Mateo Lopez, world’s youngest mariachi, has music in his blood

• Mateo Lopez, 7, has been performing since he was four years and 236 days old, the youngest mariachi on record.
• The San Antonio second grader is following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Leocadio “Lalo” Lopez, a Mexican mariachi.
• The boy has appeared on Mexico’s version of “America’s Got Talent” and NBC’s “Little Big Shots,” had a split-second cameo in a Super Bowl ad for Peacock’s “Bel-Air” and has two singles on Apple Music.

Voz de la guitarra mía al despertar la mañana quiere cantar su alegría a mi tierra Mexicana.

The voice of my guitar wants to sing its joy to my Mexican homeland when morning breaks.

– “Mexico Lindo y Querido,” traditional mariachi song

SAN ANTONIO – Mateo Lopez tugged at the collar of his shirt and wrenched his neck, as if to free his voice. Then, as violins slashed behind him and guitars rippled before him in a rehearsal room at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, he belted out “La Noche y Tu,” concluding with a flourish that prompted shouts of “Eso! Eso!” Right on!