The American trio from Washington State’s Yakima Valley has taken the Latin music scene by storm. Yahritza y su Esencia has enthralled Mexico with its music, particularly in the urban sierreño subgenre.
Yahritza Martínez (16), Armando Martínez (25), and Jairo Martínez (18) have imbibed the essence of regional Mexican music and respected the cultural connotations. Starting from being a viral sensation on TikTok with a sierreño guitar ballad. to being a chart-topper on Billboard Hot 100, the band has achieved great success with their song ‘Fragil.’
After signing a joint deal with Lumbre Music and Columbia Records, there was no looking back. In 2002, their debut EP ‘Obsessed,’ garnered Latin Grammy nominations.
The immigrant family has Mexican roots, but the siblings have not been accustomed to Mexican culture as much. Through their sheer determination to music, the band’s cumbia track reached no. 1 on the Billboard Latin Airplay chart.
Riding on this giant wave of success, they recently bought their parents a house in rural Washington. It is indeed every immigrant’s dream come true to belong to a country finally.
The band also faced a few hurdles. Armando was an undocumented immigrant for most of his life. Armando had to take a hiatus, which affected the band’s dynamics. However, the trio reunited in Mexico City, reviving the band’s essence.
Yahritza y su Esencia’s recent Mexican interview did not sit well with the fans over their remarks of not liking the cuisine or the vibes of the city filled with cars, police sirens, and other noises. Some took offense to these statements, questioning their true intentions.
Why Is Yahritza Getting Canceled? What Happened to Yahritza y Su Esencia?
The controversy began with a candid interview. The young band members were having a heart-to-heart about Mexico and the culture shock they experienced while visiting. However, the interview took a weird turn when the frankness overflowed through their answers.
When Yahritza was asked about what did she feel about her stay in Mexico, she said–
“Yes, I like it, but I don’t like it when I wake up while I’m sleeping because you can hear the cars, police sirens, and everything, but yes, I do like it here; it’s beautiful.”
Armando, the eldest of the three, had his own say about the city, which raised quite a few eyebrows. He started by saying that the food in Washington State is better than Mexico. He further elaborated–
“Well, to be honest, I don’t really like the food here much. I prefer the food where we live, over in Washington; they season it with spices that give it a kick, and it tastes good.”
Jario also chimed into the discussion, stating that he is a picky eater. He said–
“For me, it’s also the food (that I don’t like) because I am quite picky, and well, I mostly eat chicken; like wings without chili, I don’t like any of that.”
These comments only raised more questions about whether the band was using their cultural roots just for clout. However, the siblings were simply stating the cultural shock they encountered in Mexico and not that they disliked their experience entirely.
But fans were disappointed by these remarks, criticizing the band on the verge of cancelation.
What is your take on this? Do you think these remarks are offensive? Are the criticisms against the bad valid? Do they deserve cancelation?
Let us know in the comments section below.
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