By RAY QUIROGA
publisher@sbnewspaper.com
Emarii Garza, a Resaca City native and Berta Cabaza Middle School student, is making waves in the regional music scene.
The 12-year-old songstress recently garnered attention for her show-stopping performances at community events, including the recent State of the City address and the dedication of the Stonewall Jackson State Historical Marker.
Last fall, she put her vocal abilities to the test and emerged victorious, winning the Buscando Las Estrellas: Aquí Entre Nosotros Singing Contest, which sought to discover the next generation of music talent.
The popular Rio Grande Valley online show “Aquí Entre Nosotros con Julian Valdez” launched a singing competition to discover the best young voices across all music genres.
The competition was open to two age groups — 11 to 14 and 15 to 18 — and offered aspiring performers the opportunity to showcase their talent and potentially launch their musical careers.
In-person auditions were held last fall, and the criteria for competing required that contestants not have any studio recordings available on streaming or music platforms.
For the competition, Garza performed a mix of classic and show tunes.
The grand prize for each age group included a one-year 360 recording contract with Damn It Boy Music, led by Hidalgo County’s AreEss 3, along with a cash prize and additional rewards. The contest aired on a local television network.
Now, Garza has two songs on platforms which include Spotify and YouTube, with her second release an original track titled, “Reloj Sin Tiempo.”
A guitar autographed by Garza is on display at the San Benito Cultural Heritage Museum where the NEWS caught up with Garza for this interview.
Garza said she has enjoyed singing for as long as she can recall, but first challenged herself and her abilities when she was five-years-old and wrote and performed a song about sunscreen for a school project.
“Ever since then, it grew. I started singing at church and at places around San Benito,” Garza recalled.
Surprisingly, Garza said that while she’ll continue singing for the foreseeable future, her ultimate goal isn’t music related. Instead, the young vocalist said she hopes to study medicine and become a pediatrician one day, adding that she’s already researching universities that suit her needs.
For now, however, she’s eager to continue to grow as a vocalist and all-around performer. “I have a new song coming out called, “Texas Dream.” It’s about San Benito and my life,” Garza said, her voice filled with excitement.
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