Juan Gabriel

Alberto Aguilera Valadez, known professionally as Juan Gabriel, was a Mexican singer, songwriter and actor born in 1950 in Michoacán. He rose from poverty in Ciudad Juárez to become one of the most influential Latin artists of the 20th century, releasing over 1,000 songs across five decades. His style blended ranchera, bolero, mariachi and pop ballad traditions, earning him the nickname “El Divo de Juárez.” Major hits include “Querida,” “Así Fue” and “Amor Eterno,” many of which became standards covered across Latin America. He wrote and produced for stars such as Rocío Dúrcal and Isabel Pantoja, and his flamboyant stage presence and openly queer persona challenged gender norms in Mexican music. Juan Gabriel died in 2016; his catalog continues to generate hundreds of millions of streams.