By MARK LORENZANA

Valeria Jasso bagged first place in this year’s edition of the Welcome Sessions band contest at Mexico City’s Foro Indie Rocks on Wednesday, Sept. 7.

Two other bands played in the grand finale, aside from the grand-prize winner: Mexico City-based Melts, which opened the contest and bagged second place, and Ulises Dávila, a soloist from the Mexican state of Coahuila, who placed third.

In the end it was Mérida-based singer-songwriter Jasso who took the first-place plum. Jasso, accompanied by her band members, energized the crowd with her soaring vocals, feminine energy and the group’s overall tropical sound — which could be described as organic pop infused with Latin rhythms.

The contest, which was sponsored by Jim Beam, featured celebrity judges Ileana Rodríguez, Javier “El Chá” Ramírez Gómez and Paco Ayala.