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NYC's first all-female mariachi band
FOX 5 NY speaks with Flor de Toloache, New York City's first all-female mariachi band about their road to success.
NEW YORK - Flor de Toloache is New York City’s first and only all-female mariachi band.
"We write out our own songs we contribute to the genre of mariachi with a perspective of a woman," says Mireya Ramos, the co-founder of Toloache.
The group is on a U.S. tour and on Wednesday they made a stop in Brooklyn to play at Kings Theatre.
The name of the band comes from a sacred flower.
"It’s a sacred flower, the Aztecs used to use it in their ceremonies. But right now it’s considered a love potion," says Ramos.
Mariachi is a genre of Mexican music that dates back to the 18th century, but Flor de Toloache is adding their own modern twist. Its members come from diverse cultural backgrounds, including the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua.
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The group is also breaking glass ceilings in a music genre that is typically male-dominated.
"Sometimes we are limited by the things we don’t see so that’s what is so revolutionary about Flor de Toloache. We see little girls in the crowd and we get really excited because we know they can see themselves in us and that’s very inspiring," says Elena Lacayo, one of the members of Flor de Toloache.
The group has also collaborated with big names including John Legend. They released the song Quisiera.
"He was down to do it. It happened really fast. He killed it and sang in Spanish," says Ramos.
Flor de Toloache plans on writing and recording a new album and releasing it by next spring.