HOUSTON, Texas – As Pepe Aguilar prepares to take the stage at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the Mexican music icon says this performance represents far more than another tour stop.
In an exclusive interview with KPRC 2 News Reporter Ricky Muñoz, Aguilar spoke about finally performing at the Houston Rodeo, the importance of bringing charrería and Mexican culture to that stage, and addressed backlash tied to comments he made about immigration during a Hollywood Bowl performance.
The conversation covered culture, heritage, controversy, and what Aguilar says people misunderstood about his remarks.
Aguilar described his upcoming Houston Rodeo performance as a major personal milestone.
“Without exaggerating, it is like a dream come true,” Aguilar said.
He told Muñoz the moment is meaningful not only for him but for his family. Aguilar said his father had pursued the idea of bringing a show with horses and that full charro concept to the Rodeo years ago, but was never able to make it happen because of logistics.
Now, Aguilar says he has the opportunity to bring that vision to life.
He said he is grateful for the chance to be the first charro to sing at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and emphasized he plans to put everything he knows into the one-hour performance.
Aguilar said rather than feeling nervous, he feels prepared, noting the show has been on his bucket list for a long time.do
When asked how he plans to showcase Mexican culture during the Rodeo performance, Aguilar made clear he intends to bring a full cultural experience.
“Oh man, we’re bringing a whole bunch of cool stuff,” he said.
Aguilar explained he is deeply proud of his culture and said that pride is the reason he wears the traditional charro suit on stage.
“That’s why I dress in a charro suit,” Aguilar said. “Because I believe in that tradition. I believe in what it represents.”
He said the Rodeo performance will include elements of charrería, mariachi music, and banda.
Aguilar described charrería as the Mexican equivalent of rodeo and said he plans to bring part of that tradition to Houston. He also noted his professional charrería team are national champions, something he believes will add authenticity and spectacle to the performance.
He said the show has been in preparation for months.
A conversation about culture and immigration
During the interview, Muñoz also asked Aguilar how audiences might react to the cultural imagery and traditions he plans to present during the Rodeo show, particularly during a time when immigration has become a sensitive national topic.
Aguilar responded by stressing that tradition and heritage do not fade with time.
“Real tradition and heritage and history dowho not have an expiration date,” Aguilar said.
He said he believes the current moment is an important time to remind people of cultural history and identity.
Aguilar also acknowledged the difficult realities facing Mexico, including violence in some regions, but said those issues represent only one part of a much larger story.
He added that cultural traditions can serve as a reminder of shared history and unity.
“I think that this is a reminder of what we are made of,” Aguilar said, adding that people should be able to come together and appreciate culture and heritage.
Addressing backlash over Hollywood Bowl comments
The conversation then turned to remarks Aguilar made during a recent performance at the Hollywood Bowl.
During that speech, Aguilar told the audience, “Let’s do things legally,” while discussing immigration. A clip of that moment quickly spread online and sparked backlash from some critics.
During the interview, Muñoz asked Aguilar directly what he meant by the comment.
Aguilar responded by saying he believes in law-abiding communities but also believes immigration laws should change.
“I’m not going to ask people to do things illegally,” Aguilar said.
He argued that the current immigration system makes it extremely difficult for many people to enter the United States legally.
“It’s almost impossible to do it legally,” Aguilar said. “So you need to change the laws.”
Aguilar said he believes his comments were misunderstood or taken out of context.
He emphasized that immigrants play a fundamental role in the country.
“I totally believe that immigrants make this country,” Aguilar said.
He added that immigrants deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.
“They should be treated as such with respect, with decency,” Aguilar said.
Aguilar also said immigration reform should focus on creating legal pathways for people who contribute to the country.
He argued that continuing to rely on immigrant labor while maintaining laws that make legal entry extremely difficult creates contradictions within the system.
“If you don’t change the laws and you keep on using people here, it’s not coherent,” Aguilar said.
Keeping the focus on music and celebration
Despite the controversy surrounding the Hollywood Bowl comments, Aguilar said he does not see himself as part of a political debate.
“I’m not a politician,” he said. “I’m a singer, songwriter.”
Aguilar said his focus remains on music and the cultural celebration he plans to bring to Houston.
He said he hopes fans attending the Rodeo show come ready to celebrate tradition, heritage, and community.
“We’re here for everybody who wants to celebrate what we’re celebrating,” Aguilar said. “Life, music, heritage, brotherhood.”
Aguilar is scheduled to perform during Go Tejano Day at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, one of the event’s largest and most anticipated cultural celebrations.