Fans Are Mourning the Loss of ‘Volveré’ Singer Diego Verdaguer, Who Died at 70 From COVID-19 Complications

The Buenos Aires singer and musician Diego Verdaguer died at 70 years old from COVID-19 complications on Friday, January 28. Leaving behind his wife, singer Amanda Miguel, and their daughter Ana Victoria, Verdaguer’s passing has profoundly impacted the Latino community and beyond.

The “Volveré” singer was also a composer and a producer, and famously played both the trumpet and the bandoneón, which is an instrument similar to the accordion often found in Argentinian tango. Verdaguer’s accomplishments will be remembered within the music world forever: he was nominated for three Latin Grammys, went multi-platinum, and sold over 20 million records.

The “Corazón de Papel” singer-songwriter was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and began a professional music career at just 14-years-old upon meeting fellow singer Larry Moreno.

Verdaguer and Moreno soon became the famous duo Reno and Rino in the 60s, and Verdaguer soon went on to embark on a solo career at 17-years-old with his 1968 single “Lejos del Amor.”

Gaining notoriety, he sang at the III Festival Buenos Aires de la Canción and was hired by the Argentinian TV channel El Trece to regularly perform on their show, “El Sótano Beat.” By the early 70s, he participated in other music festivals and competitions in both Mexico and Argentina, was officially signed to a label, and went on to sell more than two million copies in his home country.

While Verdaguer was born in Buenos Aires, he was a naturalized Mexican citizen, and was especially popular throughout Mexico.

In fact, his 1976 album “Volveré” rose the charts in both Argentina and Mexico, going multi-platinum and cementing him as a famous figure throughout Latin America. With his fame sky-rocketing and his album selling more than five million units, the singer-songwriter kept traversing new genres with his compositions. 1981’s “Estoy Vivo” brought us all romantic baladas like “Corazón de Papel” and “Que Sufras Más,” and his 1982 album “Coco Loco” blended rock, soul, and funk into his signature smooth compositions.

The “Usted Que Haría” musician continued to chart throughout Latin America for years, with the 1986 song “Pájaro Que Comió, Voló” hitting number one in both the U.S.’s Latin chart and Mexico.

He started his own label called Diam Music, and toured through both Latin America and Europe – his tours throughout Mexico with wife Amanda Miguel were especially notable (it was called “The Best Romantic Show in America” for a reason!). By the 2000s, Verdaguer famously took a deep-dive into ranchera music with his album “Mexicano Hasta Las Pampas,” going multi-platinum in both Mexico and the U.S., and earning him two Latin Grammy nods.

Verdaguer’s family posted the devastating news on his Instagram account, writing, “with absolute sadness… our beloved Diego left his body today, to continue his journey and creativity in another form of eternal life.” The Verdaguer Miguel family continued, “the entire family is submerged in pain, so we appreciate your understanding in these difficult times.” The singer-songwriter contracted COVID-19 back in December and was hospitalized.

The singer’s last post on his Instagram account was dedicated to his eternal love Amanda Miguel, posting a photo of the two with lyrics from his song “La Ladrona.” He captioned it, “I’ll never get tired of dedicating it to you! You are and will be the thief that robbed my heart.”

Over on Twitter, he recently talked about his journey: “all my life, I’ve been embraced by incredible human beings who have shown me the value of the little things.” He also regularly posted positive anecdotes and tips, such as, “there’s always something to be thankful for, always something to admire.” 

Fans and fellow celebrities alike are heartbroken by the news of Verdaguer’s death, taking to social media to talk about his impact on them.

One fan wrote, “I’m tired of great artists passing away.  Grew up listening to him as a kid… dep #DiegoVerdaguer,” while another Twitter user is all of us right now: “I just found out Diego Verdaguer passed away, now I’m crying to “Volveré.” Another user can’t stop thinking about his wife Miguel: “Driving to the grocery store with my ma and all she has been talking about… [is] how crushed Amanda Miguel must be because of his passing.”

Meanwhile, Mexican actor Omar Chaparro commented on the Verdaguer family’s announcement with shock: “I still can’t believe this!!!”

Iconic singer Yuri also commented, writing, “My God I can’t believe it, eternal Father, my prayers go out to Amanda and the whole family.”

Mexican actress Kika Edgar dedicated an Instagram post to the singer, captioning it with, “fly high beloved Diego! You will keep capturing our hearts with your music and the memory of your smile! I have faith that one day we will see each other again!” She also sent a message of strength to the singer’s family. Meanwhile, Vedaguer’s daughter Ana Victoria captioned the announcement of the passing on her own Instagram with simply, “Papi #restinpeace” and an infinity symbol.

With such an incredible, long-lasting career full of self-written compositions and an outstanding vocal range that made us smile and tear up all at once, Verdaguer will be missed by loved ones and fans around the world.