Marca MP

Marca MP is a regional Mexican band from California that performs banda, mariachi, and ranchera music. Their first song “El Guerro,” a collaboration with Grupo Firme, was the year’s most popular internet video in Mexico. Since then, they’ve released five digital-only live albums, the Flores EP, and the studio long-player No Me Quejo on their own.

The band, which featured lead singer Pedro Vargas (aka “El Chato”), tuba player Esteban Salcedo, and guitarists Cristian Daniel and Jess Tizoc, was formed in 2018 by a foursome of high school buddies. They performed at private and street parties in southern California, as well as invitation-only concerts and weddings, and toured locally and regionally as opening acts for bands from northern Mexico.

In 2019, they released their first EP En Vivo, which featured “El Guero.” Grupo Firme, who had previously performed with the band, opted to edit the tune into a video single and enlisted Marca MP’s help. It was the most-watched internet video in Mexico that year. Marca MP continues to capture their performances and released two live digital long players in 2019: Despegando El Vuelo and En Vivo Desde el Maelcon: Sold Out.

The trio independently released their studio long-player No Me Quejo in early May 2022, followed by the live album Las Preferidas, Vol. 2 a week later (En Vivo). The studio-recorded Flores EP was released in July to great praise. The album charted on many platforms and represented the group’s last recordings with Daniel and Tizoc; guitarists Diógenes Bojórquez and Julio Torres took over in early August when Las Preferidas, Vol. 3 was released (En Vivo). The trio released the live Desde el Cantón in November, and Las Preferidas, Vol. 4 on New Year’s Eve (En Vivo).