Alicia Villarreal

Having performed with assorted ensembles in her hometown, regional Mexican vocalist Alicia Villarreal became a member of the thriving Grupo Límite, performing alongside accordionist Gerardo Padilla, guitarist Sergio Ponce, bassist Jesús Cantú, percussionist Carlos Ramírez, and drummer Juan Cantú. The group entered the market with Por Puro Amor in 1995 and rapidly emerged as one of the era’s strongest sellers. Her debut solo project, Soy Lo Prohibido, arrived in 2001 via the Latin division of Universal under the guidance of producer Homero Patón. Early 2004 brought Cuando el Corazon Se Cruza, while 2006’s Orgullo de Mujer entered the Billboard 200, reached number eight on Top Latin Albums, and secured a Grammy nomination for the singer. A Mexican and U.S. trek ensued, extending well beyond twelve months. When Villarreal resurfaced with La Jefa in 2009, the set favored the traditional Mexican repertoire of her formative years over the norteno–Latin pop blend that had first elevated her profile, its upbeat rancheras and sanguine ballads foregrounding accordions and tubas. The album connected strongly with audiences, landing inside the Top 200, peaking at number four on Top Latin Albums, and logging fourteen weeks on the chart; it also led the Mexican Regional albums tally after opening at number eleven and held the summit for nine weeks. Plans for further touring were halted by the fatal car accident that claimed her thirty-six-year-old brother, José Víctor Villarreal Esparza, after which—apart from compilations—La Jefa remained her final release for eight years. During that interval she focused on raising two young sons while working behind the scenes with her husband, hit producer and bandleader Cruz Martinez of Los Super Reyes. In July 2017 she signaled her comeback by issuing the pre-release ranchera single “Haz Lo Que Quieras,” whose video amassed two million views within its opening month, then followed with the cumbia-cum-mariachi duet “Te Aprovechas” alongside LatinX pop duo Ha*Ash. A live video of the cumbia/merengue medley “Yo Sin Tu Amor/El Príncipe” surpassed one million views shortly after its August premiere. Her full-length La Villarreal, produced by Martinez, reached stores on August 17.