Tongo (entertainer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tongo
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
José Abelardo Gutiérrez Alanya
24 September 1957 El Tambo, Huancayo, Peru
|
| Died | 10 March 2023 (aged 65) Lima, Peru
|
| Other names |
|
| Spouse(s) | Gladys Lupinta |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Chicha, comedy rock, parody |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, entertainer, YouTuber, humorist |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1980–2022 |
| YouTube information | |
| Genre | Music, comedy, vlogs, entertainment |
| Subscribers | 1.13 million |
| Total views | 121 429 897 views |
| TikTok information | |
| Followers | 117.4 thousand |
| Likes | 1.2 million |
| Page Display Name | Gutierrez Abelardo |
| Page Direct URL | tongoperu |
|
Last updated: 17 May 2022 |
|
José Abelardo Gutiérrez Alanya (born September 24, 1957 – died March 10, 2023), known as Tongo, was a famous Peruvian singer and entertainer. He started his music journey in 1980. Tongo became well-known for singing Peruvian cumbia, a popular type of music.
He became nationally famous with his song "La pituca" (The Posh Girl). This song talked about social differences. In 2010, a Peruvian newspaper called El Comercio said Tongo was one of Peru's most popular artists.
Contents
Tongo's Rise to Fame
Tongo was very good at connecting with the media in Peru. He often used his popularity for ads and even political campaigns. He had a special friendship with journalist Jaime Bayly. This friendship helped Tongo become even more famous. He often appeared as a guest on Bayly's TV show.
Tongo's fame grew a lot in 2008. He released a funny English version of "La pituca." This version was known for its funny mistakes in words and translations. It became even more popular than the original song. It was a huge hit on YouTube.
Since then, Tongo continued to make people laugh. He created funny cover versions of popular songs. These included "Ai Se Eu Te Pego" and Justin Bieber's "Baby." He also covered Psy's "Gangnam Style" and Linkin Park's "Numb." Later, he covered songs like "Rap God" by Eminem and "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson.
Musical Journey
Early 2010s Music
In 2011, Tongo released a cover of The Beatles' song "Let it Be." He called his version "Lady bi." This was his first English cover song. He even performed it at Peru's Teleton event that year.
However, his biggest hit in 2011 was his cover of Justin Bieber's "Baby." This cover quickly became popular online. It helped Tongo get back into major music events in Peru. Another famous singer, Gian Marco Zignago, praised Tongo for his funny cover. Both "Lady bi" and "Baby" followed the style of "La pituca (en Ingles)." They purposely used English words incorrectly for humor.
YouTube Covers in 2017
In late 2016, Tongo covered "Chop Suey" by System of a Down. This cover got a lot of attention on YouTube and in the news. After that, Tongo covered Linkin Park's "Numb."
When Linkin Park visited Peru, Mike Shinoda from the band saw Tongo's cover. He joked about how amazing it was. Two weeks later, Shinoda even shared Tongo's song on his Twitter page. On July 20, 2017, after Chester Bennington from Linkin Park passed away, Tongo announced he would honor him. He released a cover of Linkin Park's "In the End" on August 27, 2017.
Tongo on TikTok in 2020
In May 2020, Tongo started using TikTok. He uploaded a video to YouTube telling people to find him there. His first TikTok video was on May 14, 2020. He used the username "tongoperu." Since then, he gained many followers. He uploaded new videos almost every day.
Livestreaming for Health
From 2021 until his death in 2023, Tongo's health got worse. He started doing live streams on YouTube. He asked for donations to help pay for his medical care. During these streams, he would sing a song for viewers who donated money. Someone often helped him with these streams, which seemed to be from a phone.
Personal Life
In 2010, Jaime Bayly announced that Tongo would be the godfather of his third child. Tongo was very happy about this. He even joked that he could predict the future. He said the child would be a boy and a future soccer player for Sporting Cristal.
Tongo lived in Miraflores District, Lima. He passed away on March 10, 2023, at 65 years old. He died from kidney failure, which was made worse by diabetes.
See also
In Spanish: Tongo para niños
