“La Llorona” is one of the most beloved and oldest songs in Mexican folklore, with several verses that artists eliminate or modify to fit their style. It’s a song with a mysterious history and a life of its own. Some trace the story of La Llorona back to the the ancient Aztec goddess Cihuacóatl, a legend that was adapted to Spanish song following colonization, while others believe it dates back to the 1850s. The song continues to be popular enough to elicit new versions, including Mariachi Flor De Toloache‘s own take on the classic.
Mariachi Flor De Toloache are riding high on their success thanks to their constant touring and soulful, rock-driven take on mariachi. Since their days busking in the New York City subway system, they’ve been committed to their vision, yielding them a Latin Grammy nomination for their 2015 self-titled debut, a collaboration with The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, festival appearances, opening slots with Patti Smith and Los Tigres Del Norte, and more collabs with Chicano Batman, Lee Fields, and No Te Va Gustar. They have now unveiled the video for their latest single from the debut record.
The clip was filmed at El Buho Mezcal’s agave fields in Oaxaca, with additional visuals shot in New York City. The emotional rendition of the song, which finds members of Flor De Toloache beautifully harmonizing the melody in a slow, dirge-like manner, matches the haunting cloaked figures and ghostly imagery of the video. On the eve of Día de Muertos, this video is more than fitting, marking another step in Flor De Toloache’s ascent to the top.