Jenni Rivera is best known for her hit albums in Spanish and
for producing several reality TV shows starring her family.
Who Was Jenni Rivera?
Jenni Rivera, a Mexican-American singer, rose to prominence
with albums such as La Diva En Vivo. Rivera had 15 gold records, 15 platinum
records, and 5 double platinum records. This singer-songwriter went on to
become a reality-TV star, businesswoman, and activist. On December 9, 2012, she
died in a plane crash at the age of 43.
Early Life
Rosa Saavedra and Pedro Rivera, Rivera's parents, discovered
they were expecting while illegally crossing from Mexico into the United
States. Jenni Rivera Saavedra, their daughter, was born on July 2, 1969, in Los
Angeles and was christened Dolores Janney Rivera Saavedra.
Teen Mom
Rivera's childhood was not easy. She became pregnant at the
age of 15 by Trino Marin, and her parents kicked her out. In 1984, she married
Marin and had two more children. Rivera described their eight-year relationship
as physically and mentally abusive. Despite this, she completed high school and
college while studying business. Her volatile marriage, however, caused
depression and two suicide attempts. Rivera eventually divorced her husband,
reconciled with her parents, and began working for her father's record label,
Cintas Acuario. She discovered a new dream there: singing.
Making Music
The aspiring musician met Juan López while performing in
bars. López was sentenced to six months in prison for smuggling immigrants
shortly after marrying him in 1997. The couple had two children after his
incarceration. However, López's infidelity led to the couple's demise in 2003.
While Rivera's marriage floundered, her music took off. She signed with the
label Fonovisa, and her debut single, "Que Me Entierren con la
Banda," was a hit. Rivera, who sings in Spanish, quickly became known as
"La Diva de la Banda" to her growing fan base.
Family Scandals
Rivera's time in the spotlight was cut short when she
discovered that her first husband had molested her daughters and sister. He
eluded capture for nine years before receiving a 30-year prison sentence in
2006. Her second husband was sentenced to ten years in prison for drug dealing
and died in prison in 2009. Despite these tragic events, Rivera continued to
release hit albums and receive Latin Grammy and Billboard nominations.
Three More Careers
Rivera's painful past influenced her transition from singing
to charity work. She was appointed spokeswoman for the National Coalition
Against Domestic Violence in 2010. She also established the Jenni Rivera Love
Foundation to assist victims of violence, children with cancer, and immigrants.
During this time, she rose to prominence after marrying
former baseball player Esteban Loaiza and starring in several reality-TV shows
with her family, including Jenni Rivera Presents: Chiquis & Raq-C (2010), I
Love Jenni (2011), and Chiquis 'n Control (2012). (2012). In addition to her
roles in these popular shows, she became a businesswoman, launching Jenni Jeans,
Divine Music, Divina Realty, Jenni Rivera Fragrance, and Divina Cosmetics.
Despite his numerous professional accomplishments, Rivera
filed for divorce again, while the press speculated about unconfirmed rumors of
an affair between Loaiza and the singer's daughter, Chiquis. Rivera stated in a
press conference about the split, "I am a woman like any other, and bad
things happen to all women. The number of times I've fallen is equal to the
number of times I've gotten back up."
Death
In a tragic turn of events, the 43-year-old star died in a plane crash shortly after that event on December 9, 2012. Her music, however, is her legacy; her 12 major-label albums sold more than 15 million copies. On the day of her memorial, her family requested that Latin radio stations play her song "La Gran Senora" (The Great Lady).