Courtesy photo

Demmi Garcia has been called “Tejano’s Sweetheart” for her sweet voice and charming personality. She rose to fame in 2021/2022 with her participation in the Tejano Music Award-winning collaboration “Nada De Ti” with Shelly Lares, Monica Saldivar, and Sonja De La Paz, as well as debuting her hit singles “Con Tu Amor” featuring David Lee Garza, and her whimsical cumbia “Mariposas”. She seemed to have it all: a successful career, a loving family, and a supportive boyfriend and drummer, Monico Cortez III.

But everything changed in October 2022, when Monico passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in Demmi’s arms in their new apartment. He was only 24 years old. Demmi was devastated by the loss of her soulmate and musical partner. She took a break from the industry to cope with her grief.

“It’s still a struggle for me to even venture back into the music scene just because he was my drummer as well. He’s a very accomplished Tejano and Conjunto drummer,” Demmi tells Tejano Nation. “It’s pretty hard to get back at it but I know that he wouldn’t want me to stop and I took the break that I needed, now it’s just time to get back at it.”

A little over a year later, Demmi is returning to the industry with her new emotional cumbia appropriately titled “Te Extraño”, which means “I Miss You” in Spanish. The song is a tribute to her late boyfriend, written by Demmi and her father (and musical director) Michael Garcia.

“The lyrics in the song were things I missed about him and my dad turned it into this song,” explained Demmi. “I wrote the second verse to the song and it just all came together. It was my way of grieving. It is my cry out to the love of my life and how much I miss him. It’s a very special song to me. I can only pray that he hears it.”

“Te Extraño” features beautiful melodies and emotional vocals that sound as if the young artist is on the verge of tears. Demmi speaks to her love asking him to return and sings to him that she needs help to move on with life without him.

Demmi is a musician at heart, so she’s proud that every element of this song was orchestrated by her father. With the help of the infamous Joey “Jamz’ Jimenez on drums, Demmi couldn’t think of anyone better to accompany her on drums where her late drummer once stood, as Jimenez was Cortez’s favorite drummer.

“I couldn’t have asked for anything better because it’s not just anybody that’s in that spot. I couldn’t have put just any random drummer there where my boyfriend once stood,” said Demmi. “It had to be somebody special and obviously somebody capable and Joey was it. I can’t thank him enough for what he did and for putting his heart into it as much as I put my heart into it.”

Additionally, beautiful accordion melodies are sprinkled on top by the great Ralph Garcia, who also lent his recording studio, Ralph’s Music Factory, and his engineering skills to record the beautiful tribute.

“Te Extraño” was released on all digital streaming platforms on December 3, which was appropriately chosen as the release date since it is Demmi’s boyfriend’s heavenly birthday. He would have turned 26 years old. “Te Extraño” will be featured on her late boyfriend’s father’s, Monico Cortez II, a tribute album titled “Mi Hijo, Mi Angel”, which means “My Son, My Angel” in Spanish, released on the same day.

Demmi hopes that her song will touch the hearts of those who have lost a loved one and that it will honor the memory of Monico III. She also hopes that it will mark a new chapter in her career, as she plans to release more songs and albums in the future. She says that Monico is always with her in spirit and that he inspires her to keep singing and making music.

Demmi Garcia is a Tejano star who has shown resilience and courage in the face of tragedy. She has turned her pain into art and has given us a song that is both heartbreaking and uplifting. She is a testament to the power of love and music.

Danny Perez