Malena Cano

Malena Cano (also known as La Perla)[1] is a ranchero music and mariachi singer from the El Paso, Texas area.

Cano began performing after winning a singing contest at a local radio station when she was ten years old.

[1] She sang with a band called The Ruby's and the lead singer of the group, Eugene Anchondo, gave her the nickname, "La Perla.

"[3] Her work, singing with mariachis was groundbreaking, as women were traditionally excluded from that kind of music.

[9] One of her performance costumes was donated to the Smithsonian and she has been "enshrined" in the National Archives as a Texas folk artist.