By Constanza Morales
Special to The Texas Catholic
Not even in the darkest moments following a 2022 accident that nearly claimed her life did Carolina Imperial imagine her faith journey would one day lead her to the top of international Catholic music charts.
That is exactly what happened July 27 at the Vatican, where the north Texas resident was named best new singer at the 2025 Catholic Music Awards.
For Dallas Catholics, her voice is a familiar one. Imperial first performed “Jamas dejaste mi lado” (“You Never Left My Side”) — the Vatican award-winning song — at the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12, 2024.
Parishioners at St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Parish also know her voice well. The 35-year-old singer is a familiar face and regularly leads music at Sunday Masses. On July 27, however, she left behind the comfortable confines of the east Dallas parish to take the stage at Rome’s Conciliazione Auditorium, wearing a traditional charro dress and becoming the only artist to perform mariachi music.
Her voice, and the lyrics of a song that reflected her renewed faith, earned her a place among the winners of the inaugural Catholic Music Awards, an event honoring Catholic artists from around the world.
“This award is for God and for our Virgin Mary, who has been my comfort and guide above all,” Imperial told Revista Católica Dallas, the Diocese of Dallas’ Spanish-language magazine. “I also dedicate this to my family and to all the migrant women who struggle every day, especially those who have experienced violence, poverty, or abandonment.”
The Mexican-born artist also said she was especially inspired by the spirit and courage of her community, “whose faith and resilience” constantly inspire her.
Imperial is a parishioner of Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Farmers Branch, where she experienced what she calls her spiritual “rebirth,” fully embracing her Catholic faith after suffering a car accident three years ago.
The inaugural event at the Vatican included artists and bands performing songs in Spanish, English, Italian, and Portuguese. The international gathering, requested by Cardinal Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga and organized by the Ramón Pané Foundation and Fraternity, was a true celebration of faith and talent, bringing together the most prominent Catholic artists, according to a press release from the organization.
Pope Leo XIV, during his speech after the Angelus on July 27, greeted and blessed the singers.
A gift from heaven
“You Never Left My Side” was written by Imperial in 2022 as a tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe after going through a painful time in her life that included the car accident that could have ended her life.
Since then, Imperial has cultivated a life close to the Church and focused on offering her musical talent to God in gratitude for the blessings she has received.
Imperial celebrated her award as another step in her career dedicated to God and with a spirit of fraternity.
“For me, the true gift was being there, surrounded by Catholic musicians from around the world, sharing our love for God and our Holy Mother in heaven,” she said. “Receiving this recognition was simply another gift from heaven.”
Such a spirit of unity among Catholic musicians around the world was the central theme of the message delivered by Cardinal Rodríguez Maradiaga, the main promoter of the event at the Vatican.
“Catholic music touches the heart and brings us closer to the love of Christ,” the cardinal said at the awards ceremony, according to a statement released by Vatican News.
The day after receiving the award for best new singer, Imperial visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Philip the Martyr in Rome. There, she laid a wreath of flowers in gratitude to God, offering it on behalf of all Catholic singers.
“I want my community to know that when one of us wins, we all win,” Imperial said. “We are a people of faith, hard-working spirit, and hope, and when we unite in prayer, great things happen.”
Constanza Morales is the managing editor of Revista Católica Dallas, the official Spanish-language magazine of the Diocese of Dallas.
Cutline for featured image: Carolina Imperial poses at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Philip the Martyr in Rome, July 27, 2025. The singer-songwriter received the award for best new singer at the 2025 Catholic Music Awards.
