Pedro Infante’s granddaughter shares mouth-watering summer essentials

In a new series USA TODAY’s The Essentials, celebrities share what fuels their lives whether it’s at home, on the set or on the road.
Move over, Bad Bunny — Lupita Infante is singing the wonders of el verano.
Earlier this summer, the Grammy-nominated música Mexicana singer welcomed the sun-drenched season with her song “Podemos (No Volver A La Ciudad),” a warm midtempo about ditching the drudgery of daily life for a soothing getaway.
The mariachi-influenced track came together during Infante’s real-life vacation to Mexico City. Infante, granddaughter of Mexican ranchera singer Pedro Infante, said the city’s hustle and bustle stirred up a familiar feeling of wanderlust.
“I think trying to find that little piece of stillness and just getting away from everything here, almost like running away. And I think this happens to me a lot,” Infante says. “Every time I travel somewhere, I always imagine, like, ‘Oh, can I live here? Could I move here?'”
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For those planning their own summer getaway, Infante dishes on her essentials for the season, plus the influence of her grandfather.
Who says you need to be whisked away to an exotic locale to unwind?
For Infante, visiting the beach is a go-to activity during the summer. The Los Angeles native savors the immediate escapism of lounging oceanside.
“It’s nice to be out there taking in the sun (and) laying out,” Infante says. “Just the sound of the waves is so relaxing. I’m like 20 minutes away from the beach, so it’s always a nice little getaway.”
For Infante, it’s not summer without some feet-thumping tunes.
“During the summer, I tend to play more lively music, music that makes me want to dance,” she says. One album that’s landed on Infante’s summer playlist includes “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” by Colombian pop star Shakira.
Infante says she appreciates the singer’s collaborations on the eclectic Latin pop album, especially her collabs with regional Mexican groups Grupo Frontera and Fuerza Regida.
“I thought that was really cool, and it’s pretty inspiring to see that on the world stage.”
Forget about fizzy sodas and sweet fruit juices: Infante prefers to cool down with a briny kick in her glass.
Infante’s top summer drink is the Michelada cocktail, which she describes as a “Mexican version of a Bloody Mary.”
“A lot of the time they do Clamato, and they put lime juice and then they line the rim and then put (spice mix) Tajín or (Mexican sauce) Chamoy on it,” Infante says. “Just saying the word ‘Chamoy’ makes my mouth water. And you usually add your favorite beer.
“It’s pretty salty, but to me it’s very good, very refreshing.”
Infante’s music may be steeped in the tradition of música Mexicana, but it’s filtered through the bicultural lens of her Mexican American upbringing.
“It might not be exactly the same as somebody who has been in Mexico their whole life,” Infante says. “I think we carry with us the traditions, our culture, but we also have our own unique way of interpreting it that makes sense to us. And I think that’s what I’ve been trying to really dig up and look for in myself as an artist.”
Infante’s musical journey has been inspired by her grandfather, a trailblazer in Latin entertainment who reportedly recorded around 350 songs in Spanish and helped epitomize the golden age of Mexican cinema, starring in films such as “Cuando Habla el Corazón,” “Sobre las Olas” and “Tizoc.”
Although Infante never met him (Pedro died in 1957 at the age of 39), the singer is reminded of Pedro’s presence through emotional fan encounters.
“People share their deepest stories with me, and they tell me, ‘I grew up with your grandfather’s music,'” Infante says. “They’re like core memories that I feel like my grandfather has been a part of.”
It’s this combination of intimate connection and Pedro’s love of family that have influenced Infante the most.
“I heard recently, ‘Legacy is not what you leave behind. It’s what you leave in people.’ And I feel like my grandfather really has left a mark in so many people’s hearts, and it’s just so beautiful to see even after so many years.”