Intocable Commemorates Mexican Independence Day Alongside 300,000 Fans in Zócalo: ‘Celebrating on This Date Is Pure Poetry’

Ricky Muñoz, frontman of the legendary Tex-Mex band Intocable, had double the reason to celebrate on Tuesday (Sept. 15) in Mexico. The Mexican-American musician turned 51, and fulfilled his lifelong dream of performing at the country’s main public square, the Zócalo, during the Mexican Independence Day festivities.

“Being able to celebrate on Mexico’s most important date is pure poetry,” said an emotional Muñoz in front of 300,000 people gathered at the Plaza de la Constitución (the official name of the Zócalo), according to official figures, to commemorate the 216th anniversary of Mexico’s Independence, in an event led by President Claudia Sheinbaum.

“Mexico, truly, thank you so much. You can’t imagine what this night means to us,” added the leader of the norteño band. “Personally, it’s a birthday celebration I’ll never forget, but this isn’t about me — it’s about all of you.”

Hours before his debut at Mexico City’s iconic main square, Muñoz shared with Billboard Español that the invitation from Mexico’s president to perform at the country’s most important civic event came last year. It followed the musician lending his Texas recording studio for a session with a participant from the binational talent competition México Canta. On that same day, the accordionist also received a demo of Intocable’s song “Estamos Todos” and shared it with a government official.

“I swear I’m not trying to sell you the song, but just listen to the lyrics,” Muñoz recalls saying about the track, which stands out for its message of resilience during challenging times. A week later, he was meeting Sheinbaum, who invited him to her regular morning press conference at the National Palace, the presidential headquarters in Mexico City.

There, in the forum where the president shares her projects daily with the nation and answers questions from the press, the question arose about whether Intocable would perform at the patriotic festivities in 2025. “As of now, we haven’t been invited,” Muñoz responded, admitting that his comment was spontaneous.

“I didn’t realize I put the president in an unexpected position,” the singer-songwriter reflects. “What courage, what a moment! And right then and there, President Sheinbaum extended the invitation for us to perform at the Zócalo.”

A year later, Muñoz and his band, co-founded by drummer René Muñoz in Zapata, Texas, 36 years ago, were making history in a country they also consider their own due to their familial and musical roots. The public square, previously packed by Colombian superstar Shakira — who set a record this year for the largest free concert with 400,000 attendees — Argentine rock band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, who drew 300,000 people in 2023, and Mexican group Grupo Firme, who gathered 280,000 fans in 2022, welcomed them on Tuesday as well.

“You can’t imagine what this night means to us,” Muñoz told the thousands of people gathered at the Zócalo. “We know and acknowledge that Mexico catapulted us to what Intocable is today.”

Intocable thus joined a long list of national and international artists who have performed at the world’s second-largest public square, surpassed only by Tiananmen in Beijing. This roster also includes Paul McCartney, Justin Bieber, Manu Chao, Rosalía, Café Tacvba, Fito Páez, Residente, and the late icon of Mexican regional music, Vicente Fernández, among many others.

Their setlist at the Plaza de la Constitución included both new and classic hits like “Aire,” “Si Me Duele Que Duela,” “Amor Maldito,” “¿Y Todo Para Qué?,” “Fuerte No Soy,” and “Coqueta.” The performance also featured the live debut of their new single, “Cuando Se Haga de Noche,” which will be part of a new studio album that Intocable is set to release in March of next year.

This summer, the Texan group became the Latin band with the most diamond certifications from the RIAA’s Latin Program, holding the second-highest overall count, only behind Bad Bunny. They also unveiled their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in the recording category.