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In the bustling art scene of Puerto Vallarta, a vibrant new talent has emerged – Daniel Martinez Iga, also known as Sargento, has captivated audiences with his flair for performance.
A former telecom customer service representative turned musical artist, he has risen from the conservative confines of his small hometown to the dazzling spotlight of the stage. He has transformed his passion for singing into a dynamic career—thanks to the guided encouragement of coaches Rob Burton and Jan Dorland—engaging crowds with a blend of Broadway nostalgia and lively storytelling.
As he navigates through Puerto Vallarta’s active live performance scene, Sargento’s acts resonate with the joy of expression, creativity, and self-acceptance.
Burton and Dorland maintain the role of performance coaches for the Rise contest. And it was there that they met Sargento, in 2023, to guide him through the contest. Raised in Saltillo Coahuila, a town on the outskirts of Monterey, Mexico, Sargento describes his hometown as lacking support for artistic pursuits. It wasn’t long before young Sargento had to seek a new beginning.
Naturally, he left behind what he recalls as the homophobic atmosphere of his native town and relocated to Guadalajara where he worked as a customer service representative for the telecommunication company.
Sargento has had a passion for singing since kindergarten, he said.
“I won a singing contest when I was in second grade,” he told me the day I sat down with him for an interview.
This early success made him realize that singing was his true calling. After losing one of his two jobs with the company closing, he packed his bags for Puerto Vallarta to dedicate himself to his passion fully.
Soon, at the invitation of a friend performing at the former music venue, Incanto, Sargento took the stage and met his current piano player, Bing Yong. They connected over the magic of performance, especially when Sargento sang songs he’d heard on the popular television show, Glee. Impressed with Sargento’s performance, Bing encouraged him to audition for the Rise contest which led to Sargento’s quickly being selected.
Sargento Identifies himself as a “Broadway kid”. His love for musicals like Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia, and Wicked is unwavering. “Defying Gravity” was his standout performance for the Rise contest. The act featured a Broadway mash-up with four costume changes packed into a compressed five minutes.
“The audience responded positively, and I earned a crown during the semi-finals,” he recalled smilingly.
Although another contestant, a young opera singer, ultimately won the final, Sargento’s participation opened doors for his career. Since he was new to Puerto Vallarta, he longed for a dedicated plan. That’s when one of his coaches, Rob, envisioned bringing Sargento to Garbos Piano Bar, a venue reminiscent of piano bars like Marie’s Crisis Café in New York and former piano bar, Gentry, in Chicago.
The two coaches encouraged him to learn closer to two dozen musical theater classics from before the Wicked era, such as “Hello Dolly” and “West Side Story.” Sargento undertook the challenge of learning these songs in a language he did not grow up speaking. After pitching the idea to the bar owners at Garbos, he secured a single performance slot on May 22nd during the 2024 Pride.
Sargento’s sense of creativity led him to interact with the audience for his show; he designed a QR code linked to a lyrics songbook. That allowed everyone at the bar to download the songs to their smartphones and sing along. Following a successful debut at 2024 Pride and with an invitation to return, the next few weeks proved to be slow. However, with word of mouth, Sargento’s show gained popularity.
These days if you arrive after 9:00 PM on Wednesday nights, Burton sitting next to Sargento informed me, you will struggle to find a seat. The bar fills up quickly with fans eager to see Sargento perform, he added.
Sargento engages with the audience in his performances, often pausing mid-song for conversations and making light-hearted political commentary.
“I’m full of opinions,” he chuckled.
His shows blend singing with stand-up comedy—emphasizing that storytelling is just as important as the performance itself—a sentiment echoed by Rob and Jan.
Thanks to his natural talent for entertaining, audiences keep coming back. They often bring along friends to experience his charisma. Additionally, Sargento is part of the Act 2 ensemble cast of the Best of Broadway weekly revue.
Starting in January at Nacho Daddy, he will star in the longest-running Mexican musical, Men-Ti-Ras, a show about four women discovering their love for the same man at his funeral. Sargento will embody all four characters in the show, complete with live costume changes.
Despite occasional feelings of being overwhelmed, Sargento embraces all his engagements and invites local artists to join him on stage for guest performances. His vision is to continue bringing his creative ideas to life on stage. That and being on reality television.
“One of my dreams is to one day be a participant in a reality TV show.”
Sargento’s journey is off to a good start as he carves out his space in the vibrant artistic landscape of Puerto Vallarta. With each performance, he not only entertains but also shares a sense of belonging with those who maintain a similar love for this art form.
His commitment to self-expression and collaboration with local talent has fueled a creative movement that’s truly worth discovering. Sargento looks forward to the future, remaining hopeful for new opportunities that will allow him to bring more laughter, more joy, through storytelling and music.
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