In a world that often demands labels and boxes, La Bruja de Texcoco refuses to fit in. This is exactly how she found her true self. A spiritual encounter, a piece of music, and a lifelong journey of self-discovery transformed Octavio Mendoza into something beyond male or female: a witch, a performer, and a voice for those living outside societal norms.
Her music isn’t just art; it’s magic, healing, and a call to embrace the mystical forces within us all. La Bruja didn’t search for this identity, it found her. And now, through her voice, her instruments, and her unapologetic femininity, she’s showing the world how to break free of labels and live authentically.
From Octavio to La Bruja: A Divine Revelation in Texcoco
From Octavio to La Bruja: A Divine Revelation in TexcocoBefore she was La Bruja, she was Octavio Mendoza, a classically trained musician, always on the road, always performing, but never quite herself. The shift didn’t come in a concert hall. It came in the middle of a traditional fiesta patronal in Texcoco. It was one of those sacred, chaotic nights where alcohol, music, ritual, and something ancient hang thick in the air.
There was mezcal. There was copal smoke curling through the dusk. There were elders and dancers and a violin in her hands. And then, that moment she still describes as a divine encounter. A curandero took her by the hands, looked her in the eyes, and said:
“I was waiting for you. You are a woman. You are a witch.”
She didn’t laugh. She didn’t run. For once, someone wasn’t mocking her for the femininity she had always carried quietly, almost like a secret — they were honoring it.
Then came the next moment, chaotic and surreal. A girl at the party collapsed. The curandero turned to her and said:
“You need to fix this!”
Octavio (still in-between names, still half-doubting ), raised her violin and played “Pescador de Hombres,” a Catholic hymn full of longing and surrender. The melody cut through the noise like a prayer. And the girl stood up.
Whether it was faith, coincidence, or something else entirely, it didn’t matter. That was the moment she stopped being just Octavio. That was the night La Bruja de Texcoco was born, not as a stage name, but as a truth that had been waiting to be remembered.
A Feminine Identity Rooted in Sound and Spirit
For La Bruja, gender is neither a box nor a costume. It’s a current running through every note she plays. Her femininity isn’t about performing a role; it’s about reclaiming power, sensuality, and ancestral magic.
She sings in a trans, queer, and unconventional voice. She performs in huipiles hand-sewn by her mother. She lights copal before each show. She calls on the Muxes, the Maringuias, and the Chuntaes (Mexico’s gender dissidents) as spiritual kin.
“I’m not in costume. I’m presenting myself exactly as I am. This body, this skin, this voice… they’re real.”
Music as Magic, Music as Medicine
Music as Magic, Music as MedicineHer discography is both sonic and spiritual. With albums like De Brujas, Peteneras y Chachalacas and Tepari (which means “fat” in Purépecha) a term she proudly reclaims, her songs dive into heartbreak, healing, and heritage.
She doesn’t just perform music. She composes it, writes it, plays multiple instruments, and crafts each arrangement with intention. Many of her performances begin with offerings: mezcal for the earth, flowers for the stage, and smoke for protection. The ritual is the music.
“I realized there’s something divine in the feminine, and that I can be part of it.”
Not Just Visible. Unapologetically Present
Not Just Visible. Unapologetically PresentLa Bruja doesn’t call herself an activist in the traditional sense, but her presence is radical.
In a country where trans and nonbinary people face disproportionate violence, stepping onto a stage in full regalia is an act of resistance.
“I present myself as I am. It’s a way of breaking with everything we’ve been told we’re supposed to be.”
Her mere visibility, a transfeminine artist playing ancestral instruments, singing about heartbreak, magic, and the body, opens doors for others. She refuses to explain herself, refuses to check boxes, and refuses to hide herself from others.
Feminine, Fearless & Free
La Bruja de Texcoco didn’t become a symbol by accident, she simply followed the pull of something older, something sacred, and something deeply personal. Through music, ritual, and unapologetic self-expression, she shows us what it means to exist outside of what’s expected, not as an escape, but as a return.
Her story isn’t just about breaking gender norms or reclaiming culture: it’s about listening to the voice that’s always been inside you, even if the world tried to silence it.
She reminds us that magic isn’t just a metaphor. Sometimes it’s the music you play, the name you choose, the body you finally come home to.
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