There are a number of students with impressive careers and talents outside of their schooling at BYU. This group includes siblings Paloma and Gustavo Castillo, who aside from being full-time students, are professional mariachis.
Paloma and Gustavo Castillo were raised to be mariachis by their father. The most recent place Paloma performed as a mariachi was at the BYU Richards Building in mid-February.
“My dad is originally from Jalisco, Mexico, which is known for mariachi. It’s kind of like the birthplace of it,” Paloma said.
Paloma’s father taught her and her siblings to sing and play musical instruments when they were kids. Her oldest brother played the trumpet. She and her sister played the violin.
“And then my dad — we needed a guitarist in the mariachi band, and so he was like, ‘I can teach you,'” Gustavo, Paloma’s brother, said.
Gustavo was 10 years old at the time. They all joined their dad’s mariachi group when they were finally old enough. “It’s just really fun, I like the adrenaline, I like the joy of that,” Gustavo said.
Both Gustavo and Paloma talked about what they love about being mariachis.
“I play violin and I sing, and it’s just really nice to kind of feel the love my dad has for it and kind of embrace that part of his culture,” Paloma said.
Both participate in gigs when they can with their group, Trio Los Charros. It is difficult to join them all the time because of student responsibilities, Gustavo said.
“I don’t sing for my own good, I sing because it was this gift that I got and my dad taught me as a little girl, so I do it for my dad,” Paloma said.
They can be found sharing their talent with Trio Los Charros at public events and school events.
