Peruvian actor Carlos Alcántara paid an emotional musical tribute to his mother on live television on Saturday, August 8, just hours before her death.
The performance took place during the premiere of the 2026 season of the talent competition show Yo soy, broadcast in Peru by the Latina Televisión network.
Alcántara, who serves as a judge on the program, stepped away from the panel to perform dressed as Spanish singer Raphael alongside artist Josué Rivaldo.
The duo sang the track Amor mío during the broadcast while Alcántara's mother, Rosa Isabel Vilar Bazay, watched from her home amid declining health.
Neither the actor nor the production team knew at the time of the performance that Vilar, known affectionately as Doña Chavela or Chabela, would pass away later that night.
Tribute to a childhood idol
Before the program began, the former Pataclaun cast member looked directly into the camera to send greetings to his mother, sending her a kiss and calling her his beautiful mother.
After finishing the song, Alcántara explained to the audience that he had staged the presentation as a surprise tribute for his mother because of her fragile health, fulfilling her long-standing wish to see him perform as her favorite singer.
The relationship between the Spanish singer Raphael and the Alcántara family dated back to the actor's childhood, when Raphael became one of Vilar's greatest musical idols.
From a young age, Alcántara was encouraged by his mother to imitate the Spanish performer's songs during family gatherings and holiday celebrations.
For the season premiere, Alcántara chose to team up with Rivaldo, a past winner of Yo soy who earned acclaim on the show for his impression of Raphael.
Confirmation of loss and family grief
On Sunday, August 9, Alcántara formally confirmed the passing of his mother through a public message.
Production company Tondero also released a statement confirming the news and asking the public and media for discretion and respect toward the actor and his relatives during their period of mourning.
Writing on his official Instagram account, Alcántara shared a farewell note honoring his mother as an extraordinary woman who worked tirelessly to raise her children on her own.
He added that he would forever cherish the memory of her beautiful smile and sent her all his love.
Background and career context
Carlos Alcántara is one of Peru's most recognized actors and comedians, having gained national fame in the 1990s with the iconic comedy group Pataclaun before starring in major theatrical and film productions handled by Tondero.
The television show Yo soy is a long-running Peruvian talent format produced and aired by Latina Televisión, where contestants impersonate famous international and local musical icons before a panel of celebrity judges.
The tribute broadcast on Latina has since become a poignant final moment between the actor and his mother, marking a tribute rooted in family tradition just hours before her death.
