Argentine folk singer Mercedes Sosa, recognized as “the voice of Latin America,” died on Sunday at the age of 74. She was in the hospital for more than two weeks with liver problems. Previously, she was suffering from kidney failure and cardiac arrest.
Her remains lay in state at the National Congress, where thousands of people in Argentina lined up to pay their respects with flowers and Argentine flags.
Sosa was famous for her signature tunes, such as “Gracias a la Vida” and “Si se Calla el Cantor.” Her latest album, Cantora 1, is nominated for three Latin Grammy awards, including “Album of the Year” and “Best Folkloric Album”
Sosa was one of the few women to popularize the "nuevo cancionero" movement in music, known as the art of uniting politics with poetry in music. Many of her songs discussed stopping war, ending poverty, and discovering peace after the loss of a loved one. Sosa recorded more than 70 albums and won two Latin Grammys.
Her fellow Argentineans continue to mourn Sosa’s death and celebrate her life by playing some of her iconic tracks throughout the country.
