LOS ANGELES — At first, one might think that the sisterhood that Liz, Ashlee and Sandra of Conexión Divina share was the work of divine intervention. In reality, it was social media algorithms that brought them together.
“It all started on social media,” said bass player Sandra Calixto. “I met Ashlee through Instagram, and I mentioned a girl group.”
Liz Trujillo, Sandra Calixto and Ashlee Valenzuela form Conexión Divina, which means “divine connection” in Spanish. They are recognized as the world’s first all-women, Gen Z sierreño group. Sierreño is a sub-genre of regional Mexican music, an often used catch-all term that includes a variety of genres from mariachi to the rapid-paced duranguense. The path they are paving has taken them to new heights as they are set to perform at Coachella.
Trujillo, lead vocalist, is from South Central Los Angeles. Valenzuela, requinto guitar player, is from sunny Yuma, Arizona. Calixto, bass player, is from the Lone Star State.
“During that time, I was doing my own covers of like Ivan Cornejo covers,” said Trujillo. “That was my vibe.”
Intertwining the sounds of requinto guitar with melancholic and lovelorn lyrics comes naturally for these ladies. For Trujillo, she took to TikTok to make her voice heard. One of Trujillo’s covers caught the attention of Calixto and Valenzuela, who were hunting for their third bandmate.
“We didn’t really know what she looked like,” said Calixto. “In the cover, it was just her shoulder, her hair and the guitar, but the voice!”
Conexión Divina and their fresh sound are changing and revitalizing the trajectory of the genre while paving a path for women in the music industry.
“It’s a big responsibility,” said Valenzuela. “We are proud to represent females in the music industry… women should be allowed to do as much as men are.”
Their music has taken them to new heights. They were part of this year’s Coachella’s line up, being only one of 10 Latin acts and one of two regional Mexican music acts. They describe the experience as something ‘out of a movie’ that left them ‘flabbergasted!’
The rise in the genre goes parallel with new findings by the Recording Industry Association of America, which found that in 2022, revenue from Latin music topped $1.6 Billion. A growth of more than 25% from 2021.
“We are breaking stereotypes,” said Trujillo. “Walls that the industry already has. We’re paving the way for other women.”
Conexión Divina will perform at Coachella on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Sahara Tent.
