Particle.news
Download on the App Store
3 ARTICLES
·
4h ago

Manuel de la Calva, Co-Author of 'Resistiré' and Half of Dúo Dinámico, Dies at 88

His signature song became Spain’s unofficial lockdown anthem during the pandemic, decades after its 1988 release.

El Dúo Dinámico, en Barcelona, en el 2016.
Image
Image

Overview

  • Ramón Arcusa confirmed on the Dúo Dinámico account on X that De la Calva died Tuesday in Madrid at 88.
  • De la Calva said he conceived 'Resistiré' after hearing Camilo José Cela’s line “el que resiste... gana,” later finishing the lyric with journalist and songwriter Carlos Toro.
  • During Spain’s 2020 confinement, the song resurfaced in balcony singalongs and its total plays on Spotify were reported at 8.58 million.
  • Dozens of artists recorded a charity version for Cáritas and the duo ceded rights to the Comunidad de Madrid for public service advertising.
  • The track had earlier resonance in Argentina’s 2001 crisis and gained personal meaning during De la Calva’s 2007 cancer recovery, inspiring further adaptations such as a humorous 'Late Motiv' video.