American singer Rebekah Del Rio has died at the age of 57.
The artist was famed for her performance of Llorando in David Lynch’s critically acclaimed 2001 movie Mulholland Drive.
Rebekah, who grew up in San Diego but was of Mexican, Italian and Sephardic heritage, was found dead at her Los Angeles home on June 23.
The cause of her death remains unknown. Her passing comes 16 years after her son, Phillip C. DeMars, sadly died of cancer aged 23 in 2009.
The singer’s nephew, Dan Coronado, confirmed her death through a Facebook post, stating: ‘Just found out my Tia Becky passed away, and we literally just saw her on Father’s Day.’
American singer Rebekah Del Rio (pictured) has died at the age of 57. Her cause of death remains unknown
Rebekah died on June 23 after being found at her Los Angeles home
‘So grateful the kids got to hear her sing. and also that I didn’t listen to her and secretly recorded the moment.
‘Her most famous song is titled ‘Llorando’ which is named after Roy Orbison’s song ‘Crying’ which I’m doing right now as I type this out.
‘Thank you for sharing your beautiful gift with the world. We love you.’
Rebekah had taken to the stage at a live charity screening of Mullholland Drive in LA just a couple of weeks before her death.
Her performance of the Spanish version of Crying featured in a famous scene in the film.
Del Rio is seen performing at a club in the scene, where she collapses as the movie’s lead actors, Naomi Watts and Laura Harring, watch tearfully.
In a 2022 interview, the singer revealed that she recorded the track for David Lynch before filming for the movie began.
‘There were many takes,’ she told IndieWire.
The San Diego-native singer gained fame for her rendition of Llorando, a Spanish version of Roy Orbison’s “Crying,” in the 2001 film Mulholland Drive (Pictured: Laura Harring and Justin Theroux in the film).
Del Rio had performed at a charity screening of the famous film just two weeks before her sad death earlier this week
She went onto work with Mullholland Drive director David Lynch – who sadly died earlier this year – on further occasions
‘And with every take I sang along because I felt I had to produce that same feeling with the vibrato in my throat so the audience could see it.
‘I also wanted the beautiful girls on the balcony, Laura and Naomi, to experience it live. They were present while I was doing my scene, so I sang to them.’
She went on to sing for Mullholland Drive director Lynch on further occasions, including in a revival series of Twin Peaks: The Return.
Following her sad passing this week, fans flooded to X to pay tribute to Del Rio.
They wrote: ‘Just learned that Rebekah Del Rio passed away a few days ago. RIP to an incredible voice’,
‘One of the greatest artistic experiences of my life (her scene in the film). I didn’t know much about her outside of this, and Southland Tales, and that’s my point. Never understood why she wasn’t a household name’,
‘This is sad. Rebekah Del Rio had a stunning voice’,
‘RIP Rebekah Del Rio. Just like in Mullholland Drive, her voice keeps going when she’s not there, and what a voice it is. Grateful to have seen her on the big screen the other month’,
Rebekah’s nephew praised her ‘beautiful gift’ following her passing, saying he was ‘so grateful the kids got to hear her sing’
Supporters of Rebekah took to X after her passing to pay tribute. ‘Just like in Mullholland Drive, her voice keeps going when she’s not here’, one wrote
‘I had the immensely good fortune to witness Rebekah Del Rio sing live at @RioTheatre two years ago.
‘And yes, she also sang the Mullholland Drive song as well as the one from Southland Tales.
RIP to such a bright and brilliant artist’.
Del Rio had lived with grief in her later life after the passing of her son Phillip from cancer at the age of just 23 in 2009.
She told the Guardian in 2023: ‘My voice lends itself to that sadness because I carry a lot of grief inside.’
Rebekah’s passing comes just months after David Lynch – who also directed Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet – died at the age of 78.
After battling a period of ill health, Lynch’s family announced his passing in January of this year.
‘It is with deep regret that we, the family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch.’
It was later announced that the film director had died of a cardiac arrest due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
