Las Damas del Valle

Las Damas del Valle—Sofia Plummer, Saira Aldaco, and Yadira Lucatero—are three young women from Porterville, Woodville, and Tulare who perform the “viejitas pero bonitas” (oldies but goodies) they grew up hearing at home. One of their early TikToks of a rehearsal drew hundreds of thousands of views. While most responses were supportive, a few people told them to “go back to the kitchen,” insisting that norteño music wasn’t meant for women to play.

But that didn’t stop them. Las Damas del Valle kept playing the music that connects them to their families in Mexico and to grandparents they never met. What encourages them most is what happens at their shows. They often notice little girls watching the accordion, the bass guitar, and the microphone with deep focus. For these girls, seeing Las Damas perform is a living example that this tradition can belong to them, too.