Mexico City — In a striking blend of legal prowess and musical ambition, Mariel Colón, once known as the defense lawyer for the infamous Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, arrives in a scene that could be straight out of a high-octane movie. Vehicles with darkened windows pull up to a secluded mansion as Mariel strides confidently alongside Emma Coronel, El Chapo’s wife. Inside, amid a beclouded room of men in sleek suits, the ambiance comes alive with the blare of trumpets.
This cinematic entry is from “La Señora,” the debut music video marking Mariel Colón’s transition from courtroom battles to the music studio. At 31, Colón, under her stage name “Mariel La Abogada” or Mariel the Lawyer, uses her controversial ties to the former Sinaloa Cartel leader to forge a new path in regional Mexican music, a genre seeing an exponential rise on the global stage.
“La Señora” not only showcases but also pays homage to Coronel, who, following her release from a three-year prison term for drug trafficking and money laundering charges linked to her husband’s empire, has found it challenging to secure employment. The collaboration between Colón and Coronel extends beyond music, recently leading them to the runways of Milan Fashion Week, sparking curiosity and surprise among international onlookers.
Colón, the daughter of a music director from Puerto Rico, grew up enamored with Mexican ballads typified by their emotive narratives of love and heartbreak. Though pressured into pursuing a legal career, her heart stayed attuned to music. The pivot in her career trajectory came after working on Guzmán’s legal defense, an opportunity she described as professionally significant, despite the stigma often attached to representing such high-profile figures.
Guzmán, known for his bloody leadership over the Sinaloa Cartel and dramatic prison escapes before his 2017 extradition to the United States, remains a figure of intense public fascination. Colón, one of the few with regular access to him, visits thrice monthly at a maximum-security prison in Colorado, maintaining a unique role as his lawyer and sometimes, his audience, singing Mexican classics during her visits.
With a musical career that’s just over a year old, Colón’s songs dive into a genre that narrates vivid stories woven into the fabric of Mexican culture but often intersect with the dark threads of narcoviolence. Her music resonates during a “golden age” for Mexican music, with genres like corridos tumbados reshaping traditional sounds into modern anthems that fill stadiums.
Still, as the genre flourishes, it stirs a debate on its impact and implications. Critics argue corrido music romanticizes narco-culture, portraying drug traffickers as Robin Hood-esque figures battling systemic oppression. Such narratives have seen artists and municipalities clash, with certain regions banning narcocorridos amid concerns they perpetuate violent lifestyles.
Against this complex backdrop, Colón defends her music and broader genre. “People are intrigued by these stories,” she asserts. “Acknowledging their lives through music doesn’t mean glorifying their actions.”
As she plans the release of her first album in December, her collaboration with Coronel has thrust both women into new spotlights. Coronel leverages her modeling and burgeoning career as a social media influencer, recently featured in New York’s Times Square. Yet, the controversy remains palpable, with some industry bodies disassociating from events involving the duo, pointing to ethical considerations.
While views on Colón’s video climb, the conversation around Mexican music and its cultural narratives continues to evolve, reflecting a society’s grappling with its scars and its identity in a world captivated yet cautious about its storied past.