Two queens of Latin music are coming together for this year’s Calle Ocho Live festival. Puerto Rican icon Ivy Queen will perform a virtual duet with late Cuban legend Celia Cruz.
“Celia Cruz stands out for her powerful voice, talent, stage presence, and eccentricities,” said Ivy Queen in a statement. “I’m honored to sing one of Celia’s songs with her because she captivated me from the moment I first heard her incredible voice. She is synonymous with the highest values, sacrifices, and empowerment that music gives all of us. ¡Viva Celia Cruz, the queen!”
The Calle Ocho Live festival will be taking place online this year on Oct. 4. For the virtual !Azúcar!, the queen of reggaetón will be recording one of the queen of salsa’s biggest hits. The song and the festival will be produced by Kiwanis of Little Havana, RetroPop Media, and Atlantino.
“Celia’s biggest wish was that her name be kept alive for future generations and this special performance with an artist with the stature of Ivy Queen is something that will keep her glorious legacy going for decades to come,” said Omer Pardillo Cid, the president of the Celia Cruz Foundation, in a statement.
The Calle Ocho Live festival will be happening as part of this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations. Fans will be able to see the festival and virtual duet streaming on all digital platforms like YouTube, Twitter, Periscope, TikTok, and Twitch.
UPDATE: Due to technical difficulties, Calle Ocho Live will re-air the full show including the highly anticipated virtual duet with Ivy Queen and Celia Cruz tonight.