Gerardo Ortiz, born October 5, 1989, in Pasadena, California, and raised in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, began performing as a child and released his first album at age eight. He debuted professionally in 2009 with the live album En Vivo las Tundras on Del Records, followed by his breakthrough studio album Ni Hoy Ni Mañana in 2010, which featured hits like 'A la Moda' and 'La Última Sombra' and topped regional Mexican charts. Ortiz specializes in corridos, banda, and ballads, contributing to the alternative corrido movement with later releases such as Entre Dios y El Diablo (2011), El Primer Ministro (2012), and Archivos de Mi Vida (2013), which incorporated mariachi and cumbia elements. He has earned Grammy nominations, 27 Billboard Latin Music Awards, 12 Premios Lo Nuestro, and RIAA certifications including four Platinum and five Gold records. Known for dynamic live performances, Ortiz has sold out arenas and festivals across the US and Mexico, delivering high-energy sets of narrative-driven songs like 'Dámaso' and 'Escuela de Rancho'.