Finalists in México Canta  — the anti-narco-culture singing contest —  face off Sunday on live TV

The signifier is acceptable for the highly anticipated expansive finale of “México Canta,” a singing contention akin to “American Idol” with 1 overriding rule: Songs that glorify the lives of cartels, unit oregon cause trafficking are not allowed.

The finals of “México Canta por la paz y contra las adicciones” (“Mexico Sings for Peace and Against Addiction”) volition beryllium held Sunday nighttime astatine the Esperanza Iris City Theater successful Mexico City and televised live.

The esteemed Oaxaca-born performer Lila Downs was not a México Canta participant, of course, but she did springiness a presumption astatine 1 of the earlier shows on with the determination women’s set Mujeres del Viento Florido (Women of the Flowery Wind). (Sayuri Calderón / Secretaría de Cultura)

A binational inaugural from the Mexican government, the contention concludes aft months of auditions and semifinals passim the United States and Mexico.

“México Canta” drew much than 15,000 applicants, ranging successful property from 18 to 34, with eligibility extending to those singing successful Spanish, Indigenous languages oregon Spanglish. 

More than 350 selected participants were whittled down to 48 who competed successful determination semifinals held betwixt Aug. 17 and Sept. 21 successful Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Tijuana, Oaxaca and Mexico City.

Inspired by soaring ratings and fierce nationalist interest, the lawsuit rapidly evolved into must-see television, regularly drafting viewership of implicit 4 cardinal successful Mexico, and further extending its scope to Mexican-American audiences done U.S. cablegram and streaming platforms.

Contestants travel from some sides of the Mexico-U.S. border, but there’s nary singing successful axenic English. All songs are successful Spanish, Spanglish oregon an Indigenous language. Pictured: Sergio Maya of Hidalgo. (México Canta/Facebook)

Set against the backdrop of Mexico’s existent philharmonic civilization — where the arguable “narco-corrido” genre (or corridos tumbados) has dominated charts with its odes to the cause commercialized — “México Canta” acceptable retired with a mission.

Francisco Arturo Barrios, a erstwhile subordinate of the fashionable set Botellita de Jerez who goes by the sanction Mastuerzo, praised the government’s goal of avoiding the glorification of transgression successful music.

“I deliberation it’s commendable that they effort to stimulate the instauration of different themes,” helium said.

The amusement culminated successful a peculiar occurrence past play that highlighted the champion moments from the semifinals. Esteemed Mexican performers Lila Downs and the determination women’s set Mujeres del Viento Florido (Women of the Flowery Wind) underscored the show’s accent connected assemblage and empowerment.

The database of 10 finalists — a mosaic of emerging endowment from some sides of the borderline — includes the winners of each U.S. semifinal: Illinois nonmigratory Blue Malboro, primitively from Guanajuato; Carolina Imperial from the Houston regional; and the duet Asália and Norma from the L.A. regional.

In addition, determination was 1 “jury pick” by the Mexican Music Council and 3 “rescued” contestants who were truthful bully they besides deserved a spot successful the finals. These 4 spots see Lolita from the Chicago determination and idiosyncratic performers Mike León and Brian Sebastián Muñoz from the L.A. determination (who volition execute successful the finals arsenic a duet).

The Mexican finalists are Galia Siurob from Tijuana, Carmen María González from Mexico City, Sergio Maya from Hidalgo and Roger Quiñones Esparza (a rescued finalist) from Yucatán.

The contest, said justice América Sierra, aims to supply life-changing opportunities.

“Being portion of this assemblage and being portion of the communicative of truthful galore young radical pursuing their dreams … fills maine with large satisfaction,” Sierra said. “For galore of them, their philharmonic careers statesman here.”

The victor volition reportedly person a grounds woody with a large label, including the accumulation of euphony videos. 

In conjunction with the finals, the nationalist volition beryllium capable to ballot online successful 2 categories: champion performer and champion composer.

The lawsuit Sunday volition aerial from 7 to 9 p.m. Mexico City clip connected Canal Once, Canal 22 and Canal 14; the archetypal 2 are connected assorted platforms and cablegram systems successful the United States. Additionally, the amusement is expected to beryllium streamed unrecorded connected YouTube channels, specified arsenic the authoritative Gobierno de México and Secretaría de Cultura accounts.

With reports from El Universal, Infobae and The World