Women Singers in Global Contexts: Chapter 4 - Ixya Herrera: Gracefully Nurturing "Mexico" with Song in the USA

Chapter 4

Ixya Herrera

Ixya Herrera in concert at the Lincoln Center, New York, 2002
Photographer unknown. Copyright Ixya Herrera.

Gracefully Nurturing "Mexico" with Song in the USA
by Ruth Hellier

Ixya Herrera, 2009. Copyright Ixya Herrera.

Ixya Herrera debuted at the age of twelve, dueting with her idol Linda Ronstadt in front of a crowd of thousands at the Tuscon Mariachi Conference 1992 in Arizona. Growing up in California, in the supportive environment of musical family, and with the legacy of Chicano cultural politics, she has developed a solo career engaging a repertoire of diverse Mexican genres. In her self-crafting processes she aspires to enchant audiences with the thrill of her singing voice, negotiating stereotypes and placing satisfaction before commercial gain. She continues to push forward with recordings and concert appearances, engaging a form of subtle activism, and demonstrating self-determination and self-definition.

Ruth Hellier: "Ixya and I met for the first time in Santa Barbara, California, in 2008. Following years of living in the United Kingdom and Mexico, I began a process of migrating to California, to join my husband. Having experienced Mexicanness in Mexico I was interested in developing an understanding from the perspective of 'el norte' (the north). I therefore sought out a singer in southern California with Mexican connections, and began a research relationship with Ixya.

"I remember meeting Ixya for the first time, a young woman who was the vision of grace and charm, both offstage and on. Although our schedules and life events have often prevented us from meeting as often as we would have liked in the last three years, with my migration now permanent, Ixya and I are planning opportunities for performance and pedagogical collaborations over the coming years."