Since 2008, the ladies of Flor de Toloache have been fine-tuning their mariachi matriarchy. With a Latin Grammy nomination and a new album, Las Caras Lindas, under their studded belts, the group’s leaders, Mireya Ramos and Shae Fiol, spoke with us about moving to their own beat.
O: The world now has a female NHL coach, an all-gals Ghostbusters reboot, and millions of proud “nasty women.” But mariachi is still pretty much a boys’ club. How did you get in?
MIREYA RAMOS: Traditionally, mariachi is passed down from generation to generation, which is how I first learned it. My dad was a mariachi, and he used to sing me to sleep with classics like “Caminos de Michoacán.” I never thought I’d follow in his footsteps—until I was asked to join a group in New York City when I was 21. I performed with them for five years, and I was one of the only girls playing mariachi in the city. So I decided to start an all-female band. It was harder than I thought.
This story is from the July 2017 edition of The Oprah Magazine.
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This story is from the July 2017 edition of The Oprah Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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