Ivy Queen Says She Lives Low-Key ‘Beautiful’ Life With Husband and Daughter
Ivy Queen, 51, just hit NPR’s Tiny Desk, becoming our soundtrack until further notice. For one, the singer’s candlelit, melancholic rendition of “La Vida Así” made us shed tears, feel empowered, and slightly perrear all at once.
Plus, her strings-driven version of “Quiero Bailar” safely cemented her “Reina del Reggaeton” title. Watch a part of it here:
Ivy Queen’s perreo-ready reggaeton classics are always on our party playlists, and we will readily belt out “Eso no quiere decir que pa’ la cama voy” whenever, wherever. The “Dime” singer has been an icon for decades, but she is arguably at the peak of her career now.
The Billboard Latin Music Awards presented Ivy Queen with her Icon Award last week, and her speech was deeply emotional. Clutching the award, she said, “I’m thankful that I can accept every one of these flowers while I am alive.” The singer added, “It’s a great night for me and for my family.”
That last part got us thinking. What is the Queen of Regggaeton’s family life like when she’s not in the limelight? Well, she has a “beautiful” relationship with her choreographer husband, Xavier Sánchez, since possibly marrying in 2012. The two share a nine-year-old daughter, Naiovy, who Ivy Queen once said has “healing powers of love.”
Here’s what to know about Ivy Queen’s personal life, including details about her first marriage, and her family now.
Ivy Queen was married once before to producer and rapper Omar Navarro
Ivy Queen, birth name Martha Ivelisse Pesante Rodríguez was born in Añasco, Puerto Rico. Still, she lived between both Puerto Rico and New York as a child. According to All Music, she moved to San Juan at 18, and was interested in hip-hop — and of course, reggaeton.
She met producer DJ Negro and started performing at a reggaeton club called The Noise. By 1995, she joined an all-male hip-hop collective of the same name. They released the iconic track “Somos Raperos Pero No Delincuentes” shortly after.
The star posted a throwback Instagram photo showing her time with The Noise, writing, “Since The Noise until today… Take some reggaeton!” And yes, these pictures are perfect:
Well, by 1996, Ivy Queen went solo, releasing her debut album, “En Mi Imperio,” which gave us hits like “Como Mujer.” Later, she released her sophomore effort, “The Original Rude Girl,” in 1997. But it wasn’t until her third 2003 album, “Diva,” that Ivy Queen really became a major global sensation, propelled by legendary tracks like “Quiero Bailar.”
While many of us know about Ivy Queen’s major commercial successes during this time period, she kept her personal life quite private.
According to Puerto Rico’s National Foundation for Pop Culture, Ivy Queen began her relationship with producer and rapper Omar Navarro, known as Gran Omar, in 1995. As per the report, the two met during her time with The Noise, and “shared a life together.”
There is little information about the couple’s life — until they divorced in 2005. At the time, Ivy Queen confirmed the divorce news to Primera Hora, saying, “I can’t sit down because my marriage has ended.”
After the outlet asked the singer if her husband cheated, she gave a surprising response. “If I would have found him in that mambo, I would be in La Vega Alta [a women’s prison in Puerto Rico] and you guys would be bringing me shampoo and conditioner.” Ah, to know her is to love her.
At the time, Ivy Queen said her marriage to Navarro ended due to his many trips and work schedule as a producer. According to Tropicana, Navarro may have also been her manager, and they were together for nine years.
The “Quiero Saber” singer added, “I would never say anything bad about [Navarro]. Omar has been with my since [low times], since I was underground.”
Still, by 2006, People en Español reported Navarro accused Ivy Queen of cheating, and said that she owed him money for working on their 2005 album “Cosa Nostra.” She denied the claims.
Today, while both musicians have gone on to live separate lives, Navarro sometimes still posts throwbacks with Ivy Queen on Instagram. Here’s a great #TBT he posted of a Madison Square Garden concert in 1998:
The singer found love again in Xavier Sánchez, and they have an adorable daughter together
Several years later, Ivy Queen found romance again with choreographer Xavier Sánchez, and has even described his “calm” love.
As per Huffington Post, the two reportedly began dating around 2010, and may have secretly married in August 2012. The rumor mill assured that two lovebirds married in an intimate ceremony in Miami — while others said they got married in Las Vegas. We may never know… but we do know that Ivy Queen recently called Sánchez “husband” in an Instagram comment.
Sánchez, who is known as @mahakavi_bhagwan on Instagram, often posts about his adoration for his wife. He recently wrote about her, “Celebration is something that lives in me everyday. Just opening my eyes gives me a reason to celebrate.”
Describing their “laughs” and “fun” together, he spoke directly to his wife, “I hope your desire to celebrate lasts forever. [And that] the light you have keeps spreading your goodness.”
There’s no doubt these two love to have a good time together. Sánchez posted a video of the two of them dancing, writing, “Here with my wife having fun. 🙏🏾” Another notable caption for his wife? When he once wrote about how much he loved her — and called her his “villain goddess.”
Speaking about her second husband, Ivy Queen told People en Español, “Xavier has been my balance, I have always been a determined woman and very strong.”
“[Sánchez] has taught me to have conversations without having arguments or discussions. That is the beautiful thing.”
She later said, “He is very calm. I hope every woman, when she finds a partner, can find someone like him. Someone she can learn from without feeling like less for it.” Swoon.
So, it’s safe to say these two have a dreamy relationship, and it just got better after they welcomed daughter Naiovy to the world.
In June 2013, Ivy Queen announced to the world that she was pregnant with her first daughter with Sánchez. She said at the time, “I am happy. I always wanted to be a mom.”
The singer gave birth to daughter Naiovy on November 25, 2013 in Miami, becoming a mother at 41 years old.
She later spoke to People en Español about motherhood: “I live every day with all the experiences Naiovy gives me, she is a little sponge for experiences.”
Adding, “One day she wants to do one thing, another day she wants to do something else. I follow her.”
And while Ivy Queen admits that being a working mom is “an emotional sacrifice,” she wouldn’t have it any other way. As she once put it, her daughter is “the person who is able to make [her] gray days into a rainbow,” and that she feels “invincible” when Naiovy looks at her.
In another IG post, the “Quiero Bailar” singer professed, “[Naiovy’s] love heals me and will always live in my heart! Every time we fall asleep hugging each other… my loved daughter, you make me feel immense.”
And well, please just look at this designer-decked cuteness:
