Anamaria Sayre | April 24, 2025 Grupo Frontera, which was headlining backyard bailes well before stadium shows, feels perfectly made for Tiny Desk. Beneath the glow of fluorescent office lights and backed against trinket-stuffed shelves, the match feels divinely ordained.
Normally, jazzy vocal trills and norteño cumbia rhythms are star-crossed lovers, but not at the Tiny Desk. At the center of a pop-infused reinvigoration of traditional Mexican sounds, the members of Grupo Frontera are masters of unlikely pairings. Mega-producer and songwriter Edgar Barrera discovered Grupo Frontera at a quinceanera in his hometown, enthralled by the band's authenticity. He encouraged the band's Texas-bred beats, killer melodies and contemporary lyrics.
There's no better space to highlight the impressive musicality of the group and stunning vocals of Payo Solis than in a stripped down setting. "Yo nací pa' querer a la que no me quiere (I was born to love the one who doesn't love me)," Payo coos. But it's hard to feel heartbroken when desamor sounds so smooth.
SET LIST "un x100to" "Hecha Pa' Mi" "Ángel" "Por Qué Será" "EL AMOR DE SU VIDA"
MUSICIANS Payo Solis: vocals Juan Cantú: accordion Julian Peña: congas, bongos Beto Acosta: bajo quinto Carlos Guerrero: drums Daniel Uribe: pedal steel, guitar Patricia Ligia: bass Monty Rivera: keys, background vocals Catherine "Cathia" Ochoa: background vocals MJ Songstress: background vocals Ella Bric: trumpet
TINY DESK TEAM Producer: Anamaria Sayre Director: Joshua Bryant Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter Video Editor: Maia Stern Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Grace Raver Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai Production Assistants: Ashley Pointer, Dora Levite Photographer: Michael Zamora Tiny Desk Series Editor: Lars Gotrich Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
#nprmusic #tinydesk #grupofrontera
