Anamaria Sayre | April 24, 2025<br />Grupo Frontera, which was headlining backyard bailes well before stadium shows, feels perfectly made for Tiny Desk. Beneath the glow of fluorescent office lights and backed against trinket-stuffed shelves, the match feels divinely ordained.<br /><br />Normally, jazzy vocal trills and norteño cumbia rhythms are star-crossed lovers, but not at the Tiny Desk. At the center of a pop-infused reinvigoration of traditional Mexican sounds, the members of Grupo Frontera are masters of unlikely pairings. Mega-producer and songwriter Edgar Barrera discovered Grupo Frontera at a quinceanera in his hometown, enthralled by the band's authenticity. He encouraged the band's Texas-bred beats, killer melodies and contemporary lyrics.<br /><br />There's no better space to highlight the impressive musicality of the group and stunning vocals of Payo Solis than in a stripped down setting. "Yo nací pa' querer a la que no me quiere (I was born to love the one who doesn't love me)," Payo coos. But it's hard to feel heartbroken when desamor sounds so smooth.<br /><br />SET LIST<br />"un x100to"<br />"Hecha Pa' Mi"<br />"Ángel"<br />"Por Qué Será"<br />"EL AMOR DE SU VIDA"<br /><br />MUSICIANS<br />Payo Solis: vocals<br />Juan Cantú: accordion<br />Julian Peña: congas, bongos<br />Beto Acosta: bajo quinto<br />Carlos Guerrero: drums<br />Daniel Uribe: pedal steel, guitar<br />Patricia Ligia: bass<br />Monty Rivera: keys, background vocals<br />Catherine "Cathia" Ochoa: background vocals<br />MJ Songstress: background vocals<br />Ella Bric: trumpet<br /><br />TINY DESK TEAM<br />Producer: Anamaria Sayre<br />Director: Joshua Bryant<br />Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell<br />Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter<br />Video Editor: Maia Stern<br />Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Grace Raver<br />Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai<br />Production Assistants: Ashley Pointer, Dora Levite<br />Photographer: Michael Zamora<br />Tiny Desk Series Editor: Lars Gotrich<br />Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed<br />Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson<br />VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
