When thinking of the term mariachi, many people may have the typical image in their head of a man or woman wearing a traje de charro, which consists of ornamented jackets and pants or skirts along with a sombrero. Mariachi music is no stranger to the border community since its roots are embedded in Mexico. However, 23-year-old singer Gisselle Lopez has expanded what mariachi can look and sound like while representing her culture on a larger scale.

Lopez, who also holds the title of Miss El Paso 2024, developed a passion for singing mariachi music at a young age despite it being considered traditional Mexican music. She gravitated toward the genre and was encouraged by her family to sing at gatherings and celebrations.

“Every time my grandma would take me to birthday parties, I would always be on top of the tables singing and dancing at four years old. My parents really supported my dreams, and once they saw that I had this artistic side to me, they would give me songs to sing.”

At 12 years old, Lopez decided to join a local singing competition while dressed in traditional mariachi attire and soon began participating in other contests after getting a taste of the music world.

“I got second place in a local singing contest through Telemundo,” Lopez said. “After that competition, my mom signed me up for La Voz Kids without me knowing. My mom received an email saying I had been chosen to audition, and the closest city where they were recording was Houston. Around that time, my dad had lost his job. I remember they were constantly selling things like my dad’s speakers, and my mom even put her wedding ring in a pawn shop.”

Lopez had no idea what her parents were sacrificing until she discovered she had been selected to audition for the live show.

“I felt so bad because I knew we didn’t have the money,” Lopez said. “They were sacrificing so much so we could go on this trip that I wasn’t even guaranteed to get picked for. It was a 50/50 chance, so the whole ride home after the audition I felt guilty because I felt like I made my parents spend so much money. Then about a month later, we got a call telling us I made it, and we flew to Orlando for the recording of the show.”

Not only was Lopez balancing life as a singer and public figure on national television, but she was also navigating high school and the challenges that come with being a teenager.

“It was hard because at that age I was a freshman in high school,” Lopez said. “I would get bullied, especially because of what I sing. I’ve always sung mariachi and traditional songs, and nowadays not a lot of people our age listen to it or respect it. But I fell in love with it at a super young age. I would wear my traje and people would tell me, ‘Why are you wearing that?’ ‘You look like a boy,’ or ‘You sing ugly.’”

In addition to dealing with bullying, Lopez also struggled with being away from her family during the filming process.

“My family and I are very close,” Lopez said. “Being away from my three little sisters and my dad was hard. My mom had to leave them and come with me, and we were away for a total of three months. Even though that was difficult, I gained so much from that experience. People are still curious about it, and it’s something not a lot of people get to experience. I lived a dream. I met so many people, and it changed my life completely.”

After making it to the battle rounds on La Voz Kids and meeting celebrities such as Daddy Yankee and Pedro Fernández, Lopez returned home to both praise and criticism.

“I was depressed about the loss, and when I came back home, I saw comments on YouTube clips from the show where people were saying negative things about my voice. I had a hard time with that, but since it happened at an early age, comments like that just don’t affect me anymore.”

At 16, Lopez made the transition into performing with a rock mariachi band named Tribes. Since then, she has released several albums with the group while continuing to find new ways to celebrate her heritage.

“My heritage is very dear to my heart,” she said. “My parents are immigrants, so I’m a first-generation American. I witnessed the process of gaining citizenship because my mom didn’t become a citizen until I was 18. I always had the goal of becoming the first person in my family to graduate from college because my dad was the first to graduate from high school. When I first went to college, I thought I would never graduate because I didn’t have any guidance. I would literally sneak into financial aid nights just to learn how to do everything myself.”

While pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development with a concentration in Business Marketing, Lopez decided to take on another challenge: pageantry.

“I never knew how to walk in heels,” she said. “I wanted to learn how to talk and walk with confidence. Then I won my first title last year, which was Mission Trail in Socorro. I wasn’t expecting it. After that, I wanted to compete for the Miss El Paso title, so I did it again and won in April.”

“A lot of people have misconceptions about pageant girls. They think they only win because they’re pretty, skinny, or rich. That really has nothing to do with it. People can forget what you look like, but they’ll never forget how you treated them or how you made them feel.”

Most recently, Lopez competed in the Miss Texas competition where she performed Selena’s “No Me Queda Más,” once again showcasing her love for both music and culture.

“A lot of people were surprised when I sang in Spanish,” Lopez said. “Pageantry is often viewed as a white woman’s world. There aren’t many Hispanics represented, but I was able to use that space to talk about being the daughter of immigrants, and I’m grateful for that platform. At Miss Texas they have little girls who serve as princesses during the competition, and as cute as they were, I couldn’t help but notice there weren’t any little Hispanic girls there.”

Through pageantry, Lopez continues to share her culture by singing in Spanish, advocating for the border community, and growing her own clothing brand, Desert Diva, which she describes as being for the “modern, western, and sexy diva.” She frequently wears her own designs on stage, combining fashion, music, and culture into a unique personal brand.

Her modern take on western fashion, combined with her role as a rock mariachi performer, continues to challenge expectations and create new opportunities for cultural expression.

“I’ve always loved the tradition behind mariachi,” Lopez said. “I fell in love with the combination of trumpets and powerful singers. I think it’s important to know your roots and understand the significance of your culture.”

Lopez is currently finishing an album with Tribes and plans to continue serving the community through fundraising efforts and other projects currently in development.

It’s trailblazers like Lopez who remind us that although something may be considered traditional, it doesn’t mean it can’t still be appreciated, reimagined, and given a new twist.