Prioritizing raising their two daughters and spending time with family was a major weight for the duo Tercer Cielo in their determination to say goodbye to the stage. In the marriage of Juan Carlos Rodríguez and Evelyn Herrera, sadness comes out when talking about the subject, but also the conviction that it is the best decision.
“It’s going to be very emotional and there’s going to be a lot of tears, but we have to do it,” the singer-songwriter said of the Trajectory & Farewell concert scheduled for February 25, 2023 at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in Puerto Rico. “It’s something we’ve been talking about for years. Evelyn told me: “I want to be with my daughters, I don’t want to leave them alone with anyone”. We knew the time would come,” he added in a phone interview from Dallas, Texas, where they reside.
Herrera confessed that it was a somewhat difficult reality to assimilate. “I’ll be honest with you. It was very emotional because I’m more sensitive and it was super difficult for me. There are so many experiences, so many people we have met, so many beautiful people, stories they have told us with our music that has disrupted their lives, how it has transformed their lives. It was amazing. It was very emotional,” emphasized the artist, who became part of the sacred music duo in 2007 after the departure of Marcos Yaroide in 2006.
“It’s something we’ve talked about for a long time. It’s hard because we are a couple and we have two girls who are now at an age where they need at least one of their parents there. I believe that family is our first service. This comes first,” the artist said of the decision, which put the well-being of Mía Channel, 13, and Aria Belle, 8, first. Rodríguez said that in the first few years after her daughters arrived, it was more bearable to deal with the commitments artistically, but now it is becoming more complex.
“It wasn’t easy because we’ve been singing together for many years. We have to realize that every time it is the father and mother who are traveling, leaving them in someone’s care, needing help or traveling with the whole family to take the girls out of school without their normal ones Have study activities, and so on that got to a point where you can’t anymore. That’s why we’re not saying goodbye to music, we’re saying goodbye to stages like Tercer Cielo, because there’s no way we can continue to travel and raise the girls.”
The composer shared that they received numerous reactions to the farewell from his followers. “It’s a shock. People from all over called us. They told us why, that we are very young and should move on. But our family is the most important thing,” he affirmed. “But we make it clear that as long as we are healthy to take up the plans, we are not retiring from the music going on. I will continue to record and Evelyn, later when she is a bit free from all her work as a mother, she will want to record too and I will be ready to continue and help her.”
The musical farewell event will only take place in Puerto Rico, although the performer is dying to take it to his country, the Dominican Republic, later. In the meantime, the duo, founded in 2000 and responsible for hits such as “I will miss you, I will believe”, “Take my hand” and “Don’t cry for me more for me”, is preparing for a musical one Evening in a country before that has greater meaning for the partner. Arizona-born Herrera reflected on the spark of love that was born on Puerto Rican soil.
“Puerto Rico holds a very special place in our hearts. That’s where I met Juan Carlos,” she said enthusiastically about the interaction that began when the singer of Mexican descent traveled to the island to record a few songs as a soloist. “Juan Carlos worked on this album. He made music, the songs, but when I met him he was really professional. I respect him very much and he respects me. We became good friends. That’s how it all started. I started to see it differently,” he added, sharing that working as a duo with a romantic relationship initially had its challenges.
“I think it’s easier now than when I started. I was 20 years old and Juan Carlos was 23, so it was difficult to separate the professional from the personal, and sometimes when he criticized me for a job, I thought, ‘How bad you are, you don’t love me,'” he admitted, laughing. . “But with so many years we’ve learned to deal with it. It’s easier now, we’ve found a way. I don’t take it personally anymore.”
The support of the Puerto Rican audience definitely served as a motivation to decide to say goodbye in the Colosseum, said the arranger, who was also responsible. “Puerto Rico was the nation that opened its doors to us in a big way for the first time. It’s a thank you. That’s why we want to do it there. Basically, it’s our house.” Without going into the details of the show, he announced that some colleagues will be on stage. “We have several guests. It’s going to be a very special production, basically, the trajectory, a Celebrating the race, all that people have allowed us to share with them over the years.
Speaking about their artistic footprint, they expressed pride in bringing words of encouragement to the audience. “All this music is very special,” said the performer. “People see our music as a form of therapy, regardless of the Christian message it carries. Receive peace, many times. The legacy each song leaves is special. It’s music that’s needed, that’s positive, that lifts people’s spirits. Those messages need to be out there. There are too many people with pain, depression, and not all the music that’s out there is helping,” he said emphatically, reaffirming a commitment to composing songs that aim to lift the spirits.
“Although we don’t travel anymore and people don’t see us that often anymore, we will record a lot of music and continue to upload it to the networks,” he assured. “I think that way, people will be a little bit happy because we’re not going to go away.”
Tickets are available through Ticketera.