Francisca Viveros Barradas known professionally as Paquita la del Barrio is a Mexican singer, songwriter, and actress. She is a Grammy nominated singer of rancheras and other Mexican genres.
Career
Paquita started her career in Mexico City in 1970. She performed at a local restaurant in Colonia Guerrero, where fans returned every week to listen to her music. It is here where she gained her stage name. Her big break came in 1986, where she performed in a Televisa show that exposed her to a bigger audience and led to a recording contract with CBS. Her songs usually take a stance against Mexico's sexist male culture. This has made her popular among female audiences. She is known for her often confrontational presence; her signature phrase, with which she often teases male spectators in her shows, is "¿Me estás oyendo, inútil?". In an interview with The Miami Herald Paquita said, "I am defending women. It is very important. I am a woman. I speak of my experiences." Her best-known song is "Rata de dos patas", in which she compares an ex-lover to a variety of vermin and other untrustworthy animals. The song was included in her album of the same name. Many of Paquita's albums and songs are jukebox staples in Mexican clubs and cantinas. Paquita's influences stemmed from ranchera music and singers like Antonio Aguilar and Pedro Infante. Many admirers, particularly outside Mexico, also appreciate her for her camp value. Paquita duets with singer Ricardo Arjona on "Ni Tu Ni Yo" on his album 5to Piso. She also performed at the Premios Lo Nuestro and participated in the "Somos El Mundo" the Spanish version of "We Are The World." She was honored with the lifetime achievement prize at the Premio lo Nuestro awards. 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. Paquita stated that it was difficult to watch a story of her life, but was pleased that her story was being told.
She was born in Alto Lucero, Veracruz. When she was fifteen years old she eloped with forty-four year old Miguel Magña. Her marriage with Magña lasted seven years and she had two sons. 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.
Controversy
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." She then apologized to the LGBT community and did a special performance and a press conference in a gay club called Spartacus Disco.
Discography
1988. Mi Renuncia
1990. Ando Tapada
1992. Desquítate Conmigo
1993. Tres Veces Te Engañé
1993. Te Voy A Recordar
1993. Paquita La Del Barrio Y Sus Boleros Rancheros
