Mexico Canta 2026 Announces 14 Binational Semifinalists

Mexico’s Secretariat of Culture unveiled the 14 semifinalists for the 2026 edition of the binational music competition Mexico Canta. Seven contestants represent Mexico and seven represent Mexican communities in the United States. Named participants include Isabel Piñeyro Acuña “Belle La Malixita” (Yucatán), Grecia Delgado (Tamaulipas), Fátima Cuevas (Nuevo León), José Emiliano Macías “Emi Macías” (Jalisco), Bilhan Israel Morales (Coahuila), Luna Jiram López (Morelos) and Bryan Soto “Clave 57” (Estado de México) on the Mexican side, and Grecia Marín (California), Daniel Ochoa (Arizona), Tiffany Galaviz (California), Miranda González “Miranda Knappe” (Colorado), Joshua Soto (New York), Lizandro Espinoza (Oregon) and Rosalba Valdez (Illinois) for the U.S. side.

The competition will hold two semifinal rounds: the U.S. semifinal at Los Angeles’ Orpheum Theatre on 23 August, and the Mexican semifinal at Mazatlán’s Teatro Ángela Peralta on 30 August. The grand final is scheduled for 13 September at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, with a special performance at the Zócalo during the Independence Day celebrations. The contest attracted 16,289 registrations overall—10,528 from Mexico and 5,761 from Mexican residents in the United States—aiming to promote new musical talent across the border.