18-02-2025
Famed Mexican singer and actress Paquita la del Barrio has died at 77
Famed Mexican singer, actress and champion for women Paquita la del Barrio died at her home in Mexico.
Paquita's marketing team took to X on Monday to announce the death of the 77-year-old best known for her songs 'Rata de Dos Patas,' 'Las Mujeres Mandan' and 'Tres Veces Te Engañé,' tunes that criticized misogyny and men who cheat.
The social media post in Spanish said that with profound pain and sadness, they confirmed the death of the beloved Paquita la del Barrio at her home in Veracruz.
Additionally, the post said Paquita was a one-of-a-kind and unmatched artist who left a permanent mark in the hearts of all who knew her and enjoyed her music.
A representative of the singer in Mexico informed Billboard Español that she died of a heart attack while she was sleeping.
Rolling Stone reported that earlier this year, Paquita battled health issues and had been seen using oxygen. She postponed a concert in Mexico earlier this year to recover.
Paquita previously performed in the U.S., including concerts in California. She performed at the Toyota Arena in Ontario in 2023, according to Concert Archives.
Many say Paquita was known best for her 'feminist anthems,' which were born from real-life experience.
At 16, she married Miguel Gerardo, a man 28 years her senior. That marriage ended seven years later when she discovered he had another wife and family.
Her second husband, Alfonso Martinez, died in 2000 after 31 years of marriage, USA Today reported.
"Life happens, some good things and some bad – but we've got to move on, keep fighting," she told USA TODAY in 2021, ahead of receiving a special honor at the Billboard Latin Music Awards.
"I got married for a second time and it was the same sacrilege and sacrifice of living with a man you know is being unfaithful," she added.
Paquita, whose birth name was Francisca Viveros Barradas, was born in Veracruz and started her career as a performer in Mexico City, according to several news sources.
'Her powerful voice earned her a recording contract in the late 80s, and she quickly compiled a lengthy catalogue of more than 30 albums that extended into the late 2010s,' according to Rolling Stone.
Paquita's 2013 album Romeo Y Su Nieta earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Regional Mexican Music Album.
Victorville resident Ricardo Avila told the Daily Press that he and his late mother, Silvia, were big fans of Paquita.
"When I was a kid, my mom would wake up and start the day listening to Paquita la del Barrio,' Avila said. 'After a while, that music started growing on me.'
Avila said that he often plays Paquita's music, which 'overwhelms' him with 'happy memories' of his mother.
With a career that spanned over five decades, Paquita received many awards, including the 2011 Billboard Regional Mexican Music Award 'La Voz.'
Ten years later, the singer was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards.
As a child, Paquita showcased her powerful voice at school festivals.
In the 1970s, the singer formed the duo Las Golondrinas with her sister Viola, and in 1984, she released her debut album, El Barrio de los Faroles, as Paquita la del Barrio, according to Billboard.
The singer went on to record over 30 albums, which sold more than 30 million copies, with hits that also include 'Las Mujeres Mandan,' 'La Última Parada,' 'Me Saludas a la Tuya,' 'Soltero Maduro, Chiquito' and 'Hombres Malvados.'
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@ Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Famed Mexican singer and actress Paquita la del Barrio has died
