Celia Cruz Comes Back to Life Via Satellite on SiriusXM
Since September 16, SiriusXM satellite radio has been broadcasting a new, exclusive channel dedicated to the universal diva of salsa music, Cuban Celia Cruz, on the centenary of her birth, which falls on October 21, 2025. Celia is the foremost exponent of the music, culture, and spirit of Latinos around the world, generation after generation.
Celia Cruz is not “an” inspiration but ‘THE’ INSPIRATION—in capital letters—for musicians and lovers of Latin music of all generations. Her legacy endures through the ages in her songs, boundless energy, voice, and famous exclamation, “¡Azúcar!”, a symbol of celebrating life with rhythm, joy, and passion. SiriusXM satellite radio (160 million listeners) has been broadcasting this monographic channel “Celia Cruz ¡AZÚCAR!” for a year. “It will probably broadcast for longer,” Omer Pardillo, executor and president of the Celia Cruz Foundation, tells Sol de Medianoche. SiriusXM broadcasts Celia’s hits, along with songs by contemporaries and musicians influenced by her work, such as Angélique Kidjo, Buena Vista Social Club, Gloria Estefan, Marc Anthony, Tito Puente, Tito Nieves, La India, and the Fania All Stars, among others. Celia is the first Afro-Latina to be featured on U.S. legal tender. A 25-cent coin bears her iconic exclamation “¡Azúcar!” and is now valued at $100 for collectors. “The coin is in circulation, but you hardly ever see it because when you get one, you keep it,” says Omer Pardillo. Celia’s influence extends to Generation Z. Every month since February 2025, 26-year-old Latina Elisa Baena has organized “Salsa Z,” a hugely successful event for learning to dance salsa, held at the popular ZeyZey bar and music venue in Little Haiti, Miami, Florida. More than 300 young people under the age of thirty participated in the last event. |