Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda announced the participation of 221 young Baja Californians in the new federal initiative “Mexico Sings for Peace and Against Addictions” to highlight the talent of the region’s youth. This is the first binational music competition aimed at Mexican and Mexican-American performers and composers with the mission of raising awareness about addiction.
This comes in response to the call from President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo to participate in the competition, which opened for registrations on April 28 and will close on May 30. This contest seeks to promote Mexican music without content that glorifies violence or drugs, as part of the broader Plan Mexico.
Governor Marina del Pilar underscored that Baja California is home to great talent across several artistic expressions and is among the states with the highest number of participants in this binational initiative. Young people can participate with songs or performances in indigenous languages, Spanish, or Spanglish and in genres such as mariachi, norteño, banda, corrido, tropical, duranguense, campirano, and bolero, among others, as well as rap, rock, pop, and hip-hop fusions.
This year, Baja California will host one of the competition’s stages, alongside Mexico City, Oaxaca, and Durango, serving as a valuable platform to promote a culture of peace and steer youth away from violence through music and creativity, as championed by Governor Marina del Pilar.
Registrations are open until May 30, 2025, for individuals aged 18 to 34. Participants can sign up at mexicocanta.gob.mx by submitting an audio or video recording, which can be made with mobile devices—no professional equipment required. Composers and singer-songwriters may submit original songs of up to three minutes, while performers can present a song (even if not their own) with the same maximum duration.
This effort marks a firm step toward reviving cultural support and programs that were limited in previous administrations. With Governor Marina del Pilar’s leadership, new opportunities are opening up for young talent to flourish and contribute to a culture of peace and creativity.
