Jenni Rivera

Widely beloved and respected throughout the United States, Mexico, and the Americas, Jenni Rivera earned the name “La Diva de la Banda.” Raised in Long Beach, California, Rivera was blessed with a sassy alto soprano voice capable of much power and tenderness. But equally appealing was her personal charisma. She expressed fearless Latina womanhood with her first hit “Las Malandrinas.” But Rivera could be incredibly vulnerable too, like in the sorrowful adlibs of “Ya Lo Sé” or the ballad “De Contrabando” in which she coos about forbidden attraction to a married man. Whether she was singing about rebellious youth, heartbreak, or breaking hearts, through her banda style Jenni Rivera embodied the strength and complexity of being a successful Latina artist.