From the start, Mexico embraced and praised Carolina as an inspired performer of the traditional Mexican songs. This was a particular achievement for a young Dutch woman, who only by coincidence ended up on stage, singing in Mexican dresses, with Mexican mariachis, to the Mexican public.

It was the famous singer María de Lourdes who brought her to that point. Carolina was one of her biggest fans and at the age of 25 she decided to go to Mexico to study the language and the unique culture of that country. There, she came in contact with her idol, who invited her into her home. Together they traveled through the Republic and observing Maria’s work day and night, Carolina learned a lot about Mexican traditions and performing. So much so, that one day María de Lourdes invited her on stage to sing a song. “Show my people that Mexican music is so powerful, that it has no frontiers”, she said.

And Carolina sang. At first, still with some hesitation, but after many years of vocal study and a long musical journey from festivals to cultural events, big theaters and small cantinas, she developed herself as a respected exponent of Mexican music. She recorded four CD’s, shared the podium with several famous artists, sang for many Mexican (ex)presidents and traveled to Argentina, Switzerland, United States, Colombia, Spain and Indonesia. In her home country she appeared on several TV shows and the Dutch royal family invited her to sing for Prince Bernhard, grandfather of king Willem-Alexander, on his birthday.
María de Lourdes never saw her successes. She died unexpectedly in 1997 at the Dutch airport Schiphol. Since then, Carolina has taken Mexican music to a broad audience both in Holland and Mexico – the way she learned from her teacher – always with love and respect for the venerable tradiciones and musical culture of her beloved Mexico.