On Sunday night, Karol G made history as the first Latina to headline at Coachella. The Colombian artist’s energetic set not only incorporated salsa, merengue and reggaeton classics — it also paid homage to regional Mexican music, with help from the Latin Grammy-nominated ensemble, Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles.
“Karol G knew that when people would see us up on that stage, that they would feel immense pride,” said Crystal Hernandez, a violinist and vocalist in the group, who hails from Newport Beach. “She knew bringing Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles would be an empowering move for women, Mexican culture and mariachi.”
And at “Karolchella,” the first all-women mariachi ensemble in the United States demonstrated what female empowerment can look like, despite performing in a historically male-dominated music genre.
Dressed up in royal blue traditional mariachi suits and charro sombreros, the L.A.-based group backed the “Bichota” singer as she sang her ranchera ballad, “Ese Hombre Es Malo” — and shared the stage with Inglewood native Becky G for their joint hit, “Mamiii.”
While performing on the world’s biggest festival stage, the trailblazing group of mariachi women wanted to represent the beauty and natural “alegria” of the Mexican music genre with “elegance, pride and responsibility,” said Hernandez, 25.
The group’s musical talent has been recognized twice at the Latin Grammy Awards. In 2025, their record “Alma de Reyna 30 Aniversario” was nominated in the category for ranchero/mariachi album; previously, in 2009, “Compañeras” was nominated for regional Mexican album.
In March, the group was also inducted into the California Hall of Fame.
“I had the privilege of growing up and seeing amazing mariachi musicians like my father, uncles and grandfather performing at a restaurant on the weekends, during birthday parties and quinceaneras,” said Hernandez. “Then [seeing them perform] on national stages — at the Grammys [or] on tour with Luis Miguel.”
Hernandez joined the ensemble founded by her father, Jose, in 1994 through his nonprofit organization the Mariachi Heritage Society. Now a seventh-generation mariachi, she is proudly challenging a musical tradition that was once passed from father to son.
“Having Karol G invite us to Coachella meant a lot to me because I’m carrying out my family’s legacy of representing mariachi music on a huge stage,” Hernandez said.
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