Puerto Rican reggaeton pioneer Ivy Queen talks about the irreplaceable influence of salsa legend Celia Cruz: 'Celia taught me that having a singular, particular voice is a gift.'
the time. I love this moment when Celia walks on stage wearing these spectacular heels and a spectacular dress and her amazing wig. She starts to sing “Quimbara,” and all the men grab their mics and lineup behind her to sing backup vocals. Héctor Lavoe, Cheo Feliciano, all of them move to the corners so that Celia can have her full moment. To me, that is the maximum sign of respect. That DVD is going to go to my daughter one day.
“Quimbara,” of course, is one of my favorite songs. I had to sing it at a tribute concert we did for her in Miami, and I was so nervous — you don’t want to mess up. I’ll never sound like Celia, ever, but I wanted everything to be impeccable, for the visuals to be the most beautiful. As soon as that song comes on, just hearing the tone of her voice, the drums, it turns on my African and Caribbean roots. That’s going to be my song forever.
Celia has been an icon that’s surpassed the barriers of time — and of life itself. They just made a Barbie doll of Celia Cruz. Her legacy is untouchable. Everyone talks about her. She’s iconic. If you mention major women artists in the world, Celia is always there. She’s had so much of an impact — not just because of her voice, but because of how she fought back, how she struggled because of her color, because of how she looked.
Her influence is felt even though she’s not here with us anymore. There are avenues and streets with Celia Cruz’s name on them. Her story is about resistance and love, and it’s really beautiful.
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