In this Sept. 27, 2014 file photo, Los Tigres del Norte perform at the Somos America music festival in Toluca, Mexico. With Era diferente, the first corrido about gay love, Los Tigres del Norte say they are proud to support the LGBT community. The song is included in their latest album, Realidades. (AP)
NEW YORK (AP) – With their first "corrido" song about gay love, Los Tigres del Norte are surprising their audiences and lead singer Jorge Hernandez says that he feels very proud.
"Los Tigres are known for telling stories, for narrating the realities in society. It is evident that we have in front of us a great community that has been standing out more all these years," Hernandez told The Associated Press in a recent interview.
The singer said that LGBT fans had asked them to depict their story. He waited for years for a "very deserving" song, he said, and it finally came along with "Era diferente" (She was different), while they were working in their latest album, "Realidades" (Realities.)
Written by Mexican composer Manuel Eduardo Toscano, it focuses on a girl coveted by men who is in love with her best girl-friend.
"They made their best to win her over / but no boy won her love / She was so different from the others / she was never interested in no man's love," says the song.
"It really surprised me how it said the words and that it doesn't offend anybody, the way in which he carried it was very subtle and we loved it," Hernandez said. "We were like, 'Well, I think this is the right moment to say what we have to say about this'. We dared and got wonderful results."
Monica Trasandes, director of Spanish Media at GLAAD, said bands that put forth messages of support contribute greatly to acceptance.
"There's still a lot to do because sadly, many gay and transgender people in this country and throughout the Americas live very difficult lives," she said.
According to Billboard magazine, "Era diferente" is not only the first song about gay love by Los Tigres del Norte but also the first in the norteno music genre.
"When we sing it you can see how that community (LGBT) cheers up," said Hernandez. "The rest of the audience that may be surprised, I see them opening their eyes and staring at us like asking, 'What's it about? What is he singing about?' ... It has been a song that has attracted attention and we do it with the pride of that that exposes itself and also exposes a situation that is very relevant."
To Hernandez, the biggest lesson from the new song is that love has no limits.
"The evidence is there, no one can hide it and I think we have to be open to love in any way, as the song goes," he said, citing the lyrics: "They say the ideal flight is between a female and a male dove / and they find weird other forms of love / I only think there are different air currents / and may each one breath better his own."
Los Tigres del Norte will play Coachella on Friday and the Nokia Theatre LA Live on Saturday.
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