MEXICO CITY — Diego Verdaguer, Argentine singer-songwriter of hits such as “Corazón de papel”, “Yo te amo” and “Volveré” and husband of singer Amanda Miguel, died of complications from COVID-19. He was 70 years old.
The naturalized Argentine and Mexican musician died Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles, his daughter Ana Victoria said in a statement issued early Friday by Diam Music, the record label owned by Verdaguer and his wife.
“With absolute sadness, I regret to inform all his public and friends that dad left his beautiful body today to continue his path and creativity in another form of eternal life,” said Ana Victoria. “My mother, I and the whole family are immersed in this pain, so we appreciate your understanding in these difficult times.”
The statement was also posted on Amanda Miguel’s Twitter account, with the hashtag “#descanseenpaz” (rest in peace) along with emojis of a praying hand and a white heart.
In his own Twitter account, Verdaguer’s last message, published on Thursday night, was for his wife: “I will never get tired of dedicating it to you! You are and will be the thief who stole my heart,” reads the tweet beside. an image of the couple on the beach and part of the lyrics of their song “La ladrona”: “Cuídame, quièreme, bésame, pamper me” (Take care of me, love me, kiss me, pamper me).
According to the statement, Verdaguer contracted COVID-19 in December and was hospitalized. It was not immediately known if he had been vaccinated and representatives for him did not immediately respond to emails seeking details.
On several occasions, Amanda Miguel spoke out against the vaccine, including in August 2020 with a post she shared on Twitter titled “Propaganda to force us to obtain the experimental vaccine”, and in April 2020 in a now viral message: ” Maybe the vaccine is the famous covid. No thanks, not even the microchip at all”, in response to a tweet by CNN presenter Camilo Egaña. It is not known if he has changed his position since then.
No details about Verdaguer’s funeral were released, and his representatives asked to respect the family’s privacy.
In social networks, colleagues and friends began to express their pain upon hearing the news on Friday morning.
“We deeply regret the loss of #diegoverdaguer, we were together recently when they came to our concert in Los Angeles. Our hug for @amandamiguels and his family”, tweeted the Argentine duo Pimpinela.
The singer celebrated in 2019 50 years of artistic career. He was born in Buenos Aires on April 26, 1951 and debuted as a soloist at the age of 17 with the single “Lejos del amor”, which was followed by others such as “Yo te amo” and “Volveré”.
Since 1980 he lived in Mexico, the country to which he dedicated his album “Mexicano to the Pampas”, which was nominated for two Latin Grammy Awards. He also released his follow-up, “Mexicano hasta las Pampas 2”, as well as two volumes of the live album “Mexicanísimos”.
“I can tell you that I am more Mexican than anything. I love Mexico, I love what Mexico has meant in my life, I love the opportunities that Mexico has given me,” the artist said in an interview with The Associated Press in 2019.
Verdaguer met Amanda Miguel when she was 18 and he was 24. Their daughter Ana Victoria, who is also a singer, was born in 1983.
“Amanda Miguel has been my inspiration since I met her,” Verdaguer told the AP. “I really appreciate everything we’ve done together as a couple, as artists, as individuals.”
In 1987, the couple founded Diam Music, with which Verdaguer has released all his albums since then, including the most recent, 2019’s “Corazón bambino,” and a posthumous release, “Por la libre.”
Other hits included “Corazón de papel”, “Que sufras más”, “Creo solo en ti” and “La ladrona”, which reached the top of the charts in Mexico, the United States, Spain and Italy.
In 2019, Verdaguer was recognized by the Mexican Society of Authors and Composers (SACM) with a special award for his 50-year career.
“You have to evolve spiritually and understand the meaning of life,” Verdaguer told the AP. “We come to live a divine experience, we come to learn, we come to give ourselves, we come to perfect ourselves, we come to give, we come to help, because by giving and helping you feel better.”
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism