’re working on that, yes. But imagine, it’s the Anglo-Saxon people, the American people, everyone is talking! Sometimes I listen to myself in the car and I hear [on the radio] that they are still talking about this. Then I see reaction videos of people who listen to pure rap music and they’re like, “What? What is this?” And yes, I feel that many doors have been opened and that’s why I want to keep working, fighting for my dreams. What life is giving me now, what I always asked God for, he sent it to me like this.
What are you hoping for in 2025?
¿Qué esperas para el 2025? ¿En qué estás trabajando?
I want to record.
Do you write your own music?
Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened for me. Although the parts I sang for Kendrick, I wrote them. I’m already enrolled to record songs. Why not!
If you had Kendrick Lamar in front of you today, what would you say to him?
Thank you. Thank you for respecting our music. For listening. For inviting me to this new album. And may God bless him and may we unite more. Music is universal. Music can unite so much in everything, it can unite cultures.
Powerhouse música mexicana bands Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera have teamed up to release their explosive 5-track EP, Mala Mía, to cap off the year with a bang. Just two years after their Hot 100 hit “Bebe Dame,” this thrilling team-up continues to captivate audiences.
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Mala Mía presents a collection of entirely new tracks that blend the signature styles of Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera. “Me Jalo” perfectly encapsulates this fusion, combining Fuerza Regida’s signature lovelorn, jaded corridos with Grupo Frontera’s lively accordion-driven cumbia pop; and “0 Sentimientos” delves into the complexities of a love that has soured.
The EP also explores themes of affection in “SOS” and “Coqueta,” with the latter poised to become a hit due to its buoyant rhythm and sweet lyrics. “Aurora,” featuring regional Mexican artists Oscar Maydon and Armenta, stands out with its beautiful melody and sierreño guitar interplay, enveloping listeners in a lyrical haze of love. The vocal interplay between frontmen Jesús “JOP” Ortiz Paz and Adelaido “Payo” Solís III is seamless. The release was co-produced by Edgar Barrera, Miguel Armenta, JOP, Grupo Frontera, and Moisés López.
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Fuerza Regida has enjoyed a standout year, marked by a successful tour promoting their Jersey corridos album, Pero No Te Enamores. The momentum continued as they launched their own music festival, Don’t Fall In Love, showcasing top names in música mexicana and hip-hop, including Los Ángeles Azules, Lil Baby, Sexyy Red, Luis R. Conriquez, and Xavi. Their influence extended to the Billboard charts where they topped the year-end, all-genres Top Artists – Duo/Group chart for the second consecutive year, making them the only Latin band to ever achieve this feat since the list’s inception in 2006.
Meanwhile, Grupo Frontera continued to solidify their Tex-Mex swagger with their second album Jugando A Que No Pasa Nada, which peaked at No. 198 on the Billboard 200 and No. 10 on the Top Latin Albums chart. They’ve made appearances on high-profile TV shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Good Morning America. Additionally, they secured the No. 9 spot on the 2024 year-end Top Latin Artists chart.
Listen to Mala Mía below.
Mexican-American singer-songwriter Jacqie Rivera has signed a global deal with Virgin Music Group, Billboard can announce exclusively today (Aug. 29). Her first single under this new partnership, “Si Pasa Una Mosca,” will be released on Friday.
Daughter of the late “Diva de la Banda” Jenni Rivera and sister of fellow singer Chiquis, Jacqie Rivera is best known for her participation in reality shows about her family like The Riveras and I Love Jenni. In 2018, she released a version of a classic love song in Spanish, “Qué Ganas De No Verte Nunca Más,” which her mother had previously recorded, and between 2020 and 2021 she put out a series of singles independently, including “La Razón,” “When It Hurts,” “Existo Yo” and “Hurt.”
This is her first record deal and will include “multiple albums,” her publicist tells Billboard.
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“Being a part of the Virgin team is an answered prayer,” Rivera said in a press release. “It feels so good to have people on your side that believe in your dreams. This is just the beginning for us. Thank you Virgin for being part of my history.”“Everyone at Virgin is so happy to partner with Jacqie on this next phase of her career,” added Victor Gonzalez, President of Latin America and Iberian Peninsula, Virgin Music Group. “Jacqie has made an incredible album, and we can’t wait to share it with the world.”
No further details about the deal were provided.
As for her first single under the label, “Si Pasa Una Mosca” (which means “If a fly passes by”) was written by Salvador Aponte and Leslie Laraim, and produced by Carlos Alvarez. According to the release, the song combines melancholic sounds with a moving narrative that explores the pain and resignation of a relationship that is coming to an end.
“The first time I heard the song, I was driving my car and immediately felt a lump in my throat and started to cry,” Rivera said. “The lyrics are powerful, and I felt connected to them.”Jacqie Rivera is the executor of her mother’s estate, whose latest posthumous releases have been under Sony Music Latin.
Los Tigres del Norte aren’t mincing words in their new single, “Aquí mando yo” (I’m in Charge Here). The track, which they are releasing on Thursday (May 30) along with an EP of the same name, talks about the legendary Mexican group’s struggles as immigrants, as well as the price of fame, with verses that may — or may not — refer to the current state of Mexican music and its new stars.
“Aquí mando yo, y este colmillo no lo tuve que comprar […] Ya veníamos de la tienda cuando tú ibas por el pan (I’m in charge here, and I didn’t have to pay for this fang […] We were already back from the shop when you were going in for bread),” they sing in the chorus.
But group leader and lead singer Jorge Hernández, who spoke with Billboard from his home in California, says the words aren’t meant for anyone in particular.
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“I saw this theme as the story of so many immigrants who come from their towns with nothing. That was my first reaction,” says Hernández. “Then, the sentiment in other parts of the lyrics is that suddenly those of us who tell the truth are judged and those who lie are the heroes […] Also suddenly there are people who don’t quite see the roots of the tree. And many of these new elements today, I don’t know if they ignore this — or if this is an example so they can see who came before them, just as we’re also thankful for those characters who were interesting in their time.”
“Aquí mando yo”, with its clear message of empowerment as well as advice (“Many students have been swallowed by money; they forgot their roots and became arrogant”), is released as Los Tigres announce the rest of their world tour, including their first date at legendary Madison Square Garden, set for May 24, 2025.
After playing what will be more than 50 dates between the United States, Mexico, and South America — with stops including Foro Sol in Mexico City, three nights at the Movistar Arena in Bogotá, and dates in Spain — 12 months of touring will culminate for Los Tigres with their MSG date, their first ever in that venue.
Details of the concert, presented by Zamora Entertainment, which is producing the group’s tour, will be announced May 30 at a press conference at MSG.
“I never imagined I would be in that place, and I think it’s very important for our career and for our style of music,” says Hernández — noting the group have been ambassadors of norteño for over five decades. “We have fought to dignify this music, and to carry it and showcase it around the world. We’ve managed to visit large and small towns in the United States, and now we travel the world dignifying this music in the best way. And it has been a very big job, ensuring the music endures and and it’s looked at with good eyes.”
Also on Thursday night, Los Tigres will release their new five-song EP, also titled Aquí Mando Yo, on Fonovisa. The album includes songs by various writers, including Héctor Guerrero, who penned the title song. As has historically been customary for Los Tigres, the group listens to a lot of music, from many writers — even new ones — before choosing what to record. Guerrero, whom Hernández had never met, presented 15 songs to the group.
“I always listen to them all,” says Hernández, who unlike many current artists, does not put his name as a composer unless he’s actually participated in the songwriting. “You know we respect everyone and all our colleagues,” he adds. “I don’t try to compare myself to anyone […] I always say that when music does well, there is a great opportunity for the music movement to continue, and that makes me very happy. If someone is successful, somehow I will be successful. The selfish never succeed.”
Here are the complete lyrics of “Aquí mando yo,” available beginning Thursday (May 30).
Singing to our peopleFelt like an incoherent dreamWe broke a thousand barriers, starting from the bottom Without a dime, that was tough.
In the world of mythLies finally floatAnd there’s a lot of students eaten up by moneyThey forgot their roots and became arrogant.
I think many students won’t liketoday’s classThere’s several names missing from the list, their run is overand what was strong starts to crumble.
I’m in charge hereI didn’t have to pay for this fang. It’s years of trajectory, we’ve tasted glory We were back from the store when you came in for the bread. You have to face the truth.
(SPEAKS)These verses I speak todayWere made for many now running their mouthsin a hypocritical world, those who speak the truth becomes villains,Loose lips full of fake wordstelling stories they never lived, but in this jungleThe crown isn’t passed around, and the TIGER is respected, his head held higheven if you look own on me, know that I’M IN CHARGE HERE
Lying is common I’ll refresh your memory, now that you’re sitting down,when it comes to the boss of bosses, you never talk down.
I think many students won’t liketoday’s classThere’s several names missing from the list, their run is overand what was strong starts to crumble.
I’m in charge hereI didn’t have to pay for this fang. It’s years of trajectory, we’ve tasted glory We were back from the store when you came in for the bread. You have to face the truth. I’m in charge here!
Carín León’s new album will be released May 30, and it won’t be business as usual, as the Mexican star exclusively tells Billboard.
Boca Chueca Vol. 1 drops at 8 p.m. ET on May 30, and features 19 songs, including bilingual collabs with country stars Kane Brown and Leon Bridges as well as Latin icons like ranchera star Pepe Aguilar and Mexican rockers Panteón Rococo. See the full tracklist for the first time below.
But the real change, says León, starts with the album cover, a surrealist painting that shows León’s face close up, with a sinister-looking hand holding his mouth open in a crooked grimace that is a direct reference to the album’s title; “Boca Chueca” translates to “Crooked Mouth.” And that title in turn represents the album’s contents, says León.
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“What we wanted to highlight on the cover was […] all those problems you suffer as an artist who is always exposed,” León said in a voice note he sent to Bilboard. “All those fears they carry from before. All that contributes to the music and the art we all make as artists. Making this album was like a small embrace and a conciliation with many things people think are bad, but that are also part of you. The cover has that dark look which in a way has a lot to do with us and also speaks about the reinvention in this album. It has more daring words, more of a street vocabulary. Boca Chueca has a lot to do with that less genteel side of Oscar Armando,” says León, referring to his given name, Oscar Armando Díaz de León.
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The cover art of Boca Chueca was designed by Alan Ortega, a member of León’s band who plays the pedal steel guitar but is also a painter. In fact, he did the also surrealistic cover of León’s album Colmillo de Leche, where he is depicted with a lion’s head.
Boca Chueca Vol. 1 is the studio follow-up to Colmillo, which peaked at No. 8 last year on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart. Since its release, León has been getting traction as one of the top regional Mexican music stars in the market, touring arenas and performing at festivals like Stagecoach.
His new tour, also called Boca Chueca, kicks off July 22 and includes stops at Madison Square Garden and, in a departure for a Mexican act, at Wizink Center in Madrid.
As for Vol. 2 of Boca Chueca (the album), no word yet on when it will be released, but the implication is it won’t be long. Here is the full tracklist of Boca Chueca, Vol. 1.
Final Tracklist:
1. ”Cuando la vida sea trago”2. “Otra vez”3. ”Casi oficial”4. ”Frené mis pies”5. ”Círculo vicioso”6. ”Que haga el paro”7. ”Bebé no cambies tú”8. “Por eso bye”9. ”Qué feo se siente el amor”10. ”No sé” con Panteón Rococó11. “The One (Pero no como yo)” con Kane Brown12. ”Lamentablemente” con Pepe Aguilar13. ”Aviso importante” con Bolela14. “It Was Always You (Siempre fuiste tú)” con Leon Bridges15. ”Banqueteras”16. “1”17. ”Aunque tú no lo sepas”18. ”Por culpa de un tercero”19. ”Despídase bien”
Warner Music is restructuring its Mexican music division to strengthen its market presence and product quality, the label tells Billboard. The revamped division will feature a culturally attuned A&R team and a strategic marketing framework designed to promote artist development across multiple territories.
The initiative will be led by Tomas Rodríguez, president of Warner Music Mexico & Mexican Music, who will be spearheading the restructured division from Mexico. “The expertise, adaptability, and market acumen of the Mexican Music team will bolster our vision for the genre’s development and globalization, cementing Warner as a protagonist,” he said in a statement.
Rubén Abraham, Warner Music’s GM of Mexican music, will oversee the A&R and marketing teams from Los Angeles, aligning strategies across the United States and Mexico. “We’re primed to offer the industry’s premier platform for the genre, supported by top-notch professionals and tailored negotiation options that cater to both present needs and future prospects of Mexican Music,” he said.
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The division’s A&R team will include Brian Plascencia as director of A&R. Plascencia brings extensive experience from previous roles at Universal Music and Univision Records and as a West Coast label manager at Machete Music, where he was instrumental in launching artists such as Larry Hernandez, Fidel Rueda, El Potro de Sinaloa and Roberto Tapia. As a founding partner at Alianza Records, Plascencia has also developed artists like Grupo H-100 and Edicion Especial.
Elsewhere, the A&R team will include associate director of A&R Armando López, who brings over a decade of expertise in marketing, musical production and concert promotion. Cesar Carrillo has been appointed senior manager of A&R, with an 18-year track record in the regional Mexican music scene. His experience spans music production, artist management for acts like Tomas Ballardo and Los Buitres de Culiacán and booking for Legado 7 with Lumbre Music. AT FM Entertainment, he assisted in managing schedules for música mexicana giants such as Ramón Ayala, Banda Machos and Fidel Rueda.
María Angela Batiz, the label’s director of marketing for Mexican music, will continue to play a crucial role with her extensive experience and expertise in the genre, leading the development of marketing strategies and campaigns across the department.
Warner Music’s expansion in Mexican music is supported by its collaboration with the company’s independent distribution and label services arm ADA, enabling a range of services and partnership opportunities.
Warner Music’s Mexican music roster also includes Grupo Codiciado, El Komander, Pesado, DannyLux and Los Aptos.
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