¡Viva México!
Similar to the cries of his ancestors, as a reminder, Carin Leon brought the backbone of Texas culture to center stage for a heartfelt performance on Friday of ACL weekend two.
Attendees gathered as family and friends would for a carne asada (now that would’ve been worth the ticket prices), and a unique energy tightly knit the circle of strangers into a community of proud individuals backing a voice of heritage.
The melodies of banda, grupero, norteño and mariachi provided familiarity to those of Hispanic, primarily Mexican, descent. And the power and passion in his voice alone had the potential to leave an ear ringing for days.
Carin Leon’s gritos carried the explosive nature of his art, especially during the hit song “Que Vuelvas.” As he and one of his backup vocalists dueted “Como Lo Hice Yo,” he spoke to the crowd as if they were at a carne asada, and he left many in awe after his 10-second belt.
Yet what stood out the most to me was the mixture of popular U.S. genres like rock, soul, country and R&B to bridge cultures’ styles and alleviate any hesitations someone like myself - who doesn’t understand the language of the lyrics - may experience, whilst allowing ears to become accustomed to and appreciative of the art from the foreign medium.
Music truly is a universal language, and what better way is there to remind ACL of that than by covering a song from the Queen of Tejano herself?
Hundreds joined Carin Leon in shouting his rendition of “Si Una Vez” by Selena, which in and of itself was spectacular considering the lack of Spanish-speaking artists at the festival.
Carin Leon’s performance at ACL was a voice for the Hispanic community sure to be heard for years to come as his art continues to flourish.