Imagine starting a mariachi band and getting Adele to join as your lead singer. Would her distinctive and soulful style match well with traditional mariachi music? Would you be able to hold it together if she sang “Amor Eterno?”
Since Adele probably isn’t going to start recording mariachi music anytime soon, musician Angel Ortiz decided to answer that question himself by combining mariachi music with the vocals of artists like Adele, Billie Eilish, and Ariana Grande.
While most less conventional mariachi bands would simply cover an Adele or Eilish song and maybe sing the lyrics in Spanish, Ortiz works the mariachi music around the artist’s own vocals and creates a captivating hybrid melody. He posts the songs to social media.
For Adele, Ortiz chose the English singer and songwriter’s 2021 track “Easy on Me” from her fourth studio album 30. The song begins with Adele singing from a past performance on stage. Ortiz makes his contribution to the song by recording himself accompanying the lead vocals on different instruments like the trumpet, guitar, violin and guitarrón. He even sings a little backup. Then, using a computer program, Ortiz combines the sounds into one awesome ensemble.
He does the same for Eilish and Grande, using their songs “Problem” and “Happier Than Ever.” Ortiz would probably be “happier than ever” if Eilish ever heard his remix. According to his post, he has a “crush” on her.
Ortiz has only posted samples of his work so far, but we’re hoping he can one day collab with some artists to put together a full album.