It’s a genre of music we normally associate with men, but the women of Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas are trying to change the stereotypical perceptions around Mariachi music. The group was formed in 2007 by founder Maricela Martinez. Although female mariachis are becoming more common, the genre is still dominated by men.
Maricela told Voyage LA that her love of music came from her father, during her childhood in Mexico. The Guadalajara native studied music at the Universidad de Guadalajara, and also learned to play trumpet from her dad, as well as a classical trumpet player named, Crecencio Hernandez a very well-known trumpet player in the mariachi world.
“I found myself in love with this career and started working with my dad. To me, Mariachi was a man’s thing until one day my dad took me to a Mariachi Concert where Mariachi Perlitas Tapatias performed along very famous mariachis. That day was an eye opening experience for my sister and me,” said Maricela.
As a young woman she helped her dad with his music business, dealing with bookings, clients and coworkers. Years later these skills would help her manage her own Mariachi business. Now based in Los Angeled, Maricela began her own career playing with other more-established bands before deciding to form her own. Although the Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas are becoming more and more associated with female empowerment, Maricela points out that she has learned a lot from working with men. Yet, there are certain gender discrepancies that made her want to branch out on her own.
“Working with males was always amazing, I always learned something new. But, I often found out that my fellow male coworkers would get better pay than I. I would play and sing my heart out and work as hard as them. So, opportunity knocked on my door and I took the challenge. I wanted to have a group with a wide repertory, great talent to play and sing, at a very affordable price so my “paisanos” could have the opportunity to listen to an All-Female Mariachi. Also, wanted my girls to get better pay, play as a team, and support one another,” she said.
Thanks to the support and upbringing of her father, Maricela says she was well-equipped to navigate what she describes as the “Mariachi Culture Jungle”.
“We, as a woman, experience so much machismo and inequality in the Mariachi Culture. I perceived, back in my town, people denigrating mariachis in general. Being a woman is even harder. It was here in the “Gabacho” where I really started appreciating, valuing, and be proud of who I am and my roots. I’ve been very blessed to have a Mariachi dad, Mariachi brother, a Mariachi Sister, and a mother who believe in me and support me,” she said.
Instead of pants, the women wear long skirts, and bring their own feminine flair to their performances, rather than try and emulate the men. They want to show youth especially that women can also be mariachis.
“I am very humble to not only represent all of us women in general but also to represent this beautiful Musical Genre dominated by man [in our] fullest female expression. I truly believe the importance of passing The Mariachi Culture to younger Mexican and NON-Mexican generations,” she said.
One of the common denominators among all the members of her group is that they are all moms. Maricela told Voyage LA that music became her savior at times when motherhood was most difficult for her.
“Most of us have a huge challenge. That is being a mom! I started Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas the same month I got married. I tried to keep working as much as I could after giving birth because postpartum and depression hit me hard for years. My Mariachi gigs kept me alive and strong,” she said.
Being one of the only female Mariachi groups in LA has many positive aspects, as the group get booked quite a lot. They perform at weddings, funerals, birthday parties as well as concerts. All the women sing and play an instrument. The group didn’t specifically set out to become a symbol of female empowerment within the genre, however the more feedback they would get from clients and their community, the more they realized they were in a unique position.
“We still hear people say that it’s the first time they see an all-female mariachi. It’s weird for us because we’ve been doing this for years now,” Maricela told Circa.com.
Another one of the members, violinist Catherine Baeza, said performing with the Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas helped her realize her own potential as a woman.
“We can prove to them that we can be mothers, we can have careers, and still have this great passion and still be good at it,” she said.
The women are breaking through the male-dominated space and are also bringing with them a sense of pride for their home country, something that is certainly important right now across America where there is so much division and fear stemming from politics and *certain* leaders.
“I’m proud I have a great team, of being one of the few female groups in LA, and of being a Mexican immigrant doing business in the US creating jobs for my people. I’m very humble and honor to be a Mariachi Stuart to pass down the music to younger generations and cultures who have never seen an All-Female Mariachi. I’m proud of my Mexican culture, traditions. I’m proud to represent Mexico, it’s “Mujeres”, and its music,” Maricela said.
If you want to learn more about Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas, you can visit their website, and see them in action in the videos below:
