If Music Be The Food Of Love, Play On.

     For the purpose of this interview, I chose to interview my mother who is not only 28 years older than me, but also grew up in a very different environment which I know greatly impacted the way she was exposed to music. Because she grew up in a small village in Mexico in the middle of nowhere, she did not have access to the technological advances that other people around the world may have had.     I began this interview by asking, "What are your earliest memories of music?". My mother stated that she has fond memories of discovering and learning new music through cancioneros or song books. It was through these song books that she discovered her love for Ranchero artists like Pedro Infante, Vicente Fernandez, and Antonio Aguilar. She claims that her version of "listening" to songs was flipping through the cancioneros and learning the lyrics to her favorite songs as there were no radios where she could actually "listen" to music. Below, I have attached ...

Tejano music, a vibrant and soulful genre, has deep roots in the cultural tapestry of America, especially within the Latin community. This captivating genre has played an essential role in shaping the musical landscape of the southwestern United States and beyond. In my blog I will be delving into its history, exploring its origins, its pioneers, and its remarkable journey to mainstream prominence. Roots and Beginnings: Tejano Music in the 19th and Early 20th Centuries: Tejano music is the product of a rich cultural exchange that took place in the Mexican-American borderlands. As Spanish, Mexican, and European influences converged, a unique musical genre began to take shape. The fusion of Mexican folk music with European instruments and styles resulted in the distinctive sound we now know as Tejano. Two notable figures in the early development of Tejano music were Narciso Martínez and Lydia Mendoza (pictured above). Narciso  Martinez was the first successful conjunto artist to reco...

 I have written and could write countless pieces about the machismo in Mexican culture. As a first generation Mexican-American daughter, I know firsthand just how engrossed gender roles are within our culture. Not only could I list countless examples of how gender roles have personally affected me in my own home, but there are countless examples out in the world. Perhaps one of the biggest examples of how gender roles have influenced traditional Mexican music is in the concept of mariachis .  In Mexican culture, a mariachi is a small musical ensemble composed of a variety of mostly stringed instruments and whose players are historically composed of all men. The genre arose from the western regions of Mexico and can be traced as far back as the 18th century. Mariachi songs typically deal with themes of love, betrayal and machismo , a Spanish word which loosely translates to “strong or aggressive masculine pride.” Mariachi groups vary in size, but often consist of a violin sect...

     Growing up in an immigrant family meant that for most of my life, the only family that I have always been surrounded by is my immediate family. By that I mean the only constant people in my life have been my parents and siblings. Because my parents left their families behind in Mexico, I did not have many experiences with large family gatherings. The only time I do remember having large gatherings was from ages 2-5, but the large gatherings were no longer possible when we moved to South Carolina from Rhode Island. That being said, growing up in a predominately Latinx community, we were always invited to the birthday parties and especially the q uinceañeras .       Like every other party, there are songs that get played at almost every party you go to. For a lot of Americans that song is "Cha-Cha  Slide" by Mr. C The Slide Man. However, Mexicans have our own version of this song, except our song is called "No Rompas Mi Corazon" by Caballo Dora...

 Hello, my name is Selenia Villa, this is my second year at Converse University and I am majoring in Elementary Education. I have lived in Spartanburg for the majority of my life, but I was born in Providence, Rhode Island where I lived for three years before moving down to South Carolina. When I was younger I used to say that I did not like music and felt no connection to it. Only as an adult was I able to discover my love for music as well as discover that music connected me to my family all along.  1. An example of something that I like right now: I have been a fan of Bad Bunny for almost seven years now, but recently I started feeling more connected to his music and especially his latest album titled, Un Verano Sin Ti. I think my recent obsession with his album stems from the day that I went to the club with my closest friends and we danced to Bad Bunny's music until our feet were swollen. I distinctly remember listening to the song titled, "Ojitos Lindos" and feeling...