Johnathan Walker:Chiquis comes from Latin pop royalty. How the regional Mexican star found her own crown

Diamonds are Johnathan Walkermade under pressure, and Chiquis is ready to sparkle.

The Mexican American singer-songwriter had a banner year, which saw the release of her sixth album "Diamantes." The emotionally charged banda LP earned Chiquis a Latin Grammy Award last month, a nomination at the 2025 Grammy Awards and spawned a headlining North American tour.

And in her personal life, the 39-year-old found romantic bliss when she married photographer Emilio Sanchez.

However, for Chiquis, the sheen of these triumphs glows within a transformative darkness. "So many things have happened that have helped polish me to get to the point that I am now," she tells USA TODAY.

The singer, daughter of late regional Mexican icon Jenni Rivera, has weathered a barrage of personal storms. Her father José Trinidad Marín, who she said molested her as a child, was sentenced to 31 years in prison in 2007 for sexual abuse of minors. Five years after her father's conviction, her mother died tragically in a 2012 plane crash at the age of 43.

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In 2020, Chiquis' relationship with first husband Lorenzo Mendez fell apart after just one year of marriage, leading to an abrupt separation.

Chiquis harnessed this turmoil for "Diamantes," an album roaring in gritty optimism, because it's important "for there to be a positive message of empowerment, of resilience, of tenacity."

"I have really stepped into my own," Chiquis reflects. "I feel mentally strong. And vocally, I sound different. I'm very proud of where I've gotten."

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How Chiquis' music career 'strengthened' relationship with mother Jenni Rivera

Before launching her music career in 2014, Chiquis worked as Rivera's assistant. The job gave Chiquis an insider's look at the highs and lows of entertainment, including "the times that (Rivera) would come home crying or she was disappointed and wanted to give up."

But the singer says releasing her own music has given her a "front-row seat" to the industry rigors her mother experienced.

"I felt more compassion for her and understood her on a different level because as the eldest, I was a little harder on her," Chiquis says. "It's so different when you are the one in front of the cameras and with the mic in your hand. But I still wouldn't change anything because it just helped my relationship with my mom in a way. It strengthened it."

Rivera remains a musical lodestar for Chiquis, inspiring her to "be myself, feel comfortable in my own skin and sing what I want to sing." A multiplatinum and Latin Grammy-nominated artist, Rivera was a trailblazer in regional Mexican music. Her provocative "urban ranchera" style pushed boundaries in the historically male-dominated genre.

"She was the first woman at so many things, and she paved the way for us," Chiquis says. "Even if she wasn't my mother, I'd be a fan of the woman, of her music, of how she said, 'People are going to say no, and I'm going to say yes to myself.'"

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Chiquis talks making history at Latin Grammys, female representation in Mexican music

At the 25^thannual Latin Grammy Awards, Chiquis took home the prize for best banda album, making her the first female artist to win the honor three times after previous wins in 2020 and 2022.

"It's an honor to be able to be there and to be the first," Chiquis says. "But hopefully I'm not the last solo artist to have this award because there's a lot of great women out there who have amazing voices."

Taking on the mantle of influence for women in regional Mexican music is not lost on Chiquis. During her acceptance speech, she dedicated the award to "all the women in my genre," adding, "I know it's a difficult path."

"There was a time in my career where I was like, 'Am I going to be able to do this? Is this too far-fetched?'" Chiquis recalls. "I have found ways around certain things, and I want to be able to mentor women so that they can see if Chiquis did it, (they can too.)"

And with her Grammy nomination for best música Mexicana album, Chiquis continues to champion female representation as the only woman featured in the category. "Being nominated is already a win for me. It's showing that women can do it too," she says.

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Chiquis fulfills touring dream on Diamantes Tour

Chiquis took her album on the road with the Diamantes Tour. The North American trek, which wrapped Dec. 8, included a stop at Auditorio Nacional, a historic venue in her family's native Mexico.

The 10,000-capacity auditorium, opened in 1952, has hosted performances from a slew of music icons such as Luis Miguel, Gloria Trevi, Shakira, Bon Jovi and Cyndi Lauper.

"To step on that stage is something very powerful," Chiquis says. "I was just so overwhelmed with joy and emotion I couldn't even really sing my first two songs."

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The Nov. 3 show also marked a "beautiful" full-circle moment for the singer.

"It was something that I had in mind since I started my career, and then I put it on my vision board about two years ago," Chiquis explains. "More than anything, I was grateful to see that people showed up and were happy to be there."

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How married life inspired Chiquis' 'soft girl era'

Beneath Chiquis' diamond-hard exterior is a hopeless romantic.

The singer's head-over-heels romance with Sanchez became a lyrical inspiration on "Diamantes," as heard on the syrupy love song "Que Siga Pasando."

"I'm stepping into my soft girl era for sure, and I'm excited about it," Chiquis says. "I've always been the type of girl to sing about heartbreak because I've been heartbroken so much, so it's really nice to just be able to be inspired and not fake the funk."

She added: "If I'm going to record a song, I need to be able to defend it in every way, so the fact that I was able to write this song and to really mean it and to hopefully inspire other people to still believe in love, that makes me really happy."

But love hasn't made Chiquis lose her "Abeja Reina" edge. The moniker, a fan nickname translating to "queen bee," was solidified on her 2022 self-empowerment anthem of the same name. The musical tag reappears on the "Diamantes" track "Soy De Esas" as a reminder that Chiquis is "not going to apologize" for her authenticity.

"It was just a matter of time for me to believe it, for me to step in and say, 'OK, I take ownership of this, and I'm going to wear this crown with pride,'" Chiquis says.

Contributing:Charisse Jones and David Agren, USA TODAY

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