Paquita la del Barrio, queen of the breakup ‘bolero,’ dies at 77

Paquita la del Barrio, the iconic Mexican singer known for her powerful voice and scathing lyrics aimed at unfaithful men, died Monday at her home in Alto Lucero in Veracruz, Mexico. She was 77.

Her death was confirmed by her representative in an official statement, citing natural causes, although the newspaper El País reported she died of a heart attack.

The overweight singer, who was born Francisca Viveros Barradas, had been battling various health issues in recent years, including diabetes, hypertension, pulmonary thrombosis and pneumonia.

Paquita la del Barrio, which translates to “Paquita from the Neighborhood,” rose to fame in the 1970s with her unique style of ranchera and bolero music. Her songs, often laced with biting humor and unapologetic criticism of machismo culture, resonated deeply with audiences across Latin America.

Her most famous hit, “Rata de Dos Patas” (“Two-Legged Rat”), became an anthem for scorned women and a karaoke favorite. Its memorable lyrics — showcasing her trademark wit and defiance by comparing an ex-lover to various animals and insects — were detailed four months ago in the Mexico News Daily article “The songs that all Mexicans magically know.”

Here’s how the song begins, translated into English: “Filthy rat, Crawling animal, Scum of life, Hideous monstrosity. / Subhuman, Specter from hell, Cursed vermin, How much harm you’ve done to me. / Pest, Venomous snake, Waste of life, I hate you and I despise you. / Two-legged rat, I’m talking to you, Because even the most wretched creature, No matter how vile, When compared to you, Seems so small.”

Throughout her five-decade career, Paquita released over 30 albums, selling more than 20 million records worldwide. She received numerous accolades, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards in Miami, where she gave an emotional acceptance speech and performed “Rata de Dos Patas” on stage.

Though she was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2013 for best regional Mexican music album — for “Romeo y su nieta” (“Romeo and his granddaughter”) — and two Latin Grammys, she never won.

Paquita appeared in several films and telenovelas, further cementing her status as a cultural icon. Moreover, her life story was dramatized in the 2017 TV series “Paquita la del Barrio,” which is available in Spanish on Netflix in Mexico.

At the time of her death, Paquita was working on an unreleased album containing six new songs, which her family plans to release posthumously as a tribute to her enduring legacy.

Funeral arrangements for Paquita were pending as of Tuesday, but fans have been gathering outside her home in Veracruz to pay their respects to the woman who became known as “the voice of Mexican heartbreak.”

With reports from El País, Proceso, El Financiero and Associated Press