Mariel Colón is a Puerto Rican singer and former lawyer who has leveraged her association with notorious drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán to launch her music career. Her latest single, “La Señora,” pays tribute to Guzmán’s wife, Emma Coronel, and has raised eyebrows in Italy and beyond after the pair modeled together during Milan Fashion Week.
Colón grew up listening to Mexican ballads and wanted to be a singer, but her family pushed her to pursue a law degree. She began working for Guzmán’s defense team in 2018 after graduating from law school and stumbling upon a Craigslist ad seeking a part-time paralegal. She saw it as a “great opportunity professionally” and said she wasn’t easily intimidated.
Colón visits Guzmán three times a month in the maximum security prison in Colorado where he’s serving a life sentence, singing to him and other clients. Her musical career began little more than a year ago when she released her first video, “La Abogada,” which features Colón dressed in a pink suit, crooning to law enforcement from a courtroom.
The music is diverse, ranging from percussion-heavy banda to character-focused ballads known as corridos. “La Señora” features a table sprinkled with diamonds, Guzmán’s wife astride a trotting horse and strolling beside a pool. Colón said the song was based on Coronel’s life, sending a message of redemption and second chances.
Colón is one of few people who maintain regular contact with Guzmán, whom she considers a “client.” Her association with him has raised questions about whether her music glorifies narco-violence or captures the realities facing many Mexicans. Colón argues that her songs are not meant to glorify violence but rather speak to the harsh realities of life in Mexico.
The rise of Mexican music has coincided with a relative golden age for the genre, which grew 400% worldwide over the last five years on Spotify. In 2023, Mexican artist Peso Pluma bested Taylor Swift as the most streamed artist on YouTube. While corridos have dominated for more than a century, young artists have filled stadiums by twisting the style on its head, mixing classic ballads with trap in corridos tumbados.
Colón’s music has been met with both praise and criticism. Some see her songs as a reflection of the harsh realities facing many Mexicans, while others argue that they glorify narco-violence. The debate surrounding Colón’s music highlights the complexities of Mexican culture and the challenges of navigating the line between art and reality.
Source: AP News
