María Mendiola, who sang the disco anthem ‘Yes Sir, I Can Boogie’, has died at the age of 69.
The singer, who was one half of the Spanish duo Baccara, died in Madrid surrounded by her family.
“My dear Maria, a wonderful artist but above all my friend left us today,” her bandmate Cristina Sevilla wrote on Instagram, announcing the news.
The Baccara music duo.
“I can only thank so much love for how I have received from you.”
READ ALSO: Nigerian Singer Bella Shmurda Deported From Ghana Over Assault
Mendiola formed Baccara with another singer, Mayte Mateos, in 1977 when they were both flamenco dancers entertaining tourists on the island of Fuerteventura.
The duo were talent-spotted by a record label executive, who signed them to RCA Records in the UK, and gave them ‘Yes Sir, I Can Boogie’ as their first single.
A breathy disco classic (which bore a noticeable similarity to Thelma Houston’s Don’t Leave Me This Way) it topped the charts in 10 European countries, including the UK.
It went on to sell more than 16 million copies – more than any girl group had ever achieved at the time.
Subsequently covered by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, The Fratellis and Goldfrapp, the song gained a new lease of life earlier this summer, after being adopted as Scotland’s unofficial anthem at the Euro 2020 football tournament.
Talking about the song, Mendiola had said she was touched that the song was still a part of people’s lives “after so many years”.
“I never thought I’d be in the charts again. I am not young any more but I guess it shows I can still boogie,” she said.
“The Scotland team has reminded people we exist, which is very nice.”
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
NNPCL reduces petrol price to ₦965 in Abuja. Independent marketers maintain higher prices, ranging from…
The Federal Government has declared Wednesday, Thursday and Jan.1, 2025 as public holidays. This was…
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, says the lifting of ban on mining…