Latest news with #LosAlegres'
USA Today
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Mexican singer Julión Álvarez says his visa was revoked ahead of sold-out Texas show
Mexican singer Julión Álvarez said his visa to enter the United States was revoked before a sold-out May 24 show at AT&T Stadium in Texas. His group, Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda, had to postpone the evening concert at the Dallas Cowboys' Arlington stadium with nearly 50,000 tickets sold, according to a May 23 news release. In a video posted to Instagram, Álvarez said he was told the morning of May 23 his work visa was canceled. 'It's not possible for us to go to the United States to fulfill our commitment to you,' Álvarez, 42, said in Spanish. 'It's a situation that's out of our hands.' Concert promoter CMN and Álvarez's record label Copar Music said they were looking to reschedule the performance with tickets remaining valid, the AT&T Stadium news release said. They would work to refund tickets in the coming days. 'I apologize to all of you,' Álvarez, who is called King of the Ticket Office, said. "And God willing, we'll be in contact to share more information." In an email response to USA TODAY, the U.S. State Department declined to comment on Álvarez's announcement, since visa records are confidential by law. In recent years, Mexican artists have increased in popularity in the United States. At the same time, narcocorridos, or drug ballads, have gained mainstream followings in Mexico and abroad, including in the United States. The style has drawn the ire of officials in Mexico and the United States. Álvarez is the latest Mexican musician to say he had his visa revoked to perform in the country during the second Trump administration, as officials look to cut down on immigration. Earlier this year, the State Department revoked the visas for band members of Los Alegres del Barranco after the band displayed an image of Mexican drug lord Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," while performing a narcocorrido dedicated to him at their concert near Guadalajara, Mexico, in late March. The group had a planned American tour. In early April, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau confirmed the department canceled Los Alegres' work and tourist visas for "glorifying" Oseguera Cervantes, who is head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The Trump administration has designated CJNG and other Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called for an investigation of Los Alegres' concert. A spokesperson for the band defended their right to make their music freely, without punishment, in an interview with Billboard Español. It wasn't immediately clear why Álvarez's visa had been revoked ahead of his May 24 show. An award-winning regional Mexican artist, Álvarez plays traditional corridos, or ballads, along with mariachi and cumbia. He's known for songs about love or heartbreak, such as 'El Amor De Su Vida' and 'Cero Empatía.' In 2017, he had his visa revoked after the Treasury Department accused him and former Mexican professional soccer player Rafa Marquez of having ties to a drug trafficker identified under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. American officials accused them of acting as fronts to hold assets for the trafficker. Álvarez denied the accusations. The designation had him banned from Spotify, Billboard reported. In 2022, he was taken off the list, and Spotify allowed his music back on its platform, where he has nearly 17 million monthly listeners. Álvarez then was able to perform in the United States again. In mid-April, Álvarez had three sold-out shows at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles after years of not playing in the country, according to the Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network. Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@ or on Signal at emcuevas.01.
USA Today
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Mexican singer Julión Álvarez says his visa was revoked ahead of sold-out Texas show
Mexican singer Julión Álvarez says his visa was revoked ahead of sold-out Texas show Show Caption Hide Caption Trump administration restores visa registrations for foreign students The Trump administration restored visa registrations for potentially thousands of foreign students. Mexican singer Julión Álvarez said his visa to enter the United States was revoked before a sold-out May 24 show at AT&T Stadium in Texas. His group, Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda, had to postpone the evening concert at the Dallas Cowboys' Arlington stadium with nearly 50,000 tickets sold, according to a May 23 news release. In a video posted to Instagram, Álvarez said he was told the morning of May 23 his work visa was canceled. 'It's not possible for us to go to the United States to fulfill our commitment to you,' Álvarez, 42, said in Spanish. 'It's a situation that's out of our hands.' Concert promoter CMN and Álvarez's record label Copar Music said they were looking to reschedule the performance with tickets remaining valid, the AT&T Stadium news release said. They would work to refund tickets in the coming days. 'I apologize to all of you,' Álvarez, who is called King of the Ticket Office, said. "And God willing, we'll be in contact to share more information." In an email response to USA TODAY, the U.S. State Department declined to comment on Álvarez's announcement, since visa records are confidential by law. In recent years, Mexican artists have increased in popularity in the United States. At the same time, narcocorridos, or drug ballads, have gained mainstream followings in Mexico and abroad, including in the United States. The style has drawn the ire of officials in Mexico and the United States. Álvarez is the latest Mexican musician to say he had his visa revoked to perform in the country during the second Trump administration, as officials look to cut down on immigration. Earlier this year, the State Department revoked the visas for band members of Los Alegres del Barranco after the band displayed an image of Mexican drug lord Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," while performing a narcocorrido dedicated to him at their Guadalajara, Mexico, concert in late March. The group had a planned American tour. In early April, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau confirmed the department canceled Los Alegres' work and tourist visas for "glorifying" Oseguera Cervantes, who is head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The Trump administration has designated CJNG and other Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called for an investigation of Los Alegres' concert. A spokesperson for the band defended their right to make their music freely, without punishment, in an interview with Billboard Español. It wasn't immediately clear why Álvarez's visa had been revoked ahead of his May 24 show. An award-winning regional Mexican artist, Álvarez plays traditional corridos, or ballads, along with mariachi and cumbia. He's known for songs about love or heartbreak, such as 'El Amor De Su Vida' and 'Cero Empatía.' In 2017, he had his visa revoked after the Treasury Department accused him and former Mexican professional soccer player Rafa Marquez of having ties to a drug trafficker identified under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. American officials accused them of acting as fronts to hold assets for the trafficker. Álvarez denied the accusations. The designation had him banned from Spotify, Billboard reported. In 2022, he was taken off the list, and Spotify allowed his music back on its platform, where he has nearly 17 million monthly listeners. Álvarez then was able to perform in the United States again. In mid-April, Álvarez had three sold-out shows at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles after years of not playing in the country, according to the Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network. Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@ or on Signal at emcuevas.01.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Los Alegres Del Barranco Apologize Over Cartel Kingpin Visual as U.S. Revokes Their Visas
Los Alegres del Barranco are breaking their silence after the United States State Department revoked the band members' visas for displaying a visual of a cartel kingpin during a recent show. On Wednesday night, the Sinaloa band apologized for the incident, saying that it will be more careful with their show 'narratives' in the future. 'Through this message, Los Alegres del Barranco would like to offer our sincerest apologies for what happened,' the band wrote of the Guadalajara show. 'As a musical group, it was never our intention to create controversy, much less to offend. We acknowledge that, as artists, we have a great responsibility to our audiences, especially to the new generations who follow our music.' More from Rolling Stone U.S. State Department Revokes Mexican Band's Visa Over Song Praising Drug Cartel Kingpin Top Trump USAID Staffer Accused of Violent Outbursts, Racist Remarks 'Lives Are in Danger' After a Trump Admin Spreadsheet Leak, Sources Say During their March 29 show at Auditorio TelMex, Los Alegres' video backdrop displayed a mugshot of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, a.k.a. 'El Mencho,' the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, as they played their song, 'El Del Palenque,' about the kingpin. The drug cartel organization was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in February. 'We deeply regret that part of the show was perceived as offensive or reaffirm that our music is inspired by telling popular stories within Mexican music,' the band wrote in their statement. 'We will take more rigorous measures regarding the visual and narrative content of our performances.' Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau announced on X that the State Department had revoked the band's work and tourism visas for 'glorifying' El Mencho by displaying him on screen. 'In the Trump Administration, we take seriously our responsibility over foreigners' access to our country. The last thing we need is a welcome mat for people who extol criminals and terrorists,' Landau wrote in his post. Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum also condemned the performance earlier this week, saying things like these 'should not occur,' and urged for an investigation. 'We have to see the connotation but … There can be no apology for violent, criminal groups,' she said. Los Alegres' case comes as Mexican music, including narcocorridos, have seen exponential growth in the United States. Just last week, the CEO of Del Records was found guilty of conspiracy to transact with a cartel, along with 10 other counts related to the Kingpin Act, over performances with the CJNG. Mexican songs telling stories about the drug trade and the leaders behind it date back decades, and bands like Alegres have sung their tunes, including Mencho-mentioning 'El Del Palenque,' without issue. Fellow Sinaloa band Máximo Grado addressed some of the conversations about the controversial lyrics about drug trafficking and the idolization of narcos in a recent Rolling Stone interview. 'Stopping narcocorridos is not the main solution to ending violence and drug trafficking issues that have affected the country for so long,' frontman Christian Félix said. 'Censoring free speech is never the solution to any problem.' Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
