Mexican singer-songwriter Paquita la del Barrio dies at 77

Paquita la del Barrio performs on the Las Clásicas Stage at the Besame Mucho Festival at Dodger Stadium in December 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Ray Tamarra/Shutterstock via CNN Newsource)

Famed Mexican singer-songwriter Paquita la del Barrio has died at the age of 77, her team announced Monday in a statement on Instagram.

“Rest in peace, your music and legacy will always live in our hearts,” the statement said, asking for space so that her family can “live their grief in privacy.”

CNN has contacted Paquita la del Barrio’s management agency.

The artist, whose real name was Francisca Viveros Barradas, was born in the eastern Mexican state of Veracruz in 1947. Her best-known songs were known for lyrics that empowered women and mercilessly called out men in broken romantic relationships.

Some of her most famous hits include “Tres Veces te Engañé” (Three Times I Cheated on You) and “Rata de Dos Patas” (Two-Legged Rat), which take aim at male chauvinism.

From an early age, she showed a penchant for ranchera music, influenced by artists such as Antonio Aguilar and Pedro Infante. Throughout her career, Paquita stood out for performing songs that address themes of heartbreak and female empowerment, becoming an icon of Mexican music.

“Her live performances, based mainly on feminist songs with aggressive lyrics towards macho attitudes, seduced followers from all over the country,” her biography on Spotify reads.

Paquita received various recognitions for her contribution to Mexican music.

She was nominated for a Grammy award three times and honored in 2021 with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards.

“Rata de dos patas” remains an anthem of heartbreak and female empowerment. Various artists have covered the song, consolidating her place in the history of Latin music.

The Mexican Ministry of Culture mourned the artist’s death, calling her an icon of ranchera music in a post on X.

“Her repertoire with more than 40 record productions that include rancheras, banda and norteñas, was distinguished by raising her voice against injustices towards women. Rest in peace,” the ministry’s statement read.

Article written by Ivonne Valdés, CNN en Español