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Marca MP in Mcallen at the McAllen Performing Arts Center
At 22 years of age, Chato – as fans and friends like to call him – is one of the most brilliant and disarmingly honest young artists in the ever crowded Regional Mexican field. The lead vocalist and principal songwriter with trio Marca MP, Chato excels within a style that would be best described as regional urbano.
Marca MP comprised by: Chato (vocalist and guitar,) Omar Valdivia (guitar,) and Ernesto Franco (tuba) plays romantic songs and old fashioned corridos but with a daring aesthetic – pared down to a backing of guitars, bass and a solitary tuba. The banda sonics shine brightly in this minimalist framework, generating an intense musical experience.
Marca MP’s music is universal, this is an apt description for music that has reached the hearts of individuals of all ages who identify themselves with their lyrics, considering the group’s rapid rise to garner millions of streams and followers.
When Pedro Vargas was growing up in a Northern California town, the classics of Regional Mexican music were a constant presence at home.
“My parents listened to Los Tigres del Norte, Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Los Temerarios and Los Bukis,” he says with a smile. “The themes and melodies of those songs became the foundation of the music I write and perform today.”
In January of 2018, the first incarnation of Marca MP used to play gigs at quinceañeras and flea markets, in which they placed a cardboard box on the floor so that people would leave them tips.
By November of that year, Chato had amassed a collection of songs and harbored the dream of not only recording them, but also dropping them on major streaming platforms. In 2019, the band recorded four tracks, including a catchy, upbeat corrido named “El Güero” marked by lyrics emoting a defiant declaration of principles and an oddly nostalgic melody. A few months later, the song reached a million streams on Spotify and Marca MP began to play outside of California.
The band’s defining step in establishing themselves was re-recording “El Güero” as a duet with popular Tijuana outfit Grupo Firme. “I remember the morning the track was published we had 8,000 followers on social media,” says Chato. “When I got home later that night, we had reached 20,000. It was a very happy moment, the beginning of something big.”
The renamed triad continues to reap success, in December 2022 they concluded “Lo Que Fuera un Sueño Tour” selling out the majestic Crypto Arena in the city of Los Angeles, they collaborated with global artist Becky G, the single “Ya Acabo” has more than 137 million views on YouTube.
Currently, Marca MP is preparing to embark on their 2024 “Simplemente Marca Tour” through Mexico and the United States. Stops include Marca MP in McAllen at the McAllen Performing Arts Center. In addition, the band presents their most recent album titled LEALTAD, a collection of 10 songs, 7 of which Chato (lead singer and harmony of the group) wrote. You can now listen to LEALTAD on your favorite music platform and watch the official video “Lealtad” on Marca MP’s YouTube channel.
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