Trans Corridos singer Michelle Maciel wants a future in which LGBTQ+ people are not asked about their sexuality

Michelle Maciel is shaking up Mexican music in many ways. A trans man, the rising Mexican star has become a leading LGBTQ+ voice in the genre, pushing it in a new direction with his debut album, Corridos. TrastormIn addition to corridos tumbados, Maciel also brings elements of EDM, pop and El Movimiento into play in the mix with acts like Edén Muñoz and Yahritza y Su Esencia. In an interview with Remezcla, he talks about his first LP, how he is breaking down barriers in Música Mexicana and his hopes for a future where LGBTQ+ artists are normalized and not constantly marginalized.

“I come from Sonora, where Mexican culture is very regional,” says Maciel. “It’s always been in my blood. Corridos gave me a feeling that I’ve never felt with any other genre. I feel a special energy.”

To think about his genre-bending sound, he learned to play guitar by practicing songs by Mexican punk groups like Panda, Allison and motel. Maciel also mastered the instrument by playing classics by Alejandro Fernández. On the Movimiento side, Maciel names Dalex, Justin Quiles, Sech and Mora as inspiration. In addition to his diverse sound palette, as a trans man he is also breaking new ground in Música Mexicana.

“It’s a cool feeling (to represent the LGBTQ+ community) because there’s no one else doing it,” he says. “Regional Mexican is a mega-machista genre that doesn’t have any representation of men or women from the LGBTQ+ community. It’s a nice and nostalgic feeling to be a pioneer in this way.”

Maciel landed his first big hit in 2022 when he was featured on Ramón Vega’s “Escorpión,” which mixed Música Mexicana with pop. Then last year, he explored corridos tumbados for the first time in the fiery “CCC” with Muñoz. Their successful collaboration has over 207 million streams on Spotify. It is also featured on his album Tornado, where he experiments with electrocorridor in “PLYBOY” with Registered trademark and Norteño in “QPTP” with Yahritza and her essence. Maciel’s talent knows no bounds.

“It’s a very atrabancado album,” he says about Trastormwhich came out in late May. “In Mexico, atrabancado means it was done with passion. It’s like being so passionate that you say, ‘I don’t care. I’m doing this because I want to.’ I want people to feel that ‘chingue su madre’ vibe from this album.”

In Mexico, “atrabancado” means it was done with passion. It’s like being so passionate that you say, “I don’t care. I’m doing this because I want to.” I want people to feel that “chingue su madre” vibe of this album.

Maciel reveals that he is planning some collaborations with “regional Mexican artists that I really admire and have always wanted to work with.” In addition to his own music career, Maciel has started writing songs for other artists. After collaborating with Muñoz on “CCC,” he has continued collaborating with Maciel in songwriting sessions. As he becomes more of a force in Música Mexicana, Maciel wants to see it as normal for people like himself to be part of the genre.

“We are fighting for a future where an artist’s personality is not based only on their personal life,” he says. “You don’t ask Peso Pluma, ‘How do you feel as a heterosexual artist in regional Mexican music?’ I want a future where those questions don’t exist. I am more than that.”