Dulce, iconic Mexican singer and TV star, dies at 69

Dulce, a popular Mexican balladeer, soap star and TV personality known for the songs “Lobo,” “Tu Muñeca,” “Déjame Volver Contigo” and “Soy una Dama,” has died. She was 69.

The pop icon and “Siempre Reinas” reality star, whose name was Bertha Elisa Noeggerath Cárdenas, died Wednesday from health complications, according to the Associated Press. In early December, Dulce was admitted to a hospital in Mexico City for lung problems and underwent pleuropulmonary decortication surgery on Dec. 7, her team previously said. The procedure, also known as a pleurectomy, removes all or part of the thin membrane that surrounds the lungs as well as visible tumors from the chest cavity.

Her hospitalization came on the heels of her reluctantly postponing a series of concerts from her 2024 tour because of her health issues. She said in a Dec. 2 statement that she was treating a health condition that required care and rest.

“I am calm, in good hands and confident that I will soon be fully recovered,” she said in a Spanish-language statement at the time.

In a Christmas Day statement announcing her death Wednesday, Dulce’s family and team called her an exceptional artist and a wonderful person who left an indelible mark. The statement also asked the public to give them the space and understanding to grieve in privacy and peace during this difficult time.

Her sister, Isabel Noeggerath, also confirmed the singer’s death on Facebook, writing: “Sister, you are already with our mother in heaven singing to her, I will miss you, rest in peace, I love you.”

Dulce, one of Mexico’s famed female voices in the 1980s, made appearances on popular local TV shows and at international festivals and most recently starred in the Netflix reality show “Siempre Reinas.” She hailed from Matamoros, a city in the northern state of Tamaulipas and launched her career in Monterrey before moving to Mexico City. She started as a member of the band Toby y Sus Amigos in the 1970s, according to Remezcla, then teamed up with singer José Rómulo Sosa Ortiz, better known by his stage name José José.

She won the top prize at the Mallorca Music Festival in 1978 with “Señor Amor,” which was composed by Armando Manzanero.

Dulce also starred in several Spanish-language soap operas, beginning with “Muñeca Rota” in 1978. She also starred in 1999’s “Mujeres Engañadas,” the early 2000s’ “Las Vías del Amor,” “Mundo de Fieras,” “Muchachitas Como Tú.” She made her feature film debut in 1984 with “No vale nada la vida” and more recently starred in the TV series “Vencer la Culpa” and “Vecinos” and in a few episodes of “Quiéreme Tonto.”

“Today we remember a woman who not only achieved her dreams, but also inspired generations with her voice, her passion and her determination,” said a Thursday post on her Instagram. The post also featured a retrospective of Dulce’s career. “With a career that transcended borders and genres, Dulce became one of the most emblematic voices that Mexico has given … But beyond her talent and her success, Dulce was a woman who taught us to believe in ourselves, to pursue our dreams and to never give up. Thank you, Dulce, for your music, your inspiration and your legacy.”

On Friday, a mass will be held in her honor at the Basílica de Guadalupe in Mexico City.

“We invite you to join us in paying tribute to her memory and praying for her soul. Her memory will always live in our hearts,” the Noeggerath Cárdenas, Mírcoli Noeggerath, González and Mírcoli families said.