Paquitala del Barrio, a prolific Mexican vocalist and songwriter known for his powerful feminist ballads, passed away on Monday at his Veracruz home. She was 77 years old.
Paquita's social media accounts made an announcement Monday but did not list the cause of death.
“In deep pain and sadness, we confirm the sensitive passage of our beloved “Pachita la del Barrio,” the statement said in Spanish. “She was a unique and unrestrained artist who left an indelible mark in the hearts of all of us who knew her and enjoyed her music.”
Pakita has broken through the genre of Mexican ranchera, a field usually dominated by men, demonstrated through intense songs centered around love, revenge and nationalism. Songs like “Rata de Dos Patas”, “Me Saludas a la tuya” and “Tres Veces te Engane” denounced and praised the macho culture of men.
A 1999 article in the New York Times highlighted the location of Paquita in Mexico City. There she described her as “like a patron saint” where she began her career as a local performer.
Pakita's death has poured sorrow into social media among celebrities and fans.
Singer and composer Alejandro Sants wrote in Spanish that her music “can capture emotions and turn them into songs.”
Popular singer and actress Talia shared a scene from the pair in the melodrama Maria Mercedes, which aired on Mexican broadcasting in 1992 on TV Sa. Initially, Talia expressed tension about sharing the stage with Pakita.
“Pakita marked a clear and powerful path when it comes to empowering women with music,” Thalia wrote in Spanish on Instagram. “She always spoke clearly and confidently in her songs, helping thousands of women in this industry feel more open and confident when talking about life experiences without taboos.”
Paquita was born on April 2, 1947 in Veracruz, Mexico to Francisca Viveros Baradas.
Her life shaped her music. Pakita was a teenager when she married a man 30 years older than her. The marriage gave birth to two children, but ended seven years later when she learned that the man was already married to his family.
She had two husbands, Alfonso Martinez, and three children. Martinez passed away in 2000 after the pair got married for 31 years. Information about the survivors was not immediately available.
“I got married for the second time, and it was the same sacrifice and sacrifice of living with a man you know is dishonest,” she said in a 2021 interview in Spanish. He told USA Today. It's difficult because you go where your heart wants. These feelings lead people to my music. ”
The man wasted time with “a two-legged rat” in her song. But in the end, she also noticed them at the concert.
“They went with their girlfriends, their wife and they love it,” Paquita said in a 2016 interview with the Associated Press.
She has won the stage name. It was translated into “Neighborhood Pakita,” and performed at a venue in Mexico City with her sister Viola Viveros. Her breakthrough came during a TV performance on Televisa, leading to a contract with CBS Records, which pushed her onto the national stage.
Paquita has released over 30 albums and received three Grammy Award nominations. In 2021, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, and was presented to her on stage by Bad Bunny. The award covers her “a lasting and extraordinary career and artistic and personal contributions that have had a major impact on Latin music around the world.”
In January, Paquita was scheduled to perform at a concert at Mexico City's National Auditorium, but was cancelled due to unspecified health issues.
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