Growing up in San Antonio, Vanessa Del Fierro always loved singing and participated in school choir programs. But even as a teenager, she wanted to branch out and learn how to play a stringed instrument.
Luckily, Harlandale High School where she attended had a path to plunking with its own mariachi program. The traditional Mexican folk music, of course, would be familiar to anyone in the region with its deep and abiding history both on this side of the Rio Grande as well as across it.
“I learned guitar and violin from school, and it was very important to me. I’ve always had mariachi as part of what I do,” Del Fierro says via Zoom from an auto body shop in Austin, while waiting for her car to be repaired.
Later she appeared on Nuevas Voices de America (the “Latin American Idol“) sent to the finals by Mr. Miami Sound Machine himself, Emilio Estefan.
But what she really wanted to do—and the vision she had—was to create and front an all-female mariachi band. Thus began the corrido of Mariachi Las Coronelas. They’ll be in town for a gig at jazz club Doc’s Houston on March 24.
“I wanted to create a platform for female mariachis because the scene is so male-dominated. There was so much talent in San Antonio, San Marcos and Austin, I wanted to have this active,” she says of the group she founded in late 2014/early 2015. She also wanted to create something to give performers more of a stable, solid job as opposed to just playing on the side or as a hobby.
Del Fierro also wanted to make a bold statement with her band’s attire and stage costumes. So out went the boxy, black jackets designed for men but worn by both genders and in came off-the-shoulder blouses and fashionable skirts. All the more comfortable to wear in the often-scorching Texas heat.
“Little did we know we would change the mariachi attire throughout the world. We were the first one to break through like that,” she says. “I love fashion, so I wanted to incorporate that into the group as well.”
The current touring sextet lineup of Mariachi Las Coronelas includes Del Fierro (Vocals/Violin), Reyna Lopez (Vocals/Violin), April Cervantes (Violin), Stacey Mazuca (Vocals/Guitar), Sylvia Rios (Guitarron), and Aimee Fernandez (Trumpet).
A typical set list can run the gamut from traditional mariachi and mambo music, Rancheras (“Volver,” “El Rey y Los Laureles) and originals written by Del Fierro (“Mi Novio Pancho Villa,” “The Llorona,” “Tierra Mia,” “Mexican Train”) to covers by Johnny Cash, The Charlie Daniels Band (“The Devil Went Down to Georgia”) and even David Bowie (“Space Oddity”).
Del Fierro says that variety reflects how she grew up with parents who only spoke Spanish and listened to traditional music, while her English-speaking brothers would blast country and hip-hop. And she says it’s a challenge to take, say, something like “Space Oddity” and push it through the mariachi blender.
“There’s so much you can do with the mariachi instrumentation and take something like that song and give it a different twist. It’s so cool!” she says.
And—of course—they always perform the tune that Del Fierro refers to as The Mariachi National Anthem—“El Son de le Negra.” She also adds that the show is definitely high energy and involves plenty of audience participation.
As for the similarities between traditional mariachi and traditional jazz music, Del Fierro says a lot of it has to do with a community that is a worldwide subculture, bonded together even more today with online connections. “There’s even a mariachi culture in Japan!” she adds.
Here in Texas, of course, seeing and hearing mariachi music whether it’s at a wedding, cultural performance, high school or college commencement, or just at a favorite Mexican restaurant is common. But outside of the Lone Star State where it’s not so prevalent, what kind of reaction has Mariachi Las Coronelas received thus far?
“We did a tour in Vancouver, Canada and it was very different. They had never really [experienced] mariachi, or seen an all-female group, and they were a bit shocked,” she offers. “But it was great. And to see them enjoying even the Spanish portion of our show, that’s beautiful.”
Del Fierro also has plenty of other projects going on, including acting stints (TV series Mo and From Dusk ‘Til Dawn) and fronting the variety musical group Vanessa Cherry and Texas Martini. She also sang “Mal Hombre” the title song for the Netflix animated series Seis Manos. Finally, she is considering putting a DJ on stage with Mariachi Los Coronelas for larger festival gigs.
As far as Houston goes, the band has previously played the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, and Del Fierro was also a judge for one of the mariachi competitions. For 2026, she says recording and putting out a record that audience members can buy at gigs and take home with them will be a priority.
“Everybody asks about it, so we have to put aside some time to do it, even if it’s just recording our show. We also have to decide on the format,” she sums up. “When I do something, I get it done pretty fast. It’s just finding the time to do it!”
Mariachi Las Coronelas performs at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24, at Doc’s Houston, 1201 Westheimer. For more information, call 832-692-1895 or visit DocsJazzClub.com. $25-$40.
For more information on Mariachi Las Coronelas, visit MariachiWomen.com