The term «regional Mexican» when defining the diverse – and very heterogeneous – musical styles in the country is a disputed term. Its origin is not clear, but it is associated with a media concept that emerged in the early 1980s in the United States to homogeneously define musical productions coming from Mexico.
This is one of the reasons why regional Mexican is, for many experts and musicians, incorrect, as it refers to a biased and reductionist version of Mexican music as a whole. That’s why Carín León, one of the music’s leading figures in the country, has decided to lead a manifesto against the use of this term.
«What is Regional Mexicano? An umbrella label, a label for Mexico, for our culture… We don’t fit into that term. We are much more than that. We are banda, corrido, mariachi, we are flavor, emotion, we are a musical revolution, and we are listened to all over the world,» León’s voice is heard over a clip that showcases different images linked to Mexican culture.
Through this manifesto, the Mexican singer initiates a campaign, a movement that aims, among other things, to call things by their proper names and once again highlight the global success of Mexican music, which is not just one genre but many, including sierreño, norteño, mariachi, banda, and other styles born throughout history. It’s a critique of a label that, according to the musician, was imposed. «F*ck Regional is much more than questioning a term imposed by others to classify us into a corner. What they don’t know is that we are much more than that,» León adds.
The Global Success of Música Mexicana
Música Mexicana is one of the two main streams within Latin music, alongside urban music (hip-hop, reggaeton and trap), leading an undeniable global hegemony, becoming one of the most listened-to genres worldwide. Alongside it, we have figures with overwhelming success, such as Carín León himself, the sierreño band Eslabón Armado, the icons and pioneers of corridos tumbados Natanael Cano and Peso Pluma, the cumbia norteña of Grupo Frontera, the Mexican reggaeton of Yng Lvcas, as well as Mexican pop artists like Danna Paola, Belinda, or Kenia OS, who have drawn inspiration from other national references like Gloria Trevi or Thalía.
Peso Pluma in The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon Rosalind O’Connor / NBC via Getty ImageS
Mexican music has achieved a global and boundless audience through fusion, mixing, and reinvention while still maintaining its essence and, of course, using Spanish in its songs. «Mexican music has globalized without having to sacrifice anything. And, most importantly, it’s Mexican and Mexican-American artists who are taking this genre, which already had a very solid foundation, to the next level,» certifies expert and Billboard Latin writer Griselda Flores about the genre’s expansion.
Carín León also assured us of this during his interview with LOS40 USA, where he spoke openly about the rise of Mexican music:
«I think the success of Mexican music is because it has given us more identity. I think we Mexicans always lived doing the music that Anglos did. We wanted to copy that, to be in the trend and do what is fashionable. Today we are more Mexican than ever, making our music in a dignified way, without looking for a hit, but for the simple fact of making good music. There are many exponents today who are trying to dignify regional Mexican music, many fresh proposals, many ideas trying to include lyrics with different content.»Carin to LOS40 USA
Carín León in ‘La Primera Cita’ Music Video / Courtesy of the artist
It is clear that part of the revolution that comes with the rise of Mexican music is also in its cultural significance; it’s about reclaiming its own space, the one that belongs to it. Not being merely a section, a part. It’s about demanding the place it deserves, with a success that has been harvesting for more than a hundred years.
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