At thirteen-years-old, Virginia has just won the Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza. She competed against hundreds of young people, and now she is preparing for an evening concert.

“I hope to keep on singing and one day do it professionally,” Virginia says. “I want to make it big.”

While it may be hard to imagine a mariachi singer making a lot of money, mariachi is growing more popular in the United States. Plus, mariachi is hip with the youngsters here.

Many Mexican American teens are thinking about careers in mariachi. Schools offer courses in mariachi music, and competitions are spreading across the country as more and more Hispanic teens become interested in their culture.

“I like to tell stories,” says Victoria Acosta, who won competitions even before she was a teen. “When I’m singing, it’s like I’m telling a story. There are sad songs, and happy songs, and love songs. There are all different kinds of stories to tell.”

Valerie Vargas and her group Mariachi Las Altenas win a competition in Houston, Texas.