Gay mariachi
Director Carlos Samaniego says that what helps them is the power of mariachi music, a beloved genre in Hispanic culture. Its clear and powerful sound is a staple at Mexican events and celebrations, and Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles is a must-see at this year's Summer Sounds concert series on the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza.
Samaniego is a Mexican American from East LA who was immersed in mariachi music at a young age: his grandfather was a mariachi composer in Sonora, Mexico and his father would play and sing at church. He was immersed in mariachi tune at a adolescent age through his musical family: his grandfather was a mariachi musician in Sonora, Mexico and his father would play and carol at church. Samaniego first started playing mariachi music in middle school at an afterschool mariachi club, later attending Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) to study classical violin. He continued his musical studies at California Articulate University Los Angeles, all the while performing mariachi song professionally.
After coming out as gay, Samaniego felt as if he no longer belonged in the mariachi scene. He highlights the machismo society that often surroun
There was not one seismic incident that prompted Carlos Samaniego to resurrect Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles in 2014, an organization he briefly formed in 2000 while attending Cal State LA. Rather, it was the result of years of mockery and harassment he endured as an openly gay musician in the traditionally machista world of mariachi, a distinctive folk music from Mexico.
“I felt enjoy I needed to create a safe place for other lgbtq+ mariachi musicians so that we can come together and rehearse and perform our music free of bullying and mocking and harassment and negativity—where we can be our authentic selves, and don't have to hide what we are and who we are,” said Samaniego, a first-generation Mexican-American who learned mariachi from his parents.
Today, Mariachi Arcoiris bills itself as the world’s first LGBTQ mariachi group, and has gained international recognition for breaking new ground in a traditional art form. The group has performed around the globe for LGBTQ events like Pride and cultural holidays like the Day of the Virgin of Guadeloupe. It has also inspired the formation of other LGBTQ mariachi bands as far away as Colombia.
Mariachi
Pride month is all about celebrating Queer trailblazers — from past and offer — helping further representation for the queer community. Those who have and are currently pushing boundaries and creature queer while doing so. One band, Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles, is doing just that. They are the first and only all-LGBTQ+ mariachi band and are position to play in a performance line-up filled with other queer Latine talent.
For centuries, the song genre has been dominated by cisgender straight men who sang to seize the ears of the women they were interested in. Mariachi Arcoiris is turning that notion on its leader. In an interview with KCRW of the Greater Los Angeles area, Carlos Samaniego, who is at the helm of the team, said, “Unfortunately, existence openly gay [was] a no-no in this culture [and] in this people. And so nowadays, it’s better, but when I was younger, it definitely was something that I struggled with.”
One of its members, Natalia Melendez, is a transgender gal. She spoke about her experiences as a trans female in the mariachi space in a two-part special for Univision News. Recently, they’ve performed on Univision’s morning performance, Pride celebrations in Los An
World's first LGBTQ mariachi using music to unite communities, encourage acceptance
LOS ANGELES, Ca. — A group of Los Angeles musicians is sharing their love for mariachi music and making history at the alike time.
Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles is the world’s first LBGTQ mariachi.
Arcoiris means rainbow in Spanish.
Mariachi melody is a beloved genre in Hispanic culture. Its distinct and powerful sound is a staple at Mexican events and celebrations.
"The music is very mighty and dramatic and passionate," said Carlos Samaniego, founder of Mariachi Arcoiris.
While LGBTQ rights have expanded greatly in the past rare decades, Samaniego said acceptance in Hispanic culture hasn't always followed at the same speed.
Members hope their music will unite people while also tackling the issue of gay rights in communities that haven't traditionally been as unlock to embracing this change.
Samaniego has been playing and singing mariachi professionally for more than 20 years.
He said the idea to form an LGBTQ mariachi first came to him in college during a gay pride event on campus.
The idea came to fruition but was short-lived, so Samaniego went advocate to performing with other profe