Kriti Mehrotra
Directed by María Jose Cuevas, Netflix’s ‘Juan Gabriel: I Must, I Can, I Will’ is a documentary series delving deep into the life and career of the titular Latin music industry legend. With a career spanning over 45 years as well as 1,800 songs, the proud singer-songwriter not only broke norms but created new ones that became the standard for those after him. Therefore, of course, the documentary series also touches upon those who helped him thrive, amongst whom was none other than his manager of two decades, María de la Paz Arcaraz.
María de la Paz Arcaraz Was No Stranger to the World of Latin Music
It was reportedly on November 29, 1928, when María de la Paz Genesta Contreras was born in Mexico City, Mexico, where she grew up surrounded by affection, joy, and music. She thus ended up pursuing a career in the same industry, albeit at a different level – she honed her natural skills of management and organization before evolving into a talent agent. Little did she know she would soon become one of the most significant behind-the-scenes figures as the wife of renowned composer Luis Arcaraz Torras and manager of Juan Gabriel.
María and Luis actually tied the knot in a beautiful, intimate ceremony on August 2, 1950, with the musician giving his bride the song “Muchas Gracias Mi Amor” as a wedding gift. The couple settled down in the suburbs of their hometown, aka The City of Palaces, where they happily welcomed two children into the world: María Luisa Arcaraz and Luis Arcaraz Jr. Unfortunately, tragedy soon struck as Luis sadly passed away at the age of 52 in 1963. As per records, he died in a car accident near San Luis Potosí while on his way back home.
That’s when María really zeroed in on her career, not only as solace but also to provide for her two young ones, and she thrived thanks to her connections as well as experiences. She had no idea the journey was just beginning for her as she subsequently came across then-rising singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel (real name Alberto Aguilera Valadez) in the 1970s. The mother of two was so enamored by his innocent charm as well as raw talent that she couldn’t help but sign on as his manager, which kickstarted a working relationship of a lifetime.
María de la Paz Arcaraz Was Like a Mother Figure to Juan Gabriel
According to the original production, María and Juan just clicked from the first time they met, resulting in them being able to build an unwavering brand in the industry together. Her affection, care, honesty, and support actually gave him a sense of peace since he reportedly never once had that from his own family, driving him to begin seeing her as a mother figure. This led to them growing closer with each passing year until they were spending almost every day together – they had truly become like family, so they even spent holidays together.
In fact, as per the 4-part show, María’s grandchildren had also started referring to Juan as uncle, whereas both he and his children saw her as a safe space for their every emotion. On a professional level, she was essentially the architect of his image since she meticulously took care of everything from his clothing and diet to his public appearances and media exposure. She even played a role in fulfilling his touring ambitions by booking all his dream venues across the globe, which the musician showed appreciation for by writing a song for and named after her.
“María de la Paz” was released as a single from Juan’s 17th studio album ‘Con Tu Amor’ in 1981, with its lyrics expressing all his gratitude towards his manager turned friend, María. However, their connection came to an abrupt halt in the 1990s as they parted ways following a legal dispute – she was accused of stealing money intended for tax debts after the sale of a property. In the end, the matter was settled, but it had already taken its toll on the respect as well as trust María and Juan had once shared, so it took them until 2014 to finally reconcile in private.
María de la Paz Arcaraz Passed Away in 2016 Too
It was on August 28, 2016, when Juan suddenly died from a heart attack in Santa Monica, California, where he had performed in concert just the evening prior – he was 66 at the time. This news was broken to María by her daughter and granddaughter in person – the duo had traveled to the former talent manager’s home in Mexico City to ensure she wouldn’t be alone. According to her daughter, María Luisa Arcaraz, she shattered the moment she heard and couldn’t put herself back together again because that is how deep her bond with him went.
María Luisa stated in the aforementioned series that he mother was in perfect health until that time – she was traveling, spending quality time with loved ones, and embracing her hobbies. However, she was hospitalized within 5 days of Juan’s death, and she followed him to heaven less than a month later, leaving behind her daughter, her grandchildren, and countless admirers. In other words, María de la Paz Arcaraz sadly died sometime in September 2016, with her son also having precceded her, as he passed away in 2011 due to complications from a stroke.
