Music World Suffers Loss with Death of La 'Diva de la Banda'

By Alicia Cruz 
The Black Urban Times 

La “Diva de la Banda” otherwise known as Jenni Rivera, Mexican-American singing sensation, died early Sunday morning in a fiery plane crash near Iturbide, Nuevo León, México.

Born Jenny Dolores Rivera Saavedra, on July 2, 1969 in Long Beach, California, Rivera began recording for the banda and norteña music scenes around 1992.



Rivera, who used relationship woes such as infidelity along with social issues as her music backdrop, exploded onto the music scene in 2008 with her self-titled album, "Jenni." It would go on to become her first number-one album as it climbed it's way up the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart in the United States.

Actor Edward James Olmos released a statement concerning Rivera's unexpected death saying she was on the road to success and would be missed.  

"The world lost an extraordinary talent in the realm of Judy Garland, Barbara Streisand, and Frank Sinatra, who took their singing artistry and became dramatic artists in film and television. Jenni Rivera was destined to surpass any artist that we have ever seen coming from the Mexican American culture. She was just starting. My love to her family, especially her children and her mother and father," said Olmos.

Throughout her illustrious musical career, Rivera sold over 15 million albums worldwide and was nominated for awards at the 2003, 2008 and 2010 Latin Grammy Awards ceremony. The 43-year-old mother of five was a producer of the Mun 2 reality TV show, "Chiquis and Raq-C," which starred her eldest daughter, Janney Marin.

Later, she coached contestants during the second season of the Mexican talent show "La Voz... México."

WATCH RIVERA LIVE ON STAGE
courtesy of CBS2

"We are shocked and devastated by the tragic loss of our friend and colleague Jenni Rivera. She was a uniquely talented woman and an inspiration to millions, especially those of us who were lucky enough to work with her," said a statement written on behalf of Rivera's co-stars, directors and producers of her first film (due out this Spring), "Filly Brown."

 The letter went on to say, "Though she’ll be remembered as an iconic singer, she was also a powerful actress whose full range of talents the world was just beginning to discover. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her children and family."

A Mexican aviation official said it is still too early into their investigation to say what exactly caused the Learjet 25 to crash after it took off from Monterrey at 3:25 a.m. headed for Toluca, near Mexico City.

Alejandro Argudin, of Mexico’s civil aviation agency, said within 10 days the agency would have a preliminary report, which would likely tell them why the plane, built in 1969 and registered to Starwood Management of Las Vegas, Nevada, disappeared and crashed.

 "We’re in the process of picking up the fragments and we have to find all the parts," said Argudin.

Aboard the flight were two pilots and five passengers, including Rivera. Once reaching the site of the crash, Mexican officials confirmed that all passengers aboard were killed.

Air Traffic Controllers from General Mariano Escobedo International Airport in Monterrey say they lost contact with the private Learjet approximately 10 minutes after it left the airport.