Throughout her illustrious career, Thalia has proudly represented Mexican culture through her music, iconic looks and unforgettable performances. As Mexican music goes global, the Mexican pop icon draws on the sounds of her roots through her new album “A Mucha Honra,” where she pays homage to the music of her country while embracing the new wave of corridos.
“This album is called ‘A Mucha Honra’ because as a Mexican, it makes me want to sing this music so much,” she told PS. “It’s in my DNA. I feel like everything that’s happening now with our music on a global level makes us so proud. It’s a celebration of our music and our Mexican culture.”
Thalia’s career spans five decades since she burst onto the scene in the ’80s as a member of the Mexican kid group Timbiriche. In the 1990s, she launched her solo career which took her around the world, transforming her into a global artist. Among the many genres she explored as a Latina pop star, Mexican rhythms like mariachi and ranchera were always present in her biggest hits like the powerful “Piel Morena” or the sensual “Amor a la Mexicana” . Thalia attributes her longevity to the fact that she has always changed with the times.
“Follow your pulse,” she says. “Follow your intuition, which will soon guide you in learning different things about yourself. Sing different styles of music. Adopt things that will help you refresh your style and grow, change and evolve. You must dare to take risks. I believe this has always been a principle of my career.
“A Mucha Honra” is not Thalia’s first venture into Mexican music. In addition to her aforementioned hits, she also released an album of banda music in 2001. “Thalia Con Banda: Grandes Éxitos” included her classics like “Arrasando”, “Entre el Mar y una Estrella” and “María la del Barrio” . the theme song from one of his famous telenovelas, which was re-recorded in banda style. Thalia shakes off criticism from those who overlook her past in the Mexican music genre.
“In my music, I have always sung with Mexican arrangements in different albums throughout my career,” she says. “It’s something that has always been consistent in my discography. I have a wonderful fan base. My Thali-familia are amazing at remembering the things we did together. It’s beautiful because they have a strong bond with me It’s not something I do out of nowhere, I’ve always done it.
What’s different about Thalia’s latest exploration of Mexican music is that she tackles contemporary sounds. What helped the genre go global was the rise of corridos tumbados, or the trap-infused version of traditional Mexican corrido and sierreño. Corridos tumbados were first popularized in 2019 by Mexican singer Natanael Cano and his Los Angeles-based label Rancho Humilde. More and more Gen Z artists, like labelmates Junior H and Fuerza Regida and Mexican superstar Peso Pluma, have pushed corridos tumbados to the top of the charts. Sierreño also made waves thanks to the success of Mexican-American band Eslabon Armado. For “A Mucha Honra,” Thalia tapped Rancho Humilde founder Jimmy Humilde and Edgar Rodríguez, who has produced hits for this new generation of artists. She seamlessly blends sierreño and pop in the heartbreaking ballad “Bebé, Perdón.”
“[Edgar] in the Yellow Room [recording studio] where all the stars of Mexican music recorded,” she says. “This album was created in the center of the Mexican movement that is taking over. It has this strong, intense essence of this movement and captures what Jimmy and Edgar do best. The songs and arrangements are spectacular. »
Men largely dominate the Mexican music scene. Although there have been patronas in the past, like the late Selena Quintanilla and Jenni Rivera, young women are still trying to break through in this latest movement. Thalia uses her platform to highlight women in the genre, like Dania Valenzuela of Estilo Sin Limite and Ángela Aguilar, the daughter of Mexican music icon Pepe Aguilar. Thalia and Valenzuela tell their exes to get lost in the kissing corrido “Choro”, and Aguilar later joins her for the tequila love song “Troca”.
“I love being able to bring girl power to Mexican music,” she says. “It’s beautiful to plant this seed and open this door for more women to exist in this genre.”
Música Mexicana also has a history of excluding the LGBTQ+ community, which makes up a large part of Thalia’s fan base. When I tell her that queer fans are ready to put on their cowboy boots and sombreros to enjoy this album, she responds with a laugh, “I love it!” She adds: “The message of my music has always been one of love. It’s unity. That’s what I’ve always wanted to share. It’s a celebration of life. If I can unite hearts through my music, it’s the greatest gift.” for me as a singer and artist.”
Thalia has continued to flourish over the years, thanks to her willingness to embrace different genres. She blended reggaeton and pop in the global hits “No Me Acuerdo” with Natti Natasha and “Desde Esa Noche” with Maluma, both of which have over a billion views on YouTube. She also draws inspiration from the past, like with her latest album, “Thalia’s Mixtape”, where she revisits rock in Spanish with the legends of that era. Thalia now adds corridos and sierreño to her range of Mexican music.
A surprise that all Thalia fans will love in “A Mucha Honra” is her new version of “Amor a la Mexicana”. She re-recorded the 1997 hit with a fiery corrido arrangement. As with most of the album, Thalia digs deep to show a raspier, soulful side to her voice. Nearly 30 years later, she still knows how to fiercely serve love, the Mexican way.
“The most I could do to come full circle was sing a song that is part of my musical imprint,” she says. “That’s what I’ve always sung about: Mexico. It makes sense. When I finished recording this new version, I said, ‘Wow! That’s really me now.'”
Lucas Villa is a Mexican-American music journalist who covers pop and Latin music. For 11 years, he interviewed pop queens and Latin music superstars for places like PS, Allure, Elle, Rolling Stone, Billboard, MTV News, Paper, W Magazine, Vibe and LGBTQ Nation.
