Sofía Plummer is the lead accordionist, vocalist, and director of Las Damas del Valle, an all-women norteño group based in Porterville, California. At just 20 years old, she is helping redefine who holds space in regional Mexican music—bringing visibility to young women performers in genres long shaped by male voices and presence.

The group’s repertoire spans ranchera, norteño, and sierreño, a regional genre rooted in the mountainous northwest of Mexico, known for its acoustic instrumentation, lyrical intensity, and small-ensemble format.

Sofía and her bandmates—Saira Aldaco and Yadira Lucatero—learn and interpret these traditions through collective rehearsal, independent study, and shared cultural memory. Their performances center songs often described as viejitas pero bonitas (oldies but goodies)—old classics that hold emotional resonance for many in their community.

Sofía began playing guitar in middle school and later taught herself accordion through YouTube tutorials, emphasizing foundational discipline and ear training. She cites Las Jilguerillas as a key influence, admiring their harmonies and vocal strength. Her original composition, “Pancho Carlos,” written in honor of her late godfather, appears on their first album En Vivo desde el Valle Central (Live from the Central Valley), recorded in her garage. The group’s second album, Amor y la Amistad (Love and Friendship), features romantic and friendship-themed songs released around Valentine’s Day.

Las Damas del Valle intentionally perform in family-oriented spaces—birthday parties, concerts, and cultural events—rather than in bars or clubs. Their viral online presence, including a widely shared video of “Cielo Azul, Cielo Nublado” (Blue Sky, Cloudy Sky), reflects the rarity and impact of seeing young women perform traditional music on their own terms. In interviews, Plummer has spoken openly about gendered double standards they face and the responsibility they feel to serve as role models for younger girls.

For Sofía, music connects her to her family’s heritage—particularly her mother’s roots in Fresnillo, Zacatecas—and to the memory of her grandfather, a musician she never met but whose recordings she grew up singing. That connection, passed down through songs and stories, shapes her sense of purpose: to bring joy, remembrance, and cultural pride to her community through music.