We love her for her manera de ser, her ¡Azúcar!, because for as long as we can remember she was part of our lives. She sang to us since we were little children. An eighty-year-old remembers Celia Cruz as well as an 18-year-old hip-hopper who has heard Celia Cruz singing with Wyclef. ♪♫¡Guantanamera, guajira, Guantanamera!♫♪ But if you are an 18-year-old Latino you also heard Celia Cruz from your parents and grandparents. ♪♫¡Químbara, Cumbara...♫♪


It wasn’t just her 4 generational music career. ♪♫Esta negrita no pasa de moda!♫♪ It was also her voice. ♪♫Mi voz puede volar, puede atravezar cualquier herida, cualquier tiempo, cualquier soledad. Sin que la pueda controlar, toma forma de canción, así es mi voz, que sale de mi corazón.♪♫ Her voice was powerful, soulful, soothing and clear as a bell. As crystal clear as her inspirational and joyous messages.


We love her for the words behind the voice begging us to get up and enjoy life for all its worth. ♪♫Si quieres llegar primero, mejor se corre despacio. Disfruta bien de la vida, aunque tomando medidas.♫♪ To get up and dance! ♪♫Cúcala, cúcala, cúcala.♫♪ Reminding us that life is too short for bitterness, anger, or to be worried about other people. ♪♫¡Rie! ¡Llora! ¡A cada cual le llega su hora!♫♪ Words to live by and she did. Celia Cruz was always smiling, always giving, always praising God and all the saints for her blessings. She would end her rehearsed songs with an improvisation which is the trademark of a “true” guarachera, in which she would talk about living life to the fullest.

She never missed an opportunity to talk about returning back to her homeland of Cuba. She spoke about Cuba without politics, without bitterness, but with longing, pride and love. ♪♫Ahora vuelvo a recordar, aquel tiempo atrás cuando me fui buscando el cielo de la libertad. Cuantos amigos que dejé y cuantas lágrimas lloré. Yo viviré, para volverlos a encontrar.♫♪

She was married for 42 years to her knight-in-shining armor, Cuban composer Pedro Knight. Their marriage was an example to all. Her life was an inspiration to all. We loved her, revered her and respected her. It made us wonder sometimes: Is Celia Cruz for real? Or is she an angel sent from heaven? She would sing up on stage and suddenly she would shake her shoulders and we wondered- is she dancing or is that the holy spirit or the holy saints, los santos, passing through?

There was something magical about Celia Cruz and her songs which became unforgettable anthems. She sings ♪♫La vida es un carnaval. Es mejor vivir cantando.♫♪ At the end of that song la guarachera “casts a spell” to all things bad:

♪♫Para aquellos que usan las armas ¡FUA!♫♪
♪♫Para aquellos que nos contaminen ¡FUA!♫♪
♪♫Para aquellos que hacen la guerra ¡FUA!♫♪
♪♫Para aquellos que viven pecando ¡FUA!♫♪

This is why we love Celia Cruz so much and this is why she will live forever, in our hearts, in our souls- ♪♫en el alma de mi gente, en el cuero del tambor, en las manos del congero, en los piés del bailador♫♪

Enjoy the issue and feel free to give me feedback.

La Diva Latina

ladivalatina@ladivalatina.com

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