Singer Paquita la del Barrio dead at age 77 just weeks after ‘unique and unrepeatable artist’ postponed show

Paquita’s songs were renowned for taking aim at Mexico’s sexist and machismo culture

ICONIC Mexican singer Paquita la del Barrio has died at age 77.

The legendary artist, born Francisca Viveros Barradas, died on Monday in her home of Veracruz, in eastern Mexico, her representatives announced.

Paquita la del Barrio performing at the 14th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards.
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Paquita la del Barrio performs onstage during the 14th Annual Latin Grammy Awards held at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in November 2013 in Las VegasCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Paquita la del Barrio singing into a microphone on stage.
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Paquita performing at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, in November 2006Credit: Getty Images – Getty

Paquita la del Barrio at the Billboard Latin Music Awards.
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Paquita La Del Barrio arrives at the Billboard Latin Music Awards in September 2021 at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, FloridaCredit: AP:Associated Press
“Being a unique and unrepeatable artist, who will leave an indelible mark in the hearts of all of us who knew her and enjoyed her music,” the singer’s team wrote in a statement.

A cause of death was not immediately disclosed.

Paquita had faced various health problems in the years leading up to her death.

Most recently, Paquita was forced to postpone her scheduled performance at the National Auditorium in Mexico City on January 26 due to a health issue with her legs.

The event, where Paquita was scheduled to appear alongside the group Sonora Santanera, was rescheduled for March 16.

She was scheduled to perform at the Ensenada Grand Carnival festivities in Ensenada, Mexico, on March 2.

Born in Alto Lucero, Veracruz, Paquita experienced poverty during her childhood and only finished primary school.

While working for the municipal government in Alto Lucero, Paquita met her first husband, who was 30 years her senior.

Paquita had two children with her first husband, but suffered physical abuse until she decided to leave him and move to Mexico City to pursue her singing career.

She began singing at a restaurant in Mexico City in 1970, where locals gathered weekly to watch her perform, garnering the nickname Paquita la del Barrio (Paquita from the neighborhood).

Paquita earned a record contract with CBS Records in 1986 after performing on a Televisa show that exposed her music to a wider audience.

Singing Mexican rancheras and boleros, Paquita broke barriers in the Mexican music scene for her fierce criticism of the country’s sexist and machismo culture, branding men as “unfaithful, clowns and fools.”

Paquita’s music became popular among female audiences, who called the singer the “queen and defender of women.”

Her songs Rata de Dos Patas (two-legged rat) and Tres Veces te Engañé (Three times I cheated on you) became anthems for women in Latin America.

Over her five-decade-long career, Paquita released more than 30 albums, received numerous accolades, and collaborated with several Latin American greats such as Ricardo Arjona, Natalia Jiménez, Ana Bárbara, and Yuri.

In 2016, she was awarded the Premio Lo Nuestro for Lifetime Achievement Award.

In 2021, she was awarded the Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award.

Her 2013 album, Romeo y Su Nieta, earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Regional Mexican Music Album.

Paquita is survived by her three children, Miguel Gerardo Viveros, Javier Gerardo Viveros, and Martha Elena Martínez Viveros.