Netflix’s “Jenni Rivera: Mariposa De Barrio” has quickly become one of the most-watched shows of 2021. The inspiring series follows the footsteps of Jenni Rivera towards a dream of fame: an autobiographical journey from birth, based on her book “Unbreakable” as well as unpublished testimonies that reveal, as never before, her own family and explore her life as a daughter, mother, wife, lover, and artist.

The 91-episode series tells the inspiring story of “La Diva de la Banda” (the diva of banda) whose determination, perseverance, and hard work led to her becoming a chart-topping artist in a male-dominated genre, all while taking care of her five children (Janney, Jacqie, Michael, Jenicka, and Johnny).

While watching the series, I was not only inspired by the singer’s upbringing, but I also learned a lot more about the Long Beach native’s early days in her career, like performing for the very first time at 11 years old to becoming a single mother and fighting for her life.

Early in the series, we see a young Jenni Rivera eager to explore the world. She was raised in Long Beach, California with five other siblings. She grew up in a tight-Mexican household and a straight-A student. However, when she turned 15, she became pregnant. Though her initial thought was to drop out of school, everyone around her, from her family and school counselors pushed her to finish school. She received her GED and became the class valedictorian. She continued her studies which led her further into higher education where she got a degree in business. Throughout the process, she worked as a bank teller and as a real estate agent.

Midway through “Mariposa De Barrio,” we see Rivera’s interest in music. Her interest begins when she records herself singing a song for her dad as a Father’s Day present, which is what sparks her future career in the music world. Soon after, she fully dives into the music sense. She started locally, performing at music festivals in California. Most of the time, the men who served as promoters of the festivals refused to pay her, and through it all, she stood her ground and never allowed men to see her as less than her male counterparts. We really witness a single mother of five children go hard for not only herself but for her family.

In the series, we also get a glimpse of Jenni Rivera’s love life and struggles. We see Rivera experience domestic violence and sexual assault. In fact, the series depicts the domestic violence cycle of abuse in its entirety. Although her impressive singing abilities attracted most of her fans, it is evident that her personal struggles and experiences with domestic violence and sexual assault make her more relatable to many women who have suffered similar experiences.

All in all, “Mariposa De Barrio” shows Jenni Rivera breaking boundaries and making a huge impact in music and society, despite her tragic and untimely death in 2012 in a plane crash. While there are many elements to her story, the series champions and celebrates the legacy she left behind through her family, her music, and her loyal fan base. “Mariposa De Barrio” does an incredible job going in-depth into her hardships and rise to fame. And overall, the series really provides new and old Jenni Rivera fans a deeper insight into her personal life and allows fans all around to dream big because anything is possible in life.

You can watch “Jenni Rivera: Mariposa De Barrio” now streaming on Netflix.