Celia Cruz Honored In Today’s Google Doodle

Celia Cruz, the late “Queen of Salsa,” was honored by Google Doodle today, on what would have been her 88th birthday.

In the doodle, a colorful drawing of Cruz decked out in her customary flamboyant style, complete with peacock feathers, takes over the place of the second “g” in Google. The remaining letters possess a lined effect, which calls to mind the grooves on a record.

Cruz broke out into the spotlight in her native Cuba in 1950 with dance orchestra La Sonora Matancera. While touring with the group in 1960, Cruz found herself in America and would never return to Cuba, as the Cuban Revolution had already begun. In the States, Cruz launched a solo career with Tito Puente and became as well known for her “azúcar!” outbursts as for her moniker “The Queen of Salsa.”

The legendary singer continued to produce new music into her 70s, and won a Latin Grammy in 2001 at the age of 75 for her record “La Negra Tiene Tumbao.” She passed away two years later at the age of 77 after a battle with brain cancer.

“There have been many posthumous tributes to Celia in these last ten years, but this one by Google is certainly one of the most important and far-reaching," said Omer Pardillo-Cid, executor of the Celia Cruz Estate, in a press release. "She would have loved it!"

– Chelsea Regan

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