Gloria Trevi and Alejandra Guzmán were long considered rivals before it was announced in December 2016 that the Mexican pop idols would be uniting for a joint June 2017 concert at the Staples Center. That date turned into two sold-out shows and buzz that the two legendary performers would release a collaborative album and schedule a world tour. Versus was subsequently released in July and topped the Latin albums charts, and the Versus World Tour is nearing its conclusion with a show in April at the Hollywood Bowl. The album and tour represent significant landmarks for Trevi and Guzmán as well as their fans, who remained faithful as the two superstars weathered controversies and comebacks.
The singers, who both turned 50 in February, gained fame in the late ’80s with what were considered outrageous images at the time. Trevi, often referred to as the Madonna of the Mexican pop scene, was renowned for her untamed hair and attitude. Guzmán, the daughter of famed singers Enrique Guzmán and Silvia Pinal, distinguished herself with her raspy voice and independent spirit. Comparisons of the blonde Trevi and brunette Guzmán were inevitable, and that publicity didn’t hurt their careers. Publicity surrounding their personal lives would be less beneficial.
Trevi built her career on controversy. She made headlines in 1989 after flashing her underwear for the cameras on variety show Siempre en Domingo and snatching the host’s glasses from his face, getting banned from the network in the process. Her rebellious image followed her through the ’90s, but by 2000 she found herself embroiled in legal problems stemming from her ex-manager’s abusive behavior toward his clients and was incarcerated until she was absolved of liability. Guzmán’s personal life was marked by substance abuse and a troubled marriage, grist for the media as well.
Guzmán’s early hits such as “Eternamente Bella,” “Reina de Corazones” and “Mírala, Míralo” were in a pop punk vein, but she evolved her sound and garnered a reputation as the more authentically uninhibited of the two. Trevi’s followers imitated her style much like Madonna’s fans did early in her career. Her debut album ...Qué Hago Aquí? became massively popular based on the strength of songs such as “Satisfecha,” “Ultimo Beso” and “Dr. Psiquiatra,” the latter of which is part of her set on the Versus World Tour. Guzmán sets have included classic hits “Mírala, Míralo,” “Hey Guera” and “Día de Suerte.”
The singers also have a pair of hits from Versus to perform in concert in “Cuando un Hombre Te Enamora” and “Más Buena.” (They performed the latter at the Latin American Music Awards in October.) They play up their alleged rivalry in dramatic fashion for the fans in concert, but there is really nothing but affection between the two. At the conclusion of their second Staples Center show, Guzmán wiped a tear from Trevi’s face as they embraced, sharing a moment that only two pop icons of their stature and experience can truly understand.
Park Theater at Park MGM, 8 p.m. April 7, starting at $64.17 plus tax and fee. 844.600.7275
