Mariachi gay
LGBTQ+ band Mariachi Arcoiris: All traditional melody, no machismo
Mariachi Arcoiris is the first LGBTQ+ mariachi band in the society. Carlos Samaniego, its founder and director, talks about walking the fine line between belonging to the LGBTQ+ society and the Mexican community.
Samaniego started the band shortly after college. As an openly gay guy, he says he experienced bullying and discrimination, especially in Mexican culture and the mariachi nature, where there is an emphasis on machista, which he says translates to “toxic masculinity.”
Traditionally, the genre of mariachi included “manly men” who serenaded women. And the machismo was embedded in the songs and lyrics because it was already part of Latino tradition in general, explains Samaniego. “Unfortunately, creature openly gay [was] a no-no in this culture [and] in this group. And so nowadays, it's better, but when I was younger, it definitely was something that I struggled with.”
He created the band to embody the opposite of all of that. He says, “I felt a personal want for there to be a sheltered space for mariachi musicians like myself. So that we can come together and rehearse our music, perform our music in a space o
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 recognizable folk music from Mexico.
“I felt love I needed to create a protected place for other queer mariachi musicians so that we can come together and rehearse and perform our tune free of bullying and mocking and harassment and negativity—where we can be our authentic selves, and don't own 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 fresh ground in a traditional art establish. The group has performed around the globe for LGBTQ events like Pride and cultural holidays favor the Day of the Virgin of Guadeloupe. It has also inspired the formation of other LGBTQ mariachi bands as far away as Colombia.
Mariachi
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Arcoíris means "rainbow" in Spanish, and the group proudly wears the rainbow flag on their bow ties and outfits. Founder Carlos Samaniego says it was the first openly Queer mariachi band, and the first group he’s played with where he wasn’t derided for who he is.
"I had to endure the bullying, homophobia, harassment because I'm openly gay," he said, adding that he was pushed to flirt with women even as an 18-year-old when he joined his first mariachi. He said his credentials were often questioned, and he was told that the genre was for "real men."
"I grew up in a Mexican household, this mentality isn't new to me," Samaniego said. "I grew up knowing and thinking I wasn't going to be accepted." That’s why he created a group where he would be acknowledged. Two decades and three albums later, he’s arrogant to be bringing Mexican folk music to people of other cultures.
"A several years ago, we were
Pride month is all about celebrating LGBTQ+ trailblazers — from past and present — helping further representation for the queer people. Those who have and are currently pushing boundaries and organism 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 set to play in a performance line-up filled with other queer Latine talent.
For centuries, the music genre has been dominated by cisgender straight men who sang to catch the ears of the women they were interested in. Mariachi Arcoiris is turning that notion on its head. In an interview with KCRW of the Greater Los Angeles area, Carlos Samaniego, who is at the helm of the group, said, “Unfortunately, being openly gay [was] a no-no in this culture [and] in this community. 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 chick. She spoke about her experiences as a trans woman in the mariachi space in a two-part special for Univision News. Recently, they’ve performed on Univision’s morning show, Pride celebrations in Los An