Suylén Milanés

Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel, expressed his condolences over the death of Cuban musician Suylén Milanés, who died of a stroke Sunday, January 30th in Havana at the age of 50.

Diaz-Canel wrote on his Twitter account: ‘Sad, painful news. Our condolences to the family and friends of Suylén Milanés Benett, the vocalist of several renowned bands, an acclaimed soloist, who stood out in the artistic world for her tireless work as a cultural promoter, specially of women artists.’

She was hospitalized last Thursday at the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery in Havana.

Also the Cuban record company, (Egrem), joined the expressions of sorrow for her death.

“It is with deep regret that we learned today of the death of Suylén Milanés, an outstanding performer and music producer. We say goodbye to this passionate, enterprising and talented woman. Lots of light for her soul,” EGREM wrote on Twitter.

One of the three daughters of famed singer-songwriter Pablo Milanés, Suylén carved out a name for herself in the Cuban cultural world. A tireless and prodigal creator, she opted for alternative Cuban music, especially electronic music and Afro-Cuban rhythms.

Also a tireless cultural promoter, she created the Cuban electronic music festival “Eyeife”, which flooded its headquarters in Havana’s Almendares park every year. The latest edition, in 2021 though, was held online due to the covid-19 pandemic.

In 2009, Suylén took over as director of the Propositions Office, attached to the PM Records cultural institution founded in 1998 by her father, a space from which musical, record and audiovisual productions are made, as well as the design and implementation of advertising campaigns, development of corporate identities and organization of events in general, among other services.

As a singer, she was the leading voice of the musical group Yarini’s sessions, and collaborated also with the band Tesis de Menta, as well as with singer-songwriters Carlos Varela, Yussa, José Luis Barba, Raúl Torres and also with her two sisters –the also musicians Haydée and Lynn Milanés.

Suylén created the Somos project, which brings together enterprising women in various fields of the music world: businesswomen, producers, vocalists, composers, sound engineers, dancers and directors.