From 'metal' to banda: Metallica thrills Mexico with their cover of "La Chona"

Read it in Spanish here

"¡Hola México! ¿Cómo están carnales?" That was the greeting from the iconic metal rock band Metallica, leaving the 65,000 attendees at their weekend concert in Mexico City awestruck and filled with joy after a seven-year wait.

Amidst the performance of some of their greatest hits, led by Mexican American bassist Robert Trujillo, Metallica surprised the crowd with a spectacular rendition of the song "La Chona," the unforgettable track by Los Tucanes de Tijuana.

The audience's reaction at the GNP Seguros stadium was epic.

"This is a big party. It's an honor to be here with all of you, with the spirit of '72 Seasons.' Kirk (Hammett) and I are going to play something for you all. We're really nervous, so if you know this song, please help us sing it," said Trujillo, speaking in Spanish.

Immediately, the chords of "La Chona," one of the most famous songs in música mexicana, began to play. Trujillo and Hammett, the group's lead guitarist, drove the crowd wild with their performance.

As the cherry on top, Trujillo donned a mariachi hat, paying homage to his Mexican heritage. There's no doubt that Los Tucanes will applaud Californian Roberto Agustín Trujillo Veracruz, son of Mexican parents, and Hammett for their rendition of the 1995 song, part of the album "Me Robaste El Corazón."

Part of the crowd's excitement stemmed from the fact that it seemed impossible for a band known for playing thrash metal to cover such a quintessentially Mexican song like "La Chona." Hearing a song that's a staple at weddings and quinceañeras in a metal arrangement felt surreal.

Can anyone dance it with abuela now without thinking of Hammett's guitar?

But it's also "La Chona"... the song became the center of a viral challenge on social media in 2018, where people danced to it while hopping out of moving cars.

What's crazier is that this is the second time in just a few weeks that Mexican music has been celebrated by international entertainment icons. Bruno Mars, who inaugurated the stadium with his concert, made a similar gesture by covering another classic track. Brunito, as he called himself, fused the song "El Sonidito" with his hit "Uptown Funk," playing it to the rhythm of cumbia and quebradita.

More on Metallica in Mexico

Of course, Metallica was much more than "La Chona" and their first Friday show. In total, they will give four concerts to meet the high demand in the country, which has also applauded the band on tours like the "World Magnetic Tour" and "WorldWired Tour," both of which were warmly received by their die-hard fans in 2010 and 2017, respectively.

After a break of a couple of months, their next show will be on December 13 at the YouTube Theater. The Latino community in the U.S. also loves "La Chona"—will they dare to sing it again?

While we wait, here is the original version by Los Tucanes de Tijuana