Born in Pasadena, California, singer/songwriter Gerardo Ortíz has cultivated a diverse fanbase that includes fans of modern corridos, as well as those who favor a more traditional approach to the style and those who gravitate to the more controversial narcocorridos. The two-time GRAMMY® nominee made his recording debut in 2009 with a concert album, En Vivo Las Tundras, before releasing his first studio album, Ni Hoy Ni Mañana, in 2010. Ortiz's next release, Morir y Existir En Vivo, was his first No. 1 album—a feat he nearly missed due to a violent kidnapping attempt that left his business manager dead.