“Cuando yo quiera has de volver”: Configuraciones de masculinidad y feminidad en las canciones de Juan Gabriel para Rocío Dúrcal

Abstract

Recent studies about the popular Mexican singer Juan Gabriel have contributed to understanding his artistic proposal as a hybrid mixture: traditional patriarchal discourse combined with ambiguous, avant-garde performance. These studies have positioned his work as a field of study in academia, also exploring his compositions for female singers. One of them, perhaps the most relevant given her long personal and professional bond with Juan Gabriel, is the Spanish singer Rocío Dúrcal. This article focuses on the configurations of masculinity and femininity present in the construction of a female character in song and her experiences of love. Whereas Juan Gabriel’s songs are originally influenced by Mexico’s traditional concept of masculinity, it is unclear whether this ultimately transfers to the lyrics created for Dúrcal. To clarify this point, this article aims to answer the following: To what extent is Mexico’s hegemonic masculinity present in this repertoire? And can these female protagonists emancipate themselves, or do they remain submissive to male authority?