Iconic Mexican Singer Paquita la del Barrio Dies at 77

The music world is mourning the loss of the legendary Mexican singer-songwriter and feminist icon Paquita la del Barrio who died on Monday, Feb. 17 at the age of 77, according to a statement released on her Instagram account. Known for her fearless and feminist voice, empowering women through her music and combatting the culture of machismo, her music addressed heartbreak, betrayal, and sexism all while empowering women. Through her distinctive performance style and vocals, she famously called out men through her lyrics including arguably her most famous song, “Rata Con Dos Patas”. She has been a staple of Mexican music and one of the most influential figures in the Latin music industry. One of Paquita’s representatives in Mexico informed Billboard Español that she died of a heart attack while she was sleeping in her home in Veracruz, Mexico.

The official statement read: “With deep pain and sadness, we confirm the death of our beloved ‘Paquita La Del Barrio’ in her home in Veracruz. Being a once in a lifetime artist, who will leave an indelible mark in the hearts of all of us who knew her and enjoyed her music…Rest in peace, your music and legacy will live forever in our hearts”.

La “Reyna y defensora de las mujeres” as her Instagram bio reads, was born Francisca Viveros Barradas in the Mexican state of Veracruz in 1947. She started her career in Mexico City in 1970 with a sound influenced by Mexican musical icons including Antonio Aguilar and Pedro Infante. Her lyrics spoke up against machismo which would go on to become a staple of her music. Her signature lyrics, “¿Me estás oyendo, inútil?” became an empowering feminist catchphrase. Some of her most famous songs include “Tres Veces te Engañé”, “Las Mujeres Mandan,” and “Rata de Dos Patas”—the latter which uses a rat as a metaphor for a man. Throughout her 45-year career Paquita has been recognized with awards including Grammy nominations for albums like “Puro Dolor” and special recognitions such as her 2021 Billboard Award for Trayectoria Artística and her Premio a la Trayectoria at the 2016 Premio Lo Nuestro.

At 16, she married a man 28 years her senior and that marriaged 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. She had three children.

“At the beginning, many men said ‘Why would I go, to get shamed? … Now they join the concerts. They go with their girlfriend, their wife and they love it,” Paquita told the Associated Press in a 2016 interview.

This Friday, a special farewell tribute is set to take place at Casa Paquita—a restaurant the singer opened in the 1980s in Mexico City—open to the public.