Paquita la del Barrio

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Paquita La Del Barrio
Paquita la del Barrio in Monterrey, Mexico, May 2008
Paquita la del Barrio in Monterrey, Mexico, May 2008
Background information
Birth nameFrancisca Viveros Barradas
Also known asPaquita la del Barrio
Born (1947-04-02) April 2, 1947 (age 77)
OriginAlto Lucero, Veracruz, México
GenresRegional Mexican
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, actress
Years active1970–2023

Francisca Viveros Barradas (born April 2, 1947), most-known professionally as Paquita la del Barrio ("Paquita from the neighborhood"), is a Mexican singer, songwriter, and actress. She is a Grammy-nominated performer of rancheras, boleros and other traditional and contemporary Mexican musical genres.[1]

Career[edit]

Paquita started her career in Mexico City in 1970, where she performed at a local restaurant in Colonia Guerrero, and fans began returning every week to listen to her sing. It is here where she started using her stage name, Paquita la del Barrio.[2] 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.[2]

Paquita’s catalogue of songs usually take a feminist stance against Mexico's sexist and “macho” male culture and attitudes, often pointing the finger at the men in her lyrics for causing problems in relationships, and generally making them out to be “tontos y bobos” (clowns and fools).[3] This has made her especially popular among female audiences. Paquita is known for her somewhat condescending way of speaking, and for her confrontational presence; her signature phrase, with which she often teases male spectators at her shows, is "¿Me estás oyendo, inútil?", or "are you listening to me, you good-for-nothing?" (“inútil” literally translates to “useless”). In 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”.[4]

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."[5] 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.[6] 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 like Antonio Aguilar and Pedro Infante.[7] Many of her fans, particularly outside of México, also appreciate her for her overall style, glamour and “camp” value.

Paquita duetted with singer Ricardo Arjona on "Ni Tu Ni Yo" on his album 5to Piso (2008). She has also performed at the Premios Lo Nuestro and the Latin Grammy Awards. 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. She was honored with the “Trajectory Award” at the Premio Lo Nuestro 2016.[8] She also received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards[9]

Paquita la del Barrio has inspired a television series on Univision. The series, Paquita la del Barrio, follows the fictional life story behind the Mexican singer.[10] Paquita stated that it was difficult to watch a story of her life, but was pleased that her story was being told.

Nominations[edit]

Her album Romeo Y Su Nieta earned her a nomination for the 56th Annual Grammy Awards (2013) under Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano).[11]

Personal life[edit]

Paquita la del Barrio was born Francisca Viveros Barradas in Alto Lucero, Veracruz. When she was fifteen years old she eloped with forty-four-year-old Miguel Magaña. Her marriage with Magaña lasted seven years, and she had two sons.[12] Her first marriage ended when she discovered her husband was married to another woman and had a family. Her second marriage lasted 31 years, and ended with her husband's death in 2000.[13]

Controversy[edit]

She was criticized by the LGBT community when she said in an interview, "It is better for orphans to die than to be adopted by a homosexual family."[14] She then apologized to the LGBT community and did a special performance and a press conference in a gay club called Spartacus Disco.[15][16]

Discography[edit]

  • 1982. Paquita La Del Barrio Y Sus Boleros Romanticos

(originally on LP & Cassette; sometimes titled "...Y Sus Boleros Rancheros" on some CD editions)

  • 1988. Mi Renuncia

(originally on LP and cassette; re-released in 1993 on CD as "Tres Veces Te Engañé)

  • 1990. Ando Tapada
  • 1992. Desquítate Conmigo
  • 1993. Te Voy A Recordar
  • 1993. Ni Un Cigarro
  • 1993. Invítame A Pecar
  • 1993. Bórrate
  • 1994. Acábame De Matar
  • 1995. Dicen Que Tú
  • 1997. Destapa Me
  • 1998. Me Saludas A La Tuya
  • 1999. Al Cuarto Vaso
  • 2000. Piérdeme El Respeto
  • 2000. El Club De Los Inútiles
  • 2000. Azul Celeste
  • 2001. Taco Placero
  • 2001. Duro Y Contra Ellos
  • 2002. Verdad Que Duele
  • 2002. Pa' Puras Vergüenzas
  • 2002. Falsaria
  • 2003. La Mera Chingona
  • 2004. Qué Mamá Tan Chaparrita
  • 2004. Para Los Inútiles
  • 2004. Me Estás Oyendo, Inútil?
  • 2004. Lámpara Sin Luz
  • 2004. La Crema De La Crema
  • 2004. Hombres Malvados
  • 2005. Qué Chulos Campos
  • 2005. No Me Amenaces
  • 2005. Mi Historia
  • 2005. Llorarás
  • 2005. En La Bohemia
  • 2006. El Estilo Inconfundible De Paquita La Del Barrio
  • 2006. 20 Éxitos
  • 2007. Puro Dolor
  • 2007. No Chifle Usted
  • 2008. Las Consentidas De Paquita La Del Barrio
  • 2008. Las Mujeres Mandan
  • 2008. Lo Nuevo De Paquita La Del Barrio
  • 2008. Rata De Dos Patas
  • 2015. La Leyenda Del Barrio

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "2011 - 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominees And Winners: Latin Field". The Recording Academy. November 30, 2011.
  2. ^ a b González, Edurne Uriarte, Carolina. "Paquita la del Barrio: Diary of a mad Mexican woman". nydailynews.com. Retrieved 2019-03-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ ""Eres un inútil": la divertida escena de Paquita la del Barrio y Bad Bunny en los Premios Billboard". infobae (in Spanish). 2021-09-24. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
  5. ^ Gross, Liza (September 7, 2008). "Paquita la del Barrio sings of the wrongs that men do". The Miami Herald.
  6. ^ "Rata de Dos Patas - album by Paquita la del Barrio on Apple Music". Apple Music. January 16, 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  7. ^ "Paquita La Del Barrio Talks Music Influences, Los Angeles Before Celebrating International Women's Day". Living Out Loud Los Angeles. 2014-03-08. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  8. ^ "CCCCD Libraries". 0-go.galegroup.com.library.4cd.edu. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
  9. ^ Flores, Griselda (August 26, 2021). "Paquita la del Barrio to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  10. ^ "Univision Announces 'Paquita La Del Barrio' Series: Watch the Trailer". Billboard. 2018-05-14. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  11. ^ "Paquita La Del Barrio". GRAMMY.com. 2019-11-19. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  12. ^ Gross, Liza (September 7, 2008). "Paquita la del Barrio sings of the wrongs that men do". Miami Herald.
  13. ^ Chaves, Katherine (17 January 2015). "Paquita la del Barrio: 'Nunca estaré del lado de los hombres'". La nacion. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  14. ^ Medina, Mekahlo. "Gay Parents or Death? Famed Latino Singer Picks Death". NBC Southern California. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  15. ^ "Paquita announces show at gay disco to apologize for adoption comments". LA Times Blogs - La Plaza. 2010-03-19. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  16. ^ Molina, Raúl de (2010-06-06). "Paquita From the Hood". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
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