Meet Estevie, the Gen Z cumbia pop star in the making

Dressed in a blue charro outfit, Sarah Silva, then 11, took the stage of “La Academia Kids,” a Mexican reality TV singing competition, to perform a song with the maturity of someone one who had been singing mariachi for a long time. time – never mind that it was his first venture into the genre.

At the end, she received continued applause for her rendition of Rubén Fuentes’ “La Bikina” as the judges considered her talents.

“Today I’m watching a great singer,” judge Lola Cortés told her.

A decade later, Silva has become an artist who fuses cumbia and Mexican musica with a pop twist. Her name is Estevie now, and she’s ready for this moment.

Estevie arrived at her Times photo shoot at Waterloo Park in Austin, Texas, in her signature vaquera suit: cowboy boots, low-rise jeans and a ruffled red blouse. It was her second day at the 2024 South by Southwest Music Festival and her schedule was busy — she had three shows in as many days.

Her outfit, she joked, was casual compared to what she planned to wear later that evening (a black leather ensemble, with leggings and a purple blouse) for her performance at the Moody Amphitheater neighbor, where she would be the opening act for one of the concerts. his idols, Christian Nodal.

The 21-year-old from Beaumont, California, has dedicated much of her life to her craft, learning the ropes in her early teens as a contestant on a singing show before developing a modest following on YouTube with his covers. Although she began recording her own music in 2019, she didn’t hit her stride until two years later with the release of “Canela,” a sultry cumbia jam that seduces you with her ethereal vocals and sounds hypnotics of the accordion. Since then, she’s become a hot commodity, collaborating with sierreño sad kings Eslabon Armado and DannyLux. In September 2023, Estevie released “Cumbialicious”, a seven-track EP via Nice Life Recording Co. which earned her praise from fans and critics.

“I really believe in manifestation,” she said, “because everything I posted and everything I said I wanted came to life — little by little.”

On stage, Estevie transforms into a seasoned artist with an imposing presence. At the SXSW closing party, where she took the stage at 1 a.m., Estevie invited the crowd to sing and dance, even persuading the venue’s grizzly bouncer to abandon his post so he could take part in the action.

At the music festival, her star power shone twice as brightly, so much so that she won the Grulke Prize for American Law Development – ​​the first Latina artist to receive the honor. Past winners include neo-soul singer Leon Bridges, brotherly rock trio Haim and multi-faceted rapper Anderson .Paak.

“Estevie is a creative monster; She brings a vibe to cumbia that really makes you feel like you’re listening to memories with your family on a Sunday,” said Cuco, who played on “El Paso,” the lead single from “Cumbialicious.” The song, about traveling long distances to meet the star’s soul mate in El Paso’s Franklin Mountains, gives Selena Quintanilla great energy.

“I don’t think there’s any comparison because she looks like this legendary, iconic star,” Estevie said, laughing sheepishly at the comparisons.

Still, it’s hard to ignore the parallels.

Like Selena, Estevie began her artistic trajectory at a young age. And like the murdered Tejana legend, Estevie is accompanied on her musical journey by her family.

“My mom helps me with my wardrobe, she helps me do my hair and everything to do with glamour,” she said. “My father helps me with all technical and commercial tasks. My brother is my tour manager.

The family came together even though they didn’t have “the strength,” Estevie says. “They are always there to push me and remind me of my dreams and goals.”

Even his stage name is a loving nod to his family.

“My father’s name in English translates to Steve. And then my brother’s name is Steven. And then my middle name is Stéphanie. And I always wanted my name to be Stevie,” she said.

“When I was wondering, what should I change my artist name to? I thought I was going to be called Stevie,” she said with a spark of excitement. “But I added the E because it’s like when Spanish speakers say ‘Sprite.’ , it’s like ‘Hey-Sprite.’

And just like Selena never strayed from her Texas roots, Estevie hasn’t forgotten her Southern California upbringing. Growing up in Southern California, she said, “has everything to do with who I am today as a person and as an artist.”

“I feel like there’s always been a separation between being Mexican and being American,” she said. “So sometimes growing up it was always a little confusing. Like, what am I, you know, what group do I belong to?

She felt the pressure in her music, wondering if she should choose one thing or another. English or Spanish? Pop or regional Mexicano? His solution, the one that seemed most authentic to him, was to integrate the two sides.

“You don’t have to choose what you are,” Estevie said. “Even though I’m in the middle, I’m not that and I’m not that either. I just feel comfortable being in the middle now and I feel safe.

It doesn’t hurt that artists on this side of the border are some of the biggest contributors to Mexican musica in recent times.

“I feel like in the last couple of years there haven’t been a lot of Mexican-American artists until recently popping up like Eslabon Armado or DannyLux,” Estevie told the Times. “And it’s cool to see this new wave of young people bringing back what we grew up listening to.”

Estevie’s music-making process involves drawing inspiration from many personal experiences, including her love of Los Angeles and Southern California, as seen in “Santee,” her love letter to the Santee Alley in the Fashion District.

The infectious track tinged with a spark of humor begins with Estevie greeting “La señora Josefina,” who is offering a two-for-$5 special that’s not to be missed.

“Nada de que esе Amazon,” she sings. “Nothing close to Amazon.”

“Nos arrancamos pa’l callejón” – “we are going into the alley.”

Its music video was filmed in the bustling shops of Santee Alley, where Estevie dances in a jewelry store and outside clothing stores.

“I feel like a lot of people were able to relate to that song,” she said. “Even if you haven’t been to the callejones of Los Angeles, I feel like there’s something similar in every city people go to and they have everything you can imagine. “

It’s not lost on Estevie that she’s entering a genre that, for so long, has had men as household names.

“We need more women in this male-dominated genre,” she said. “There are so many male artists who are amazing, but we’re missing the female part and I’m sure there will be more female artists, but I feel like it would be sick to see this other facet of the genre.”

The path Estevie walks – whether it’s the concrete sidewalks of Santee Alley or the cobblestone streets of downtown Austin – has been paved by legendary pop stars and Mexican music artists. And they are not far from his mind.

While Estevie was posing for her photoshoot at The Times, one of her team members asked her what music she wanted to rock out to. Pausing for a moment, she answered: Britney Spears from the 2000s.

Moments later, she brings up the “Toxic” singer, who, like Estevie, positioned herself for fame at a young age, when she discusses her influences.

“The 2000s were just incredible,” Estevie said, casually naming Mariah Carey and Gwen Stefani as pop stars she wanted to emulate. There’s also Fergie, a fellow native of Southern California.

“She’s from Hacienda Heights, too,” Estevie said. “So I just feel his energy, you know?”

Her heroes also include Ana Bárbara and Alicia Villarreal, women who added a much-needed touch of femininity to Mexican music in the ’90s and early ’90s.

“Their 2000s cumbias inspired me to make cumbias for myself,” she said. “I really liked the Norteño and Cumbia blend they had going. And just like the western look, I take a lot of inspiration from it.

This has been a constant task for Estevie, who, even through the “ups and downs,” has remained focused on her own dreams. It comes with patience – “God’s timing is always perfect,” she said – and constant work to improve, learn more and grow as an artist.

“I feel like you have to really love what you do,” she said. “Love must be greater than all troubles. You have to love it so much that it’s what pushes you to do it.

Estevie has stayed busy since SXSW. She was recently at the Nodal studio to record a song that will be released in the fall. She also opened for Xavi, the 18-year-old regional Mexican singer who became an overnight sensation thanks to his song “La Diabla.” The tour ended Sunday in San Antonio.

“I love working with other Mexican American artists, and with Xavi it’s been really great. He and his whole team are very welcoming and I feel really good to be there,” she said.

Next week, Estevie will release her latest single, “La manera que me ves,” a track that would sound like Lana Del Rey if she ever decided to record a tribal song.

Even though she’s come a long way since her time on “La Academia Kids,” Estevie knows there’s still a long way ahead of her.

“I want to become the best version of myself. That’s one of my goals: to continue to grow. She stops to think, a smile growing on her face. “And I want to win a Grammy maybe one day.”