Spanish singer Isabel Pantoja turns 70 on Sunday, a milestone that arrives after years of estrangement from her children and tentative signs the family may be reconciling.
Pantoja was once known for lavish birthday celebrations. In earlier years, midnight parties at the Hotel Don Pepe in Marbella drew fans who would sing happy birthday repeatedly as the clock struck twelve. Her son, then a young child known as Paquirrin and now called Kiko, would be brought on stage to kiss his mother at midnight, carried to the venue by his grandmother Dona Ana. Pantoja said at the time that Dona Ana lightened the boy’s blond hair with chamomile.
During those years, Pantoja was among Spain’s highest-paid performers, sharing top billing with Rocio Jurado at venues including the Hotel Don Pepe and the Tivoli theme park in Benalmadena. Her brother Agustin was building a solo career with an album called Fruta Prohibida.
Later, celebrations moved to her Cantora estate, where friends and fan club presidents would gather. Pantoja was known for preparing gazpacho herself. Julian Munoz, who served as alderman and then mayor of Marbella during a period linked to the Operacion Malaya corruption investigation, became the organizer of increasingly extravagant gatherings after his separation from Mayte Zaldivar. Gifts included livestock, luxury handbags, and jewelry purchased from the Gomez y Molina jeweler in Marbella.
This year is different. The singer’s recent years brought a long estrangement from Kiko and her daughter Chabelita, leaving her inner circle limited to her friend Cristina, her brother Agustin, and her mother, who has since died.
When Kiko suffered a stroke, Pantoja moved into his home to care for her granddaughters while he recovered in hospital. Sunday’s gathering is expected to include Lola, the DJ’s girlfriend, a new presence in the family’s life that appears to signal a fresh start.
