What Border? The Blending Of U.S.-Mexican Cultures Has Artists & Fans Thriving On Both Sides

As know-all pundits and politicians debate what to do at our southern border reinforcing divisions between the U.S. and Mexico, many music fans, artists and execs may interrupt to ask one very salient question: “Wait, what border?”

Such a question shouldn’t come off as contentious, but rather a celebration recognizing the continually developing bond between two neighboring nations that have influenced each other for centuries. In recent years, that relationship has become more seamless as music between these two nations is consumed, shared and celebrated while helping each other’s live industries to thrive.

Witness Pollstar cover artist Junior H, a rising arena-level artist originally from the Mexican state of Guanajuato, who moved to Utah when he was 15. Here, the 23-year-old namechecks his shows in Mexico City at the former Foro Sol and L.A.’s BMO Stadium as among his favorite performances. Or look to Peso Pluma, a veritable global superstar from Zapopan in the state of Jalisco: he is managed by George Prajin from SoCal, whose father owned record stores and distributed Latin music.

According to Alejandro Arce, general director of Mexican promoter Zignia Live, the COVID-19 pandemic was a watershed moment for Mexico, changing the way business is conducted and people’s perceptions of the country.

“Above all, the world has come to see Mexico differently and entrusted its consumers’ response to different artists,” Arce says. “That, coupled with the strength that regional Mexican music has taken off in the industry, has been the perfect mix for many talents to want to come to the country.”

Latin music established itself in mainstream pop music for decades, but today’s rise can be traced back to the popularity of  ’90s reggaeton and hits from Daddy Yankee (a torch that has since been carried by superstars like Bad Bunny, Karol G and Feid) but subgenres like regional Mexican and corridos tumbados, the fusion of hip-hop with traditional folk music, quickly ascended the charts and became a global phenomenon with catchy songs like “Ella Baila Sola” from Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma kicking the door open for others to be exposed to what Mexico has to offer.

It even astounds veteran promoter Henry Cárdenas, who no longer differentiates between the two countries and sees Mexico as 1B to the U.S.’s 1A when it comes to booking a tour, especially with the Latin talent emerging on both sides of the border and leading the charge.

“We changed drastically after the pandemic,” says Cárdenas, president and CEO of Cárdenas Marketing Network. “We think of Mexico and the U.S., and instead of just doing 20 dates, we’re going to do 40-50 dates. That’s the way business is going.

“The surprise is that a lot of talent is born and raised in Mexico and also born and raised in the United States,” he adds. “… You have the Junior H’s and all these guys coming into the U.S. but not to do a nightclub or to do jaripeos [Mexican rodeo shows] or small events. They come to do arenas and stadiums.”

Mexican artists come and go as they please because business is booming and demand for their music is high. Everyone wants in on the celebration as evidenced by Mexican Independence Day weekend in Las Vegas (Sept. 13-15) where there was boxing, mixed martial arts and a surfeit of shows from massive stars like Alejandro Fernández, Carin León and Gloria Trevi.

Jorge Juárez, León’s manager, tells Pollstar that Las Vegas is now the central location to celebrate the holiday, saying, “It’s become like a classic that you can’t not play. I was talking with Carin that it is a classic event that we have to return to every year.”

It was quite the sight for this reporter to see people from all over the world gather in Nevada to celebrate a country that’s over 300 miles away, and in large measure we have social media and music streaming platforms to thank for blurring borders and extending the reach of many artists, especially those of Mexican descent.

Just look at Pollstar’s Q3 Top Artist Tours charts released last week. No. 2 was none other than 53-year-old Latin crooner Luis Miguel, who’s been selling out arenas across the globe. His three-year average gross, according to Pollstar Boxoffice is $2.2 million per performance.

Or take a look at Spotify’s Top Albums Global list from Sept. 16-19. Of course, the Top 10 features pop standouts Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift and Chappell Roan, but what’s remarkable is that two young Mexican acts made the list in Peso Pluma (whose album Éxodo placed sixth) and newcomer Tito Doble P, who dropped his debut album Incómodo in August and ranked third on the list.

The success isn’t exclusive to U.S. soil. English-language artists are flocking to Mexico to play for large crowds. Bruno Mars returned to the nation’s capital for the first time since 2018 for three nights at Estadio GNP Seguros in August and hauled in nearly $18.4 million, according to Pollstar Boxoffice reports.

Fans south of the border are evidently craving more live events like those offered by major promoter OCESA, which recently put on Hera HSBC in Mexico City, the first major all-female festival.

Following the massive success of Bad Bunny’s “World’s Hottest Tour” stadium trek, which in 2022 topped Pollstar’s year-end charts,  promoters and agents read the tea leaves and knew that a cultural shift was on its way. As a matter of fact, Bruno Del Granado, Creative Artist Agency’s head of the global Latin music touring group, guaranteed Pollstar two years earlier that “regional Mexican is going to be the new pop.”

“It is going to be a primary force of Latin music in the U.S., and you have a country of 120 million [Mexico] right next door,” Del Granado added. “… There’s a humongous Mexican music market that is completely untapped.”

Consider it tapped, but how far can it go? Facts suggest it’s the new normal.

The Hispanic population in the U.S. is growing at a faster rate than any other racial or ethnic group, growing by 24.5 million between 2010 to 2022, an increase of 53%, according to Pew Research Center.

Música Mexicana is also on the rise, especially in markets that didn’t traditionally embrace it. Spotify reported that in 2023, there was “a significant surge in Colombian enthusiasm for Mexican music” with Colombia emerging “as the fifth-largest consumer” of the genre, “showcasing an 85% increase in its consumption over the year.”

“It’s definitely not a fad,” Live Nation Global Tour Promoter Jorge García says. “It’s a cultural shift. … This is something that’s going to be here a long time.”

La celebración continues.