Ingrid Contreras is one of Mexico's most unique interpretive vocalists. Possessed of a throaty, expressive contralto, she offers a unique hybrid of classic mariachi and smooth pop balladry. She chooses songs by Mexico's top songwriters and applies their melodies according to her developed aesthetic. Her 2019 debut single, "Te Seguiré Queriendo," showcased this fusion to the delight of radio programmers in Mexico and the Southwestern United States. "Costumbre" featured the other side of that equation, melding tender yet powerful romantic pop to ranchera and nuevo flamenco. Born in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Contreras began singing to her mother's records at age three. She counted Marco Antonio Solís, Rocío Dúrcal, and Marisela Hernandez among her early influences. At age four she told her parents that when she turned 18 she would move to America and become a pop star. She did just that. At 18 she relocated to Boston and worked in a restaurant to supplement her income as she pursued her dream. Six months later, she returned to Mexico, frustrated yet undaunted. Contreras began fronting Grupo Onixx, remaining for a couple of years. Her dramatic vocal style combined with the band's iconic stage show drew the notice of Mexican music executives. She paid only enough attention to their flattery to learn about the music business. In August 2019, she formed Ingrid Contreras Music and issued the debut single "Te Seguiré Queriendo." Its video and streaming success prompted her to a distribution deal with ONErpm. She followed up almost immediately with two more: the silky ballad "Costumbre" and the sweeping union of Latin pop, ranchera, and mariachi on "Si Se Acabara el Mundo." While social media users caught on straightaway, Contreras wanted to try her hand again at the music biz in the U.S. She immigrated to Los Angeles in January 2020. Her video and streaming singles such as "La Peor de las Cobardes" and "Yo No Quería" followed soon after and garnered views and critical notice in Mexico and the U.S. In April, she issued the provocative Héctor Toro-directed video for her cover of Poncho Arocha and Horacio Palencia's "Fue Lo Mejor." While the song is about toxic relationships, Contreras and Toro saw more poignancy. They drew attention to the wave of domestic abuse and femicide that was exploding in Mexico, which had prompted demonstrations by women across Mexico. The video showcased graphic violence, but it gave way to defiance, hope, and new beginnings; it racked up millions of views during its first three weeks and massive attention from feminists in the United States as well as back home. After working on her own for only a year, Contreras turned music industry heads by releasing two albums within three weeks. The first, En Vivo, Vol. 1, offered a collection of influential covers of songs by some of her favorite songwriters. It included Solis' "Vete Con Ella," Rosario Carmen Gonzalez's "Que Bonito," and a pair from Cuitlahuac Vega Toledo including "No Te Esperabas." Contreras followed it with her proper studio debut, Cu4tro, which included her three singles and five unreleased covers. The album placed inside the streaming Top 100 during its first week of release. ~ Thom Jurek