Julio Salguero.

Julio Salguero sings to God with mariachi. Born in Guatemala and now living in the United States, his catalog rests on the usual: trumpets, violins, vihuela and guitarrón in the service of the lyrics. He is one of the voices of Christian mariachi, the genre that dressed Spanish-language worship in the sound of regional Mexican music.

His first release came in 2011: "Sublime Amor (Mariachi)," ten songs on the Vida Productions label. Two years later he posted the music video for the album's title track on YouTube — his first video clip — which now tops four million views and opened doors for him beyond his home country.

A decade later came "Me Dicen el Aleluya" (2021), an eight-track album distributed by ONErpm and produced by Dauny Chilin. It includes "La Flor de la Vida," released as his second video clip in October 2022, along with "Consumado Es," "Padre Nuestro" and a mariachi version of "No Hay Lugar Más Alto," a hymn many young people recognize from contemporary worship. That same year he released "Sublime Amor: Pistas," with the instrumental tracks from his first production.

The recognition came in 2022. The 17th edition of the Premios Arpa, held July 16 at the Teatro Roberto Cantoral in Mexico City, nominated him for Regional or Tropical Music Album or Track for "Me Dicen el Aleluya," in a field alongside Aceite Fresco, Erick Núñez, Los Herederos and Los Voceros de Cristo. The Premios AMCL, in their 43rd edition, also nominated him, for Traditional or Popular Album of the Year. He did not take home either award.

His approach is simple and difficult at once: to sing the faith with the sound of the land. The same instrumentation regional music uses to tell stories of love and farewell serves here to speak of grace, of prayer and of a life surrendered to God. If you want to dive in, "Me Dicen el Aleluya" is complete on every platform: eight songs and the full mariachi, straight through.