The Female Mariachi from New York City Flor de Toloache won the Latin Grammy for the Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album for its record Las Caras Lindas, the artistic production of this album was in the hands of Costa Rican Producer and Musician Felipe Fournier and Chulo Records.

Fournier, who graduated from the Castella Conservatory in Costa Rica and the National University, also studied Jazz and Caribbean Rhythms in Puerto Rico and worked in Mexico, he has been living and working in New York for the past four years.

The Costa Rican Producer had been nominated in the past with other contributions but had never won the award; this year he was also part of another nomination playing the vibraphone for the album Mr. EP – A Tribute to Eddie Palmieri, by Charlie Sepulveda & The Turnaround nominated for Best Latin Jazz Album.

“From the first moment I heard them (Flor de Toloache), I became their fan. I loved their concept and strength, their musicality; I told them they weren’t a women mariachi-like, as they define themselves, but a mariachi of excellent musicians who happen to be women”, said Fournier about his relation with the Mariachi Flor de Toloache.

The group contacted him to work with them and they wanted to do something different and risky, keeping the same mariachi tradition but with a contemporary twist.

One of the songs “That’s What I Want For Christmas”, produced by the Costa Rican artists was selected to be part of the album Holidays Rule Vol.2 of former Beatle Paul McCartney.

According to Fournier the invitation by McCartney’s record label came just a short time after the release of the album Las Caras Lindas. “When they invited the mariachi, the director Mireya Ramos, called me to go to San Francisco to record the theme. They wanted the same team that had worked in the record”, explained Fournier.

“It is a great honor to work on a project with living legend Paul McCartney. Just as with the Latin Grammy, this represents an opportunity that opens a new door for me”, said Fournier.