Takamine

We're fans of National Public Radio's "Tiny Desk Concert" series, where musicians get up in a small room and do some of the most pure live performances imaginable. Stumbling upon the latest episode posted this morning was a real treat; we had never before heard Yahritza y su Esencia, but apparently we're the ones who've been sleeping on this great band. The American trio is from Washington state's Yakima Valley, and it includes a set of three siblings: Yahritza Martínez (vocals and guitar), Armando Martínez (twelve-string guitar), and Jairo Martínez (bass). In April 2022, their song "Soy el Único" -- a song Yahritza wrote at age 14 -- appeared on the Billboard Global 200, and the audio-only video has racked up 42 million views on YouTube. At the 23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards, the trio was nominated for Best New Artist as well as for Best Norteño Album for their debut album Obsessed. At this Tiny Desk performance, Yahritza is playing her Takamine Legacy Series EF341SC, while her brother Mando is using the 12-string equivalent EF381SC. Not to be left out, Jairo is doing this gig using his ESP LTD B-205SM bass in See Thru Black Satin finish (Takamine is distributed by ESP in the USA). You can keep up with Yahritza y su Esencia on their Instagram.