Pepe Aguilar’s Jaripeo Sin Fronteras Show: See the Photos

Pepe Aguilar likes to meditate. For nearly 15 years, time permitting, he has done it first thing in the morning for at least 15 minutes. He says it’s part of his journey — along with working with a life coach — to become more present. It’s also the time when, one day in 2017, Aguilar had one of his best ideas.

In the 1960s, Aguilar’s revered musician parents — ranchera singer-songwriter, producer and actor Don Antonio Aguilar and singer-actress Flor Silvestre — pioneered Mexican folk equestrian shows that mixed concert-style sets and traditional jaripeo performances, which feature regal dancing horses and elaborate cowboy stunts. The events helped popularize ranchera in the United States, and in the midst of his meditation, Aguilar envisioned producing a modernized version of them.

More from Billboard

• How Pepe Aguilar Turned Singing On Horseback Into Arena Gold

• Why Romeo Santos Refuses to Take Off His 'Superman Cape' For Bachata

• Eslabon Armado, Camilo, Tini, CNCO & More to Perform at 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards

After jotting down some thoughts, he excitedly called his mother to share his concept. “Ay mijito, just let me know when you’ve advanced on this idea of yours because, right now, you’ve got a long way to go,” she told him. It wasn’t quite the response he had hoped for. But Silvestre was right. Aguilar’s vision would require extraordinary effort, and he’d need the right people by his side. (Silvestre died in 2020, Don Antonio Aguilar in 2007.)

“All I wanted was to offer something different in my shows,” the 54-year-old pop, ranchera and mariachi star explains on Zoom from his Houston home. “I was touring in arenas, theaters, I was happy. But I wasn’t happy from a creative standpoint.

Read the full Billboard story here.

Click here to read the full article.