She enchants listeners with heartfelt lyrics and a rich fusion of sounds from bolero and cumbia to flamenco. With a background in musical theatre lead in Mexico and Spain, she has shared the stage with Latin American icons like Nacho Cano, El Recodo, El Tri, and Mariachi Vargas.
Recently, the 31-year-old singer and actor performed for the first time in Egypt, in a concert organised by the Mexican Embassy at Al-Gomhouriya Theatre, on 29 October. Bayardo’s path to the stage began in her grandparents’ living room, where as a child she sang boleros and rancheras long before she learned to read music.
Formal training came early: she studied musical theatre at Guadalajara’s Escuela Calle 42 and later deepened her understanding of human connection with a degree in international relations and a master's in social and community intervention. It’s an unusual pairing for a performer, but one that has contributed to her artistic depth. After early performances in Mexican productions such as Érase Una Isla and Aida musicals, Bayardo crossed the Atlantic to step on the Spanish stage. Her breakout came as Nala in Madrid’s blockbuster musical El Rey León, where her commanding presence and luminous voice captured audiences nightly.
Later, she took on the title role in Malinche, Nacho Cano’s ambitious musical re-telling of the encounter between Mexico and Spain. Playing Malinche — a figure symbolising both bridge and betrayal — proved more than a role for Bayardo. “It forced me to look at who we are when we cross borders, and what we carry with us,” she has said. The production also cemented her presence as one of the few Mexican performers leading major theatrical runs in Spain. Now, Bayardo is channelling her dual cultural experience into her solo music.
Her debut album, Raicilla — named after the traditional agave spirit from her native Jalisco — honours her roots while experimenting with genre and sound. She calls it “a musical toast to where I come from and where I am now.” Released in April 2025, the project fuses rancheras, sones and huapangos with flamenco rhythms and electronic textures, creating a sonic landscape that feels both ancient and new.
The lead single, Lo Que No Tengo, reflects the album’s central themes: migration, belonging, and the spaces between. Recorded between Madrid and Guadalajara, the song pairs acoustic guitar with layered digital production. In addition to her stage and studio work, Bayardo is a trained vocal coach and has participated in writing songs for the series Celeste (on Movistar+), in which she also acts. Her artistic life moves fluidly between performance, education, and composition, a reflection of her belief that art should be both expressive and connective.
“Every form of art is born from reality,” she tells me. “Art has the capacity to enrich reality and make it more beautiful, but in the end, it’s an expression of what we see and experience as human beings. Every time I’ve created a character or written a song, I’ve done it through observation, research, and the craft of emotions. This curiosity has always been part of me. I believe that the more I learn about the world around me, the more empathetic and understanding I become — and so does my art.
“I’ve always felt deeply connected to my voice, but the opportunity to tell stories through musical theatre wasn’t something I was really expecting. It all started in Mexico, with the most powerful character of my career so far: Aida. I auditioned without expecting to get the role — I was 17! After that, I trained intensely and had other amazing opportunities in my country until The Lion King appeared in my life. That’s where faith played its part — Disney saw me performing in Mexico and offered me the chance to do it in Madrid. Since then, I haven’t stopped working in Spain, an incredible country that has opened so many doors to me in theatre, television, and music.
“Mexican traditional music has been part of my life since I was born. I even travelled with a Mexican folk group, singing and arranging classic mariachi songs, huapangos, and more. But when I moved to Spain, I discovered flamenco and Spanish music — full of amazing polyrhythms and fascinating melodies with a strong Arab influence. I also met people from different African countries; their voices, their rhythms, and their way of understanding music have influenced me deeply. And then, of course, my fellow Latin Americans — Argentinians, Venezuelans, Colombians, Dominicans… Madrid is such a multicultural city, and I feel very lucky to live in a place where I get to create with so many talented and diverse artists.
“Raicilla is a very special title. There’s an agave-based spirit, very similar to tequila or mezcal, called raicilla. It can only be named that if it’s made in the region where I was born, near my hometown, Guadalajara. In Spanish, “raíz” means “root,” so I felt it was the perfect word to capture what I wanted to express with this album: a tribute to my homeland, seen through the eyes of an immigrant woman who has gained perspective since leaving, yet has kept her love for her family, traditions, and roots intact. Besides migration and roots, this album also touches on other subjects that matter deeply to me: mental health, consent, feminism, love, codependence… In the end, I think I’m just talking about what it means to be alive in this world.”
Bayardo disclosed exclusively to Al-Ahram Weekly that her new song Alas a los Alacranes is no longer part of Raicilla: “It’s actually the beginning of my new musical project, which will be released in 2026.
This song is even more electronic, but it still carries a strong huapango heartbeat, with the jarana and the bombo legüero. The traditional sound remains, but the production is much bolder than in the previous album. The subject is also more daring. I decided to talk about the violence linked to narco culture in Mexico and the impunity surrounding the thousands of missing people who are victims of that reality. I think I’ll keep writing about social issues; it’s something I simply can’t turn away from. Music should express difficult truths, and I’ll keep doing that through high-spirited rhythms, because sometimes, dancing is also a way to heal the pain.”
But does Bayardo know anything about Arab music? Who is her favourite Egyptian singer? “Every time I’ve travelled to another country to sing, I’ve always performed at least one song in the local language. I think it’s a beautiful way to connect with the audience and to get to know the culture better. So Héctor Ortega, minister deputy chief of Mission at the Mexican Embassy, to whom I’m very grateful, as he made all of this possible, suggested that I sing Helwa Ya Baladi, originally performed by Dalida. I listened to a lot of her music and completely fell in love with her. She was such an iconic artist. Her voice and presence carried a timeless sense of emotion and nostalgia. She’s simply the best.
After researching Dalida, I kept discovering new Egyptian artists and came across Dina Al-Wedidi and her beautiful ‘Arab folk’ sound — it felt so fresh, and her voice is just lovely. Two powerful women whose artistry and courage I deeply admire. This is my first time here, but I’m definitely coming back. It’s a beautiful country, and I’d love to get to know it better. I’ve loved the food and the people. I got to see the Pyramids, and I’ll be visiting Old Cairo as well. I’m really looking forward to coming back with more time to explore the museums.”
* A version of this article appears in print in the 13 November, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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