All-female mariachi group entertaining listeners across the Valley

PHOENIX — An all-female Valley-based mariachi group has broken away from norms to entertain listeners in the popular music genre that originated in Mexico.

Mariachi Rubor was founded in 2012 when Yvonne Garcia posted online ads in hopes of creating a group of all women, which isn’t typical in the genre.

Within a few months, Garcia said she was able to grow the group, which ranges from college students to professionals, to 10 members.

“I wanted others to have the same opportunity and keep the music alive,” Garcia said.

Garcia said because she grew up in a border town and listened to the music as a child, she wanted to keep her culture and music alive for her kids and others in the Valley.

She added it gives others who are passionate about the music an opportunity to perform and share the love for it.

The group is made up of vocalists, violinists, trumpeters and different types of string instruments, such as the vihuela, a five-string guitar.

“It’s music for all ages and cultures, and anyone who listens to it can feel the music even if they don’t understand it,” Garcia said.

Mariachi Rubor continues to grow recognition across the Phoenix area, performing in local venues, restaurants, festivals and even in the International Women Mariachi Festival in Jalisco, Mexico.

Garcia says COVID-19 protocols have limited the amount of places they’ve been able to perform in the past year and a half, especially in restaurants.

She expects festivals will start to ramp up again in the next few months, allowing them to play more often.

For now, Garcia said their main focus is private events.