Joy Huerta is no stranger to making history. The musician and songwriter has been working in the industry for years, showing off her impeccable musical talents. She's been performing since she was a young girl, beginning her journey alongside her brother, singing in a children's choir where their father served as a pastor. As of this writing, Joy has over 19 years of experience in the entertainment industry.
Despite all of the experience that she amassed, Joy is still rediscovering the magic of music. This year, she became the first Mexican woman to be nominated for a Tony Award due to her work in "Real Women Have Curves," a production that marked a before and after in her already accomplished musical career.
Joy is the daughter of a Mexican and an American, and was born in Mexico City. She began to write music when she was little, organizing private concerts in her bedroom.
"For me, it was like falling in love with music again from a different place. Being able to rediscover the talent that the universe gives me."
While Joy has always had a beautiful voice, she had to overcome stage fright. Alongside her brother Jesse, the two began to write songs and perform for an audience. Their talent soon attracted fans, trading religious songs and topics to songs that they'd written and composed themselves, showcasing their original work, which began when she was 15 and he was 18.
The young teens took advantage of the tools at their disposal, using the instruments available in the church to create their music. Their partnership set the stage for their first musical project.
The rest is history. In 2005, Jesse and Joy shared their first record, titled "Esta es mi vida," earning a nomination at the Latin Grammys. They took the award home, becoming audience favorites and going on to win 6 Latin Grammys as of this writing.
"It literally saved our lives. For me and for my brother, growing up, music became our everything. Whenever I started writing, it was like I was writing my own path and forging something without even knowing it."
This year, Joy tried something new, getting involved in her first theater project. "Real Women Have Curves" is a musical that showcases her talents as a songwriter. Joy recognized that while it was challenging to make a Broadway production, her love for the arts and for the connections that she made with her collaborators were bigger.
While Joy didn't win the Tony, her nomination is a victory in itself, especially once you zoom out and see the importance of having a Mexican woman taking up space in the United States.