Yesterday, Mexican singer and songwriter Juan Gabriel died of a heart attack at just 66 years old. He was a Latin American icon, at one time the highest-paid Spanish-language singer on Earth, a highly prolific artist who composed over 1,800 songs, put out 35 albums, and had his work performed by more than 800 artists in virtually all of the world’s languages. But beyond these impressive stats, he was an artist who succeeded in redefining a nation, a man who remained resolute in his dedication to representing his patria, even as his unabashedly effeminate persona defied its sexual mores.

In a 1998 interview with the LA Times, Juan Gabriel said, “American music has infiltrated the entire world enough as it is,” he says. “Mexican music must be defended, with vigilance. . . . My thoughts, my feelings, my spirit, they are all in Spanish. […] They say fame is important, and that maintaining your fame is even more important. But to me the most important thing is to deserve the respect of your fans.”

Juan Gabriel didn’t just defend Mexican music, he embodied it. And in the wake of his death his millions of fans have been paying him the respect he earned, with an outpouring of grief and tributes.  In the midst of this loss, a few writers, music industry figures, and cultural critics have beautifully articulated the import of El Divo de Juarez. Below, we share some of these reflections on Juan Gabriel’s legacy, and the void he leaves behind.