Hunterdon County mariachi singer Marilyn Gutiérrez is set to open for Jaime Lozano and Florencia Cuenca’s Broadway en Spanglish starting at 7:30 PM on Saturday, March 1 at ArtYard in Frenchtown.
Marilyn, 8, of Lambertville has shown a great passion for music since the age of 2, when she began playing with a toy guitar and singing songs from Frozen and Selena. Marilyn’s favorite Selena song, she said, is Como la Flor. At her birthday parties, she began performing Selena’s songs for guests, marking the start of her public performance journey.
Last year, Marilyn was invited to perform at a public event in New Brunswick. Since then, she has continued to sing in various locations, including Newark, Elizabeth, Asbury Park, and Lambertville. Marilyn dreams of becoming a singer like Selena, inspiring others with her voice.
Marilyn stopped by ArtYard recently before a night of roller skating, and said she is excited to perform. “It’s a big stage,’ she said. The young singer marveled at the animals and objects in Red Pencils, a popup exhibition inviting visitors to create still-life drawings. She was immediately drawn to the starling, peering closely into its eyes before she pulled up a seat and began to draw. “I’ve never seen a bird so close-up before.”
Marilyn will be performing two mariachi songs, La Chancla and La Basurita.
After Marilyn’s songs, husband-and-wife duo Jaime Lozano and Florencia Cuenca will take the stage with Mariachi Real de Mexico, offering their vibrant and moving Broadway in Spanglish, a fusion of Broadway and mariachi traditions. A fusion of their Mexican roots with their journey to the American Dream, this multi-lingual musical cabaret features fresh interpretations and new arrangements of contemporary musical theater songs from Hamilton, Waitress, Frozen, and more.
Lozano is a musical theater storyteller considered by Lin-Manuel Miranda as the “next big thing” on Broadway. Cuenca has performed Off-Broadway in Children of Salt (NYMF 2016 Best of Fest) and A Never-Ending, and was named Best New Jazz Artist by Hot House Jazz (2016). The two have performed to sold-out crowds at venues such as Joe’s Pub, 54 Below, and Lincoln Center’s American Songbook Series. Stirring mariachi music, humorous stories, and Cuenca’s rousing vocals make for a memorable night celebrating cultural diversity.
- Performance
