Samir Collantes, the young musical director and keyboardist of Peruvian cumbia group Puro Sentimiento, has died unexpectedly, the band owned by singer Christian Domínguez announced.
The ensemble confirmed Collantes's passing in a statement shared on its official social media accounts, prompting an outpouring of grief and farewell messages from fellow musicians and colleagues who had shared the stage and long working days with him.
In its social media post, Puro Sentimiento did not disclose the cause of the young musician's sudden death. Collantes had celebrated his birthday only a few months earlier, an occasion the group had marked with an affectionate public greeting across its digital platforms.
Tribute from Puro Sentimiento and La Gran Orquesta
A joint farewell statement mourning Collantes was published on the social media channels of both Puro Sentimiento and La Gran Orquesta, the two cumbia ensembles led by Domínguez. In the message, his bandmates remembered him as someone who meant far more to the organisation than a workplace colleague.
The two groups wrote in their statement that they were losing not only an extraordinary musician, but also a brother. They highlighted the years they had spent performing together on stage and said his memory would remain with everyone in the orchestra.
Addressing the late musical director in their tribute, the bands stated that his talent, his friendship and his love for music would live on forever in each person who had the privilege of knowing him. They thanked him for everything he had given and added that they would always remain his family and that his music would never stop playing among them.
Puro Sentimiento and the Peruvian cumbia scene
Puro Sentimiento and La Gran Orquesta are prominent touring acts within Peruvian cumbia, one of the country's most widely followed music genres. The style blends Colombian cumbia rhythms with Andean melodies and modern tropical arrangements, relying on large live orchestras that pair front-line vocalists with full instrumental sections.
Within these ensembles, the keyboardist and musical director holds a central creative and operational role. Keyboards drive many of the signature melodic hooks and harmonic backing in Peruvian cumbia, while the musical director oversees rehearsals, shapes live arrangements and coordinates the musicians on stage during concerts and television broadcasts.
Domínguez is a well-known Peruvian cumbia singer, bandleader, actor and television personality who has fronted and managed multiple tropical music groups over his career. He is married to Peruvian television host and entertainment personality Karla Tarazona.
Christian Domínguez reaction and América Hoy appearance
Domínguez had not issued a public statement of his own regarding Collantes's death at the time of the announcement. However, the singer reacted to the news on social media by liking the post in which Puro Sentimiento informed followers of the musical director's passing.
The announcement came shortly after Domínguez and the members of Puro Sentimiento appeared together on Thursday, November 5 on the Peruvian morning television show América Hoy, where the group presented an unreleased song during the broadcast. América Hoy is a weekday morning entertainment programme in Peru that regularly features live musical performances by national recording artists.
