Miguel St. Michael Wins Best Music Video at Texas Short Film Festival for ‘Guapito, Divino’

The Tejano-Cumbia short film music video from Miguel St. Michael, “Guapito, Divino“, was recently awarded Best Music Video at the Texas Short Film Festival. 

“This speaks volumes as a Tejano musician and filmmaker, but it is almost unprecedented as a queer artist,” said Miguel St. Michael.

Also known as Luis Miguel Ramírez, the artist was the former frontman of Son de Rey and has been involved in the Tejano and Latin music industry for over a decade making several appearances at the Tejano Music Awards Fan Fair and The Tejano Explosion opening up for A.B. Quintanilla III & Kumbia All-Stars, Ricardo Castillón, Ruben Ramos, Michael Salgado, La Mafia, among other prominent Tejano artists.

Directed and produced by Miguel the short film music video was screened in front of a live audience at the AFS Cinema in Austin, Texas.

The song was written as a cumbia rebuttal in response to backlash from Tejano audiences from his Cumbia Pride single “La De Mala Gente.” In the video, Miguel St. Michael grapples with criticism from a reporter about the controversy in a mockumentary-style interview, triggering a transformative journey sparked by a flashback to a Juan Gabriel interview. 

“As a queer Mexican-American artist my focus was on the interplay of artistry, controversy, and self-discovery. My journey is aimed at weaving resilience and love in response to negative criticism. Juan Gabriel being the support I had as a young queer kid growing up in South Texas, allows the interview to propel the story.” says Miguel.

The video is a full audience immersion and experiential journey within a vibrant concert setting. The cumbia rhythm serves as a guiding heartbeat, leading to a touching queer Tejano romance on stage—an emblematic battleground for authenticity and acceptance in Tex-Mex culture.

“The film is my symbolic journey as a queer Mexican-American artist—a narrative transcending controversy to embrace self-discovery,” said Miguel. “It unfolds as a tribute to resilience, love, and the enduring spirit of Tejano and Cumbia music.”

The prestigious award comes ahead of the release of his debut solo album “Entre Luces” on April 12, produced by Grammy winner Fabian Hernandez, with lyrics written by Miguel St. Michael. You can pre-save the album here. 

The Entre Luces Album Release party will be held on April 13, 2024, at Sahara Lounge in Austin, Texas with a special performance by Miguel St. Michael and his live band. RSVP Here. 

“Guapito, Divino” the short film music video was also recently selected to be screened at the Latino Film Market film festival in New York City in June among other festivals. 

“I’ve been making films since I was in High School,” says Miguel. “I think it’s important as artists to find ways to tell our stories that can really touch and inspire others. I’m really proud of our entire team that came together to create such a heartfelt video. I look forward to creating more music and films in the future.” 

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