The Cuban singer and composer began his career in the 1960s. Considered the voice of the Cuban revolution, he recorded dozens of albums and set many poems to music.
Icon of Nueva Trova, a poetic and committed musical genre that emerged during the Cuban Revolution of 1959, Pablo Milanés supported Fidel Castro in his early days. An admirer of the revolutionary ideal, he became disillusioned in particular after his passage at the age of 23 in a labor camp for homosexuals, religious and other Cubans considered deviant. Extremely disappointed, he distanced himself from the Cuban dictatorship while keeping a deep bond with his people. After the giant demonstrations of 2021, he criticizes the government and supports Cubans who are hungry and thirsty for freedom.
A Cuban work
Pablo Milanés records his first album entitled Mis 22 años in 1965, followed by dozens of others. In 2006 and 2015, he received two Latin Grammy Awards. His repertoire navigates between various musical styles, such as rumba, changüí through bossa nova, jazz around the theme of love, but also on subjects with strong social or spiritual content. The forty albums make up a musical journey to the rhythm of the transformation of various musical media. After having seen the light of day in the form of vinyls, cassettes or CDs, they are now available on digital platforms.
During a particularly moving concert in Havana in June 2022, thousands of spectators sing along to his greatest hits like Yolanda and live. After three years of absence, Pablo Milanés had thus reconnected with his public for a recital with the taste of farewell.
Death in Spain
Hospitalized on November 12 in Madrid, he died at the age of 79 following an onco-haematological disease which had forced him to settle in 2017 in Spain to receive a treatment which did not exist in his country. When his death was announced, social networks in Cuba were flooded with messages of tribute. Neither the Cuban President nor the Cuban Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz were no exception.
Ha muerto Pablo, leemos al despertar este martes en #Russia y el dolor llega con la noticia.
Desaparece físicamente uno de nostros más grandes músicos. Voz inseparable from the banda sonora de nuestra generación.
Mis condolencias a su viuda e hijos, a #Cuba. pic.twitter.com/fZzJ0mqb1V
— Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) November 22, 2022
The culture in #Cuba está de luto por el fallecimiento de Pablo Milanés, reconocido cantautor cubano, uno de los fundadores del Movimiento de la Nueva Trova.
Llegue has known familiars and amigos nuestras más sentidas condolencias. pic.twitter.com/lbjiTISjbg— Manuel Marrero Cruz (@MMarreroCruz) November 22, 2022