FILIPINA singer Claire dela Fuente has passed away a week after testing positive for COVID-19. She was 62 years old.
Her son, Gigo de Guzman, confirmed in an Instagram video that she died due to cardiac arrest on Tuesday, March 30, at around 7 a.m., adding that his mother had suffered from anxiety after contracting the virus.
“My mom, Claire dela Fuente, died early this morning…from cardiac arrest, kasi overanxiety kasi na-confirm nga na mayroon siyang COVID (she had overanxiety because it was confirmed she had COVID). They tried to revive her but wala na talaga (but it was hopeless),” he said.
“Bigla-biglaan na lang (It happened without warning),” he added.
De Guzman also shared that he was in quarantine after also contracting COVID-19, lamenting that even with his condition, he wasn’t allowed to be with his mom in her tent outside the hospital.
Dela Fuente rose to fame in the 1970s after winning a singing competition and catching the attention of composer George Canseco, who got her to sing the Hope cigarettes jingle.
She recorded several OPM or Original Pilipino Music hits including “Sayang,” and “Nakaw na Pag-ibig.”
Dela Fuente was dubbed as “the Karen Carpenter of the Philippines,” as well as “Asia’s sweetest voice” during the peak of her career.
Aside from music, she was also involved in food and transport businesses.
Several OPM musicians have paid tribute to her on social media.
“Heard Claire dela Fuente died this morning. Condolences to her family. We performed together many times, she was proud to be called a Jukebox Queen. Rest In Peace, Claire,” said singer Leah Navarro in a tweet.
Singer Richard Poon also shared on Facebook a post about her death that said, “Isang OPM Icon na naman ang namaalam (Another OPM Icon has said goodbye). Rest in peace Claire dela Fuente.”
