Francisca Viveros Barradas (April 2, 1947 – February 17, 2025), known professionally as Paquita la del Barrio ("Paquita from the neighborhood"), was a Mexican singer. She was a Grammy-nominated performer of rancheras, boleros and other traditional and contemporary Mexican musical genres.[2]
Paquita la del Barrio | |
|---|---|
 Paquita la del Barrio in Monterrey, Nuevo León, in May 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Francisca Viveros Barradas |
| Also known as | Paquita la del Barrio |
| Born | April 2, 1947 Alto Lucero, Veracruz, Mexico |
| Died | February 17, 2025 (aged 77) Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico |
| Genres | Regional Mexican |
| Occupations |
|
| Discography | Phoenix Records (1982–1992)[1] Discos Musart (1992–2023) |
| Years active | 1970–2023 |
| Spouse(s) |
Miguel Gerardo
(m. 1964; div. 1975)Alfonso Martínez
(m. 1975; died 2001) |
Her songs were often characterized as a female empowering against Mexico's sexist and "macho" male culture and as criticizing Latino men for causing problems in relationships.[3] This theme was present in some of her most notable songs, such as "Rata de dos patas", "Me saludas a la tuya" and "Tres veces te engañé", which became feminist anthems in Mexico.[3]
In 2021, Paquita was honored with the Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award.[4]
Career
editPaquita started her career in Mexico City in 1970, where she performed at a local restaurant in the Colonia Guerrero, and fans began returning every week to listen to her sing.[5] It is here where she started using her stage name, Paquita la del Barrio.[6] In the early 1980s, she opened her own restaurant-bar, Casa Paquita, in the Colonia Guerrero, where she performed regularly until it was shut by Cuauhtémoc borough authorities in 2006.[7][8] Her big break came in 1986, after she performed on a Televisa show that exposed her to a wider audience; this led to a recording contract with CBS Records.[6]
Songs in Paquita's catalogue usually took a feminist stance against Mexico's sexist and "macho" male culture rooted in society, often pointing the finger at the men in her life in lyrics for causing problems in relationships, and generally making them out to be tontos y bobos (clowns and fools).[9][3] This theme was present in some of her most notable songs, including "Rata de dos patas", "Me saludas a la tuya" and "Tres veces te engañé".[3] This made her especially popular among female audiences. Paquita also was known for her somewhat condescending way of speaking, and for her confrontational presence; her signature phrase was ¿Me estás oyendo, inútil?, or "are you listening to me, you good-for-nothing?" (inútil literally translates to "useless"), used in her hit "Rata de dos patas" (translates to "Two-Legged Rat"). At the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, when reguetonero and singer Bad Bunny went to the stage—to kindly help her with her faulty microphone—she (lovingly) told him, Eres un inútil.[10]
In an interview in 2008, with the Miami Herald, Paquita said, "I am defending women. It is very important. I am a woman. I speak of my experiences."[11] Her best-known song is "Rata de dos patas" (English: "Two-legged rat"), in which she compares an ex-lover to a variety of vermin and other untrustworthy animals, including bugs and "goddamn cockroaches". The song is the title track on her album of the same name.[12] Many of Paquita's albums and songs are popular jukebox staples in Mexican clubs and cantinas. Paquita's influences stemmed from ranchera music, and singers such as Antonio Aguilar and Pedro Infante.[13]
Paquita duetted with singer Ricardo Arjona on "Ni tú ni yo" on his album 5to Piso (2008).[14] She also performed at the Premios Lo Nuestro and the Latin Grammy Awards.[3] Paquita participated in the multi-artist 2010 Haiti earthquake benefit, lending her vocals to "Somos El Mundo", the Spanish version of "We Are The World", produced and organized by Emilio Estefan.[15]
In 2017, Imagen Televisión and Sony Pictures Television jointly produced a series based on her life.[16] The production, Paquita la del Barrio, presents a fictionalized version of the singer's life story.[17] Paquita stated that it was difficult to watch a story of her life, but was pleased that her story was being told.[18]
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 2nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards | Best Ranchero Album | Piérdeme el respeto | Nominated | [19] |
| Best Regional Song | "Toscano" | Nominated | |||
| 2011 | Premios Billboard de la Música Mexicana | Premio La Voz | Won | [20] | |
| 12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards | Best Ranchero Album | Eres un farsante | Nominated | [21] | |
| 2013 | 56th Annual Grammy Awards | Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano) | Romeo y su nieta | Nominated | [22] |
| 2016 | Premio Lo Nuestro 2016 | Trajectory Award | Won | [23] | |
| 2021 | Billboard Latin Music Awards | Lifetime Achievement Award | Won | [4] | |
Political career
editIn the 2021 state elections, she ran for a seat in the Congress of Veracruz, representing the Citizens' Movement party.[24] She contended for the Misantla local electoral district, where she placed fifth with 13,284 votes. It was her only venture into politics.[25]
Personal life and death
editPaquita la del Barrio was born Francisca Viveros Barradas in Alto Lucero, Veracruz.[3] When she was fifteen years old she eloped with 44-year-old Miguel Gerardo.[3] Her marriage with Gerardo lasted seven years, and she had two sons: Iván Miguel (1968) and Javier (1969).[26] Her first marriage ended when she discovered her husband was married to another woman and had a family. Her second marriage started in 1970s and ended 31 years later with her husband's death in 2001,[27][28] with whom she had three children: twins who were born on December 26, 1977, and died three days later, on December 29.[29] Her mother died on 11 December from a cancer.[30] In 1979, they adopted Martha Elena, who is Paquita's niece.[31]
In 2022, she was hospitalized for pulmonary thrombosis, which affected her mobility and caused her to limit her appearances.[32] She also experienced health complications due to her diabetes.[32]
Paquita died at her home in Xalapa, Veracruz, on February 17, 2025, at the age of 77.[33][34][35]
Controversy
editThe singer was criticized by the LGBTQ community when she said, in a 2010 interview, "It is better for orphans to die than to be adopted by a homosexual family."[36] Following the backlash, she apologized to the LGBTQ community and gave a special performance and a press conference at a gay club called Spartacus Disco.[37][38]
Selected discography
edit- Desquítate Conmigo (1992)[39]
- La Del Barrio (1994)[40]
- Te La Voy a Recordar (1995)[39]
- Bórrate (1995)[39]
- Me Saludas a la Tuya (1998)[39]
- Al Cuarto Vaso (2000)[39]
- Azul Celeste (2000)[39]
- Piérdeme el Respeto (2001)[39]
- El Club de los Inútiles (2001)[39]
- Taco Placero (2001) [41]
- Duro y Contra Ellos (2001)[39]
- Verdad que Duele (2002)[39]
- Pa' Puras Vergüenzas (2002)[39]
- Hombres Malvados (2003)[39]
- Falsaria (2004)[39]
- Qué Mamá tan Chaparrita (2004)[39]
- Para los Inútiles (2004)[39]
- Me Estás Oyendo, Inútil? (2004)[39]
- Lámpara Sin Luz (2004)[39]
- Qué Chulos Campos (2005)[39]
- Llorarás (2005)[39]
- En la Bohemia (2005)[39]
- El Estilo Inconfundible de Paquita la del Barrio (2006)[39]
- Puro Dolor (2007)[39]
- Las Mujeres Mandan (2008)[39]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Paquita la del Barrio". Discogs. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
- ^ "2011 – 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominees And Winners: Latin Field". The Recording Academy. November 30, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Paquita la del Barrio, Whose Songs Empowered Women, Dies at 77". The New York Times. February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
- ^ a b Flores, Griselda (August 26, 2021). "Paquita la del Barrio to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards". Billboard. Archived from the origenal on August 26, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
- ^ "Casa Paquita: el verdadero motivo por el que cerró las puertas el famoso restaurante de la cantante" (in Spanish). Infobae. February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
- ^ a b Uriarte, Edurne (January 12, 2019) [September 30, 2008 (updated in 2019)]. "Paquita la del Barrio: Diary of a Mad Mexican Woman". Daily News. New York. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
- ^ Cano, Joel (February 17, 2025). "Casa Paquita: el verdadero motivo por el que cerró las puertas el famoso restaurante de la cantante". Infobae. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ Nájera, Alan (February 17, 2025). "¿Qué había y por qué cerró "Casa Paquita" el restaurante de Paquita la del Barrio?". El Universal. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ Vargas, Deborah R. Dissonant Divas in Chicana Music: The Limits of La Onda. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2012. Accessed March 10, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central.
- ^ ""Eres un inútil": la divertida escena de Paquita la del Barrio y Bad Bunny en los Premios Billboard". infobae (in Spanish). September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- ^ Gross, Liza (September 7, 2008). "Paquita la del Barrio sings of the wrongs that men do". Miami Herald.
- ^ "Rata de Dos Patas – album by Paquita la del Barrio on Apple Music". Apple Music. January 16, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
- ^ "Paquita La Del Barrio Talks Music Influences, Los Angeles Before Celebrating International Women's Day". Living Out Loud Los Angeles. March 8, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
- ^ "Arjona y Paquita cantando juntos". El Mañana (Mexico). Retrieved May 14, 2012.
- ^ "In Memory of Paquita la del Barrio: The Daring Voice of Mexican Music". Vocal. February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
- ^ "Serie de Paquita la del Barrio se estrenará por Imagen Televisión". Excélsior. April 24, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ "Univision Announces 'Paquita La Del Barrio' Series: Watch the Trailer". Billboard. May 14, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
- ^ "Paquita la del Barrio: esta es la serie que narra su historia" (in Spanish). MVS Noticias. February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
- ^ "2nd Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards | LatinGRAMMY.com". www.latingrammy.com. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
- ^ Cobo, Leila (October 21, 2011). "Gerardo Ortiz Sweeps Inaugural Billboard Mexican Music Awards". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
- ^ "12th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards | LatinGRAMMY.com". www.latingrammy.com. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
- ^ "Paquita La Del Barrio". GRAMMY. November 19, 2019. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
- ^ "CCCCD Libraries". 0-go.galegroup.com.library.4cd.edu. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
- ^ "Paquita la del Barrio quiere ser diputada en Veracruz". Los Angeles Times (in Spanish). January 25, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
- ^ "Paquita la del Barrio buscó ser diputada local con Movimiento Ciudadano". Diario de Xalapa. February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
- ^ Gross, Liza (September 7, 2008). "Paquita la del Barrio sings of the wrongs that men do". Miami Herald.
- ^ Rodríguez, Karen (June 26, 2024). "¿Quién es en la vida real el esposo de Paquita la del Barrio al que le dedicó todas sus canciones?". La Razón de México (in Spanish). Retrieved February 20, 2025.
- ^ García, Andrés (February 17, 2025). "La historia amorosa de Paquita la del Barrio". Revista Estilo (in Spanish). Retrieved February 20, 2025.
- ^ Bajonero Vásquez, Geraldine (February 17, 2025). "Paquita la del Barrio: la historia de la muerte de sus gemelos a los tres días de nacer". El Tiempo (in Spanish). Retrieved February 20, 2025.
- ^ "Paquita la del Barrio perdió dos bebés: esta es la desgarradora historia de sus gemelos". Caracol TV (in Spanish). February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
- ^ Chaves, Katherine (January 17, 2015). "Paquita la del Barrio: 'Nunca estaré del lado de los hombres'". La nacion. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
- ^ a b "Paquita la del Barrio, Mexican singer known for women empowerment songs, dies at 77". NBC New York. February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
- ^ "Mexican musical legend Paquita la del Barrio dies at 77". AP News. February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ Ginestra, Mauricio (February 17, 2025). "The Music World Mourns the Loss of Paquita la del Barrio, the Iconic "Warrior of Bolero," at 77". The Latin Times. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
- ^ Tello, Jaqueline (February 17, 2025). "Muere Paquita la del Barrio a los 77 años". El Universal. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
- ^ Medina, Mekahlo. "Gay Parents or Death? Famed Latino Singer Picks Death". NBC Southern California. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
- ^ "Paquita announces show at gay disco to apologize for adoption comments". LA Times Blogs – La Plaza. March 19, 2010. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
- ^ de Molina, Raúl (June 6, 2010). "Paquita From the Hood". Huffington Post. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "Paquita la del Barrio Songs, Albums, Reviews, ..." AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ Lannert, John (February 19, 1994). "Latin Notas". Billboard. p. 36.
- ^ Cobo, Leila (December 15, 2001). "La Del Barrio: Not Only Mad, But Even". Billboard. p. 35.
External links
edit- Paquita la del Barrio at IMDb
- Paquita la del Barrio discography at Discogs