RIP Zayda

With the rising numbers of Mexican musicians murdered in association with gang violence the songtress, Zayda Peña, 28, was one of the fallen. She was first attacked in her hotel room where she was shot and her manager and the hotel manager were killed. Zayda survived the attack and was hospitalized but her perpetrators wanted to finish the job. She was killed execution style while lying in her hospital bed on Saturday, December 1st. Shot in the throat, Zayda died instantly and the killer is still at large.

She isn’t the first musician in Mexico to be murdered by gang affiliates in the recent months, but it was one death that pulled at my heartstrings. Not only do we share the same first name but the grupero singer was young, beautiful, talented and highly respected and loved by her fans in Mexico and around the world. The lead singer of Zayda y los Culpables (Zayda and the Guilty Ones), no pun intended, her young life was brought to an end at the hands of violence and a disturbingly personal murder.

Ironically, grupero singers focus on love and exploitation of narcotics gangsters. The irony continues with one of Zayda’s most popular songs entitled “Tiro de Garcia”, the term used for the final shot to the brain in an execution-style killing. Mourning her death, especially at this time of year, could be very painful, so for all Zayda’s family, friends and fans this blog is dedicated to her life and the celebration of it.

I also give notice to Sergio Gomez, another Mexican musician killed at the hands of gang violence. In the time of Christmas it’s these tragedies that should remind us to be grateful and thankful for all we have right here, right now. Lets not get caught up in the future or the past but live in the present because as is the case with Zayda and Sergio, tomorrow is never a guarantee.

Check out Zayda’s video on youtube http://youtube.com/watch?v=OnvyFXCbwqk