Lucha Reyes (Peruvian singer)
Encyclopedia
Lucila J. Sarsines Reyes (July 19, 1936 - October 31, 1973), was a Peru
vian performer and one of the most respected singers of her country, one of Peru's most famous Afro-Peruvian
personalities as well as a symbol of Peruvian nationalism
both in Peru
and to expatriates.
, Reyes was one of sixteen siblings. Her family lost their father Tobias Sarsines, who died after she turned six months old. Reyes spent much of her childhood living far from her family, and at a home with other members of her family. She would sell newspapers and lottery
tickets to survive. The house she was living in was eventually burned, and she went on to live at a Catholic
church.
As a child, Reyes would put on singing
shows in front of families and friends, and it was at one of these shows that she met Pitito Perez, a famous Peruvian singer of the era. Perez liked her voice and invited her to join him in a duo. The duo was named Lucha y Juan. The duo would give Reyes the opportunity to be heard on national radio stations. Lucha Reyes debuted on radio in a show named El Sentir de los Barrios (or "The way the Barrio/People Feel") singing the cultural standard "Abandonada" of Sixto Carrera, a song with lyrics that many think resembled her own experiences on the streets.
Lucha Reyes lived a life much like the tragic and heart worn songs she sang. She married a policeman briefly and always refused to declare the reason her marriage lasted for such a short period of time. Later on, she was diagnosed with tuberculosis
and diabetes
. Later in life, she joined the controversial music group Peña Ferrando of Augusto Ferrando (1919-1999), controversial because of the humiliating way in which the band leader treated the group's public.
in a Bohemian
style, and produced music favored by the military nationalist
government, who encouraged the diffusion of the Peruvian cultural expressions through mass media.
In 1970, helped by Nilo Marchand, manager of the record label FTA (Fabricantes Te'cnicos Asociados), Reyes recorded her greatest success, "Regresa" ("Come Back") of Augusto Polo Campos, a number one hit internationally. On the success of "Regresa" Reyes recorded her first LP and, soon after, began her only international tour.
that came from her Bohemian surroundings. There are some who even say that, in the last years of her life, Lucha Reyes fell in to a self-destruction vortex that only could have a sad end. Reyes may have known death was imminent.
Followed by a public who idolized her in life, and wanting to close its existence with a finishing touch, Lucha Reyes asked composer Pedro Pacheco
to write "Mi Última Canción" ("My Last Song") one of her more touching and collected recordings, and on October 30, 1973, one day before her death, she sang "My Last Song" live in a well-known local radio broadcasting station with sincere tears in her eyes. On the following day, the October 31, 1973, Lucha Reyes, "La Morena de Oro del Perú" (Peru's Black Woman of Gold) died. She is buried in the "Cemetery the Angel" in Lima
.
genres. Although it is not by origin an Afro-Peruvian
music, by expertly phrasing lyrics and playing the vals criollo with slightly off-beat accents, as if pulling back and pushing on the regular meter. Marineras are songs done in honor of the sailors who had fought in the war with Chile and is played with two guitars and cajón
, accompanied by hand clapping.
The vals criollo derives from the Viennese waltz, but feels quite different and has a lush, romantic character, from the Viennese waltz, as well as themes of love. The vals criollo has a drier, more restrained, sound, and keeps a certain distance from its subject. The addition of the cajón to the traditional instrumentation of two guitars served also to give the vals an Afro-Peruvian dimension.
Songs such as "¿Qué Importa?" of Juan Mosto ("What Does It Matter?"), with lyrics like " yet another failure is but a drop of water in the ocean for me " were made famous by Lucha Reyes and made here a National icon, as well as her songs, rich with Peruvian Nationalism and criollo pride. Today, October 31, the same day of her death, is the "Día de la Canción Criolla" (Day of the Creole Song) and is celebrated in Peru
every year.
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian performer and one of the most respected singers of her country, one of Peru's most famous Afro-Peruvian
Afro-Peruvian
Afro Peruvians are citizens of Peru mostly descended from African slaves who were brought to the Western hemisphere with the arrival of the conquistadors towards the end of the slave trade.-Early history:...
personalities as well as a symbol of Peruvian nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
both in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and to expatriates.
History
Born to a poor family in the capital, LimaLima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, Reyes was one of sixteen siblings. Her family lost their father Tobias Sarsines, who died after she turned six months old. Reyes spent much of her childhood living far from her family, and at a home with other members of her family. She would sell newspapers and lottery
Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
tickets to survive. The house she was living in was eventually burned, and she went on to live at a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
church.
As a child, Reyes would put on singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
shows in front of families and friends, and it was at one of these shows that she met Pitito Perez, a famous Peruvian singer of the era. Perez liked her voice and invited her to join him in a duo. The duo was named Lucha y Juan. The duo would give Reyes the opportunity to be heard on national radio stations. Lucha Reyes debuted on radio in a show named El Sentir de los Barrios (or "The way the Barrio/People Feel") singing the cultural standard "Abandonada" of Sixto Carrera, a song with lyrics that many think resembled her own experiences on the streets.
Lucha Reyes lived a life much like the tragic and heart worn songs she sang. She married a policeman briefly and always refused to declare the reason her marriage lasted for such a short period of time. Later on, she was diagnosed with tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
and diabetes
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced...
. Later in life, she joined the controversial music group Peña Ferrando of Augusto Ferrando (1919-1999), controversial because of the humiliating way in which the band leader treated the group's public.
Art
Reyes acted sporadically in theater plays around Lima and would later go on to act in a movie named Una Carta al Cielo ("A Letter to Heaven") of Salvador Oda, about a boy whose dead mother (voiced-over by Reyes) would speak to him. It convinced Reyes she had a future in acting as well. Lucha performed in various acts, living on artArt
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
in a Bohemian
Bohemian
A Bohemian is a resident of the former Kingdom of Bohemia, either in a narrow sense as the region of Bohemia proper or in a wider meaning as the whole country, now known as the Czech Republic. The word "Bohemian" was used to denote the Czech people as well as the Czech language before the word...
style, and produced music favored by the military nationalist
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
government, who encouraged the diffusion of the Peruvian cultural expressions through mass media.
In 1970, helped by Nilo Marchand, manager of the record label FTA (Fabricantes Te'cnicos Asociados), Reyes recorded her greatest success, "Regresa" ("Come Back") of Augusto Polo Campos, a number one hit internationally. On the success of "Regresa" Reyes recorded her first LP and, soon after, began her only international tour.
Last days
The diabetes worsened and finished leaving her blind. Accentuating her cardiac complications were an uninterrupted routine of work and a raging alcoholismAlcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
that came from her Bohemian surroundings. There are some who even say that, in the last years of her life, Lucha Reyes fell in to a self-destruction vortex that only could have a sad end. Reyes may have known death was imminent.
Followed by a public who idolized her in life, and wanting to close its existence with a finishing touch, Lucha Reyes asked composer Pedro Pacheco
Pedro Pacheco
Pedro Miguel Salgadinho Pacheco de Melo , known as Pacheco, is a Portuguese-born Canadian footballer who plays for C.D. Santa Clara as a defensive midfielder.-Club career:...
to write "Mi Última Canción" ("My Last Song") one of her more touching and collected recordings, and on October 30, 1973, one day before her death, she sang "My Last Song" live in a well-known local radio broadcasting station with sincere tears in her eyes. On the following day, the October 31, 1973, Lucha Reyes, "La Morena de Oro del Perú" (Peru's Black Woman of Gold) died. She is buried in the "Cemetery the Angel" in Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
.
Legacy
Lucha Reyes and the ensemble Los Morochucos placed black performers among the leading interpreters of the vals criollo and marineraMarinera
Marinera is a coastal dance of Peru, generally called the "National Dance of Peru." Marinera is a graceful and romantic couple's dance that uses handkerchiefs as props. The dance is an elegant and stylized reenactment of a courtship, and it shows a blend of the different cultures of Peru...
genres. Although it is not by origin an Afro-Peruvian
Afro-Peruvian
Afro Peruvians are citizens of Peru mostly descended from African slaves who were brought to the Western hemisphere with the arrival of the conquistadors towards the end of the slave trade.-Early history:...
music, by expertly phrasing lyrics and playing the vals criollo with slightly off-beat accents, as if pulling back and pushing on the regular meter. Marineras are songs done in honor of the sailors who had fought in the war with Chile and is played with two guitars and cajón
Cajón
A cajón is a box-shaped percussion instrument originally from Peru, played by slapping the front face with the hands.-Origins and evolution:...
, accompanied by hand clapping.
The vals criollo derives from the Viennese waltz, but feels quite different and has a lush, romantic character, from the Viennese waltz, as well as themes of love. The vals criollo has a drier, more restrained, sound, and keeps a certain distance from its subject. The addition of the cajón to the traditional instrumentation of two guitars served also to give the vals an Afro-Peruvian dimension.
Songs such as "¿Qué Importa?" of Juan Mosto ("What Does It Matter?"), with lyrics like " yet another failure is but a drop of water in the ocean for me " were made famous by Lucha Reyes and made here a National icon, as well as her songs, rich with Peruvian Nationalism and criollo pride. Today, October 31, the same day of her death, is the "Día de la Canción Criolla" (Day of the Creole Song) and is celebrated in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
every year.
Discography
- El Show de Lucha Reyes
- Cuatro Estrellas Criollas
- Jamás impedirás
- La Morena de Oro del Perú
- Lucha por Siempre....Lucha
- Lucha Reyes "Una Carta al Cielo"
- Mi Última Canción
- Siempre Criolla
- ¡Regresa!....
- Una carta al cielo
- Un rosal divino
- Yo tengo una pena
Compilations
- Criollos Inolvidables
- Criollos Inolvidables Vol.2
- Criollos Inolvidables Vol.3
- Regresa: Lucha Reyes, La Morena de Oro del Perú (Music & More, 2010)