Some albums arrive like declarations, and Viva La Música is one of them. The album is an expansive, genre-bending offering from Mariachi Herencia de México and feels less like a departure and more like a deepening. Raised in Chicago, shaped by Mexican tradition, and fluent in the musical dialects of salsa, jazz, bolero, and soul, the band channels a bicultural reality that’s as intuitive as it is intentional.
This is traditional mariachi stretched across generations and geographies, voiced by musicians who grew up with Stevie Wonder and Vicente Fernández in equal measure. In the interview ahead, they speak on the spark behind the album, the risks they welcomed, and the evolving meaning of home, heritage, and sound.
Mariachi Herencia de México is hitting the road this fall with their La Nueva Generación tour, bringing their electrifying, genre-bending mariachi sound to cities across the U.S., from the vibrant kickoff at El Grito Chicago on September 14 to intimate theater stops in Santa Cruz, Austin, and New York City. You can find the full list of tour dates and ticket info on Bandsintown or their official website.
Viva La Música feels like a bold leap forward. What was the emotional or artistic spark that ignited this album?
It was love for music. Growing up in the U.S., we’ve been exposed to so many great styles—jazz, salsa, soul—and we wanted to bring these influences into mariachi. We love old-school salsa, we love jazz harmony, and it just felt natural to blend that with the tradition we were raised in. It’s a tribute to all the music that shaped us.
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You’ve called it your most ambitious project yet. What risks did you take sonically or thematically that you hadn’t before?
We fused mariachi with salsa, bolero, bossa nova, and other genres we love—sounds that are part of our identity but haven’t traditionally lived within mariachi. It was a risk blending these styles, but the reward was authenticity.
The album blends genres while staying rooted in mariachi. How do you decide what traditions to honor and what boundaries to push?
Our intent when creating new music is always to push the sound of mariachi. A mariachi band has the versatility to play anything. The mariachi rhythm section can adapt to any style of music. So we started there: blending the sound of the mariachi guitar, vihuela, and guitarrón with the clave beat of salsa music. I think we found the right blend.
As a band born in Chicago but steeped in Mexican heritage, how does your bicultural identity shape your sound?
It’s at the core of everything we do. We grew up with Vicente Fernández and Stevie Wonder, mariachi and Motown. Our sound is what happens when both cultures are embraced.
What does “home” mean to you as artists navigating two cultures?
That’s a question we live with every day. Music is our safe place. It’s where we can be ourselves and embrace both sides.
Nuestra Herencia was your debut, and now Viva La Música feels like a redefinition. How has your creative process evolved over the years?
Nuestra Herencia was our first step into the world of recording—we were just beginning our musical journey. Today, our pride and passion for making music have only grown. We approach each project with a more refined, thoughtful, and confident creative vision, which is exactly what you hear in Viva La Música.
You have an upcoming tour, “La Nueva Generación Tour.” What can fans expect from these live performances, and how will the new material be integrated into your show?
Audiences can expect an electrifying, passion-filled mariachi experience that honors tradition while embracing the future. ‘La Nueva Generación Tour’ puts Mexican culture and heritage at the heart of the show, blending our new material seamlessly with the timeless classics that define the genre. It’s a vibrant celebration of where we’ve been—and an exciting preview of where we’re headed.
You’ve toured all over North America. What’s a moment from the road that reminded you why you do this?
We’re fortunate to perform for audiences that span all generations, but seeing fans our own age in the crowd is always powerful. It’s a reminder of why we do this: to inspire, reflect, and empower the next generation to carry our music and culture forward.
What advice would you give to young, bicultural musicians who feel caught between genres or expectations?
Being bicultural—speaking two languages and growing up with diverse musical influences—is a creative superpower. You have two worlds to draw from to create great music. Embrace that heritage, trust your voice, and never look back.
When listeners press play on Viva La Música, what do you hope rises to the surface, emotionally, spiritually, and culturally?
With Viva La Música, we want listeners to feel the power and freshness of mariachi today. Each track is a masterclass in vocal and instrumental storytelling—lush, expressive, and unapologetically bold. This isn’t just a mariachi album. It’s a statement. A cultural bridge. A sonic evolution. It’s mariachi for the world.
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