Capturing the Global Rise of Música Mexicana in Amazon Music’s GEN MEX: A Q & A with Director Alejandra Hinojosa
Story written by Aylin
Alejandra Hinojosa, director of GEN MEX
“I lived in Mexico but I would study in the United states. I always grew up with those two cultures all at once and because of that I also felt that I had a strong responsibility to do this project.”
Alejandra Hinojosa is a visionary music video director and photographer who is showcasing the power of música Mexicana in her latest project GEN MEX,a two-part documentary created with Amazon Music on the global rise of Mexican music. Growing up in a border town in Tamaulipas, Mexico, Alejandra would travel to Texas every day for school. Immersing herself in both American and Mexican culture, this dual identity influenced the work and stories she would go on to create. From directing documentaries, commercials, and music videos to photographing artists such as Jhayco, Grupo Frontera, and Doja Cat, she proudly carries her roots everywhere she goes.
We spoke with Alejandra on directing GEN MEX. This groundbreaking project features interviews with major artists such as Natanael Cano, Xavi, Ana Barbara, Los Tucanes de Tijuana, and many more, capturing the genre's profound cultural influence.
Below is a transcription of the interview. Minor edits have been made for brevity and clarity.
(M) Aylin for The Mujerista
(A) Alejandra Hinojosa
The Mujerista (M): Your latest project, GEN MEX, explores the global rise of Mexican music. What inspired this documentary, and what do you hope viewers take away from it?
Alejandra Hinojosa (A): I feel it was time to tell the story of what’s happening right now with the new generation in Mexican music. I wanted to give them visual content so they can express themselves visually as artists, as musicians, as songwriters, and as people working in the industry. I was very inspired to do a project like this because I’m Mexicana, so for me, it was very inspiring to do it. We went to a lot of different places and we filmed a lot of different artists but I never felt like it was a job. I was always just learning and grasping all the things around me. It was very very exciting.
M: There were so many incredible artists featured in this documentary. Was there any artist that stood out to you or you had an interesting interaction with?
A: Yes. We went to Nashville to interview William Beckmann and this new Mexican band called Los Aptos. They did a song with William Beckmann who's Mexican-American. His grandparents from his mom’s side are Mexican. He's from the border town as well. I knew that there was this new flow of talent that was mixing different styles of Mexican music not just corridos but I had never heard them live. When we interviewed them, they also played the song there in the studio and it was a very special moment to witness. These fusions are happening and we know that they are working and we’re more connected than ever as artists and as musicians. Listening to them sing the song in English and Spanish, that in and out, was just a beautiful experience.
William Beckmann, photograph taken by Alejandra Hinojosa
M: Some of the artists interviewed are Mexican-American, such as JOP from Fuerza Regida. He mentioned feeling “ni de aqui ni de alla.” Have you ever experienced this—not feeling fully Mexican or American? How has that influenced your identity and the stories you tell through your work?
A: Yes, I definitely related to what JOP said because I'm from a border town. I lived in Mexico but I would study in the United states. I always grew up with those two cultures all at once and because of that I also felt that I had a strong responsibility to do this project. I wanted to highlight these artists that have changed the game, not just musicians but also people like Edgar Barrera, an amazing producer. He's a perfect example of somebody that is living in the U.S. right now and is making a difference in the industry. He's not only obviously working with a lot of artists that we all know in the Latin industry, but he's bringing our roots—the instruments, the language, the words. He's making a huge difference. So I totally relate to all of those Mexican-American artists. I think it's time to highlight and give them recognition for the changes they’re making for our country (Mexico).
M: Can you share a specific moment or project in your early career that made you realize this is what you wanted to do?
A: I’ve always enjoyed listening to Mexican music and I grew up watching a lot of music videos in Spanish and in English. But it was not necessarily one experience because that happened later on. I think just watching music videos really inspired me to make music videos myself. I would change the channels from Telehit to MTV and I remember just thinking about the differences between the hip-hop videos and the Spanish music videos. As a Latina and a Mexican, I wanted to change that to like the music videos in the Latin culture.
M: As a director and photographer, how do you think the representation of Mexican and Latina creatives in the industry has evolved, and what more can be done to amplify those voices?
A: I think it's grown a lot in the last few years and what has helped a lot is social media. I feel that if you wanna share your art it's very different from how it was before. You can just do it yourself. You don't have to wait for a person. These social media platforms are also giving us a space to express ourselves as artists. And Latinos, as you know, we love to express ourselves. We're very passionate. I've seen photographers right now share their work but also show their roots, like in the way they dress their models or in the way they caption their photography. That’s why I'm also a photographer. I don't have the opportunity to film all the time and photos are another way to capture those moments and to express myself as an artist.
Director and photographer, Alejandra Hinojosa
M: What song are you currently obsessed with?
A: There's this song by Natanael Cano, it's called “Brillo.” It came out a couple years ago but when I was doing this project I had to do a lot of research. I knew he had created corridos tumbados and made a big difference, but I found that song and I had never heard it in my life before. It's a song that every time I listen to it, it gives me a lot of drive to create. I play it when I edit and I play it in the car. I love the lyrics too so it's a song I'm obsessed with right now.
M: Who are your top 3 favorite Mexican artists?
A: Selena Quintanilla because I connect with a lot of things she said and she's also from a border town like me. I never met her but I feel very connected to her music. I love Juan Gabriel—his writing, his voice, his shows, everything about him. I wish I put more in the documentary but it's just like the way he connected. He had a whole chorus and orchestra. The way he moved and his Mexican pride. Todo lo que él hacía era tan Mexicano y yo admiro mucho eso. I admire that a lot from Mexican artists. I love Grupo Frontera as well. I can play them all day every day. I love that it's just like feel-good music. They're always making music and you can tell that they're doing it because they enjoy it. I feel that transmits as an artist to another artist. When you listen to their music you can feel that they’re enjoying what they love and that's awesome.
Estevie, photograph taken by Alejandra Hinojosa
M: Who is one of your favorite artists you've gotten to work with?
A: In this GEN MEX project, I really enjoyed working with Estevie. It was just so easy. Working with her was such an amazing experience because she's a female, she's Latina, y le está apostando a las cumbias. Es súper guerrera. Tiene muy buena actitud. I really liked working with her. I hope we work on more projects in the future because she's also super proud to be Mexican and she wants to take Mexican music worldwide. It's incredible listening to her music and meeting her in person was amazing.
M: What upcoming projects or collaborations are you most excited about, and what can we expect to see from you next?
A: I'm really working on pushing this project (GEN MEX) because I feel like we’ve opened this new door to tell stories. I wanna continue working in the next few years in representing Latin artists in a visual form. That is something that I'm really pushing for myself and you'll soon see other projects that reflect that. If you haven't seen the documentary I suggest you watch it because it's a campaign that lasts for a month. On Amazon Music they not only have the documentary but they also have a platform to listen to those artists in GEN MEX. So hopefully more projects that have to do with our Latin culture.