Esther Segarra forwarded this message from WhatsApp, showing photos with Joaquín Sabina to illustrate the strained dynamic that exists between them.
El Periódico de España, part of the Prensa Ibérica group, receives this text from Esther Segarra, manager of musician Pancho Varona. In the photos, Pancho Varona is seen laughing and hugging the Jaén-born singer, a gesture that contrasts with the tension described in the correspondence.
Joaquín Sabina and Esther Segarra appear together in a file photo caption.
Esther Segarra has become a central figure in this year’s cultural news cycle. The break is not a personal quarrel but a musical one, involving guitarist and composer Pancho Varona and singer Joaquín Sabina. The pair had collaborated for decades, starting in 1982. After 40 years, 40 tours, 15 albums, and about 100 songs, the team announced a separation. Varona announced on his Twitter account on November 15 that he would not join the next tour. He expressed deep gratitude for their shared work and the connection with fans, adding that he would not be on tour while emphasizing his ongoing support for those who had followed them for forty years. The message conveyed a sense of sadness rather than anger.
Fans reacted quickly, and the first responses emerged from two cultural journalists. One piece by Víctor Lenore in Vozpópuli and another by Juan Puchades in Efeeme offered background and history, arguing that Sabina and Varona had reached a cool, professional distance after years together. They discussed the different groups interpreting Sabina’s repertoire and suggested Sabina, along with his broader circle, stood against Varona. Esther Segarra, who has represented Varona since 2019, has been cited as a factor in the final break.
Varona has not given an interview to share his version, though Vozpópuli published a response in text form to their article. Segarra did not respond publicly. The conversation moves across borders, with passages from Mexico where Pancho Varona is touring and concluding in Spain, where they continue professional activities apart from Sabina. Some of the photos sent during the exchange show Sabina and Varona together, with Varona insisting that his relationship with Sabina remains positive.
– How did people learn that Sabina would perform without Varona on the tour for the first time after so many years of collaboration?
It remains surprising yet true that rumors had circulated. The forty-year record of Varona never missing a performance stands out, and Sabina had publicly stated he would not go on stage without Pancho. For fans, the breakup is a melancholy moment, marking the end of a long era.
– What factors pushed Varona to decide, and did he receive a direct call?
The reasons were not made explicit. When Pancho learned of the news, there did not appear to be a clear justification for his dismissal. The farewell felt abrupt. An email delivered the message that he would not be part of the tour that year.
– Some articles describe a long-standing, almost non-existent relationship between the two in recent years, emphasizing a professional, distant dynamic.
I do not recall a cold moment. On tour, Sabina’s dressing room was regularly visited. There was always warmth, jokes, and affection. Pancho and Sabina shared meals in Mexico and Argentina, visited Sabina at his hotel, and even spent evenings at Sabina’s Madrid home. On one occasion in Rota before the pandemic, a night was spent with friends while Sabina read some of his own writings to Pancho and Esther, inviting their thoughts. The atmosphere was convivial and collaborative, a vivid memory of their shared history.
Esther Segarra highlights the long-standing collaboration between Varona and Segarra with Sabina
– Another element in the conflict concerns tensions between the La Noche Sabinera group and Pancho Varona, with Sabina supporting the former at Varona’s expense in a power struggle. They have accused him of asserting himself as the true guardian of the core group.
– There was talk of a solo project that seemed to exclude Pancho, followed by Pancho pursuing his own path with a new band, La Banda del Pirata Cojo. Some felt the group had split and that each party should pursue its own direction. There was no official proclamation of leadership; the parties called themselves the authentic Sabinera band, and Pancho promoted a separate Sabinera project that emphasized its distinct identity rather than being a tribute. Each side began new ventures under different banners.
– A photo caption shows Esther Segarra and Pancho Varona on a trip, indicating a continuing professional connection despite the split.
– Some coverage described the dispute as a factor in the rift between Sabina and Varona. Pancho emphasizes that he only goes where the work takes him and that Sabina’s touring priorities have always shaped the schedule. His management balanced commitments to the old Sabinera group with Pancho’s solo work, allowing each to pursue their own projects as they saw fit.
– The narrative suggests a broader conflict about power and recognition within the group, with public commentary sometimes amplifying tensions. Pancho asserts that Sabina’s calendar has always been a top priority, and that any scheduling adjustments would have to respect his commitments to both Sabina and his own projects.
– Some remarks described the fallout during the pandemic period, when Pancho’s team faced tightened deadlines and travel restrictions. Even during strict lockdowns, they continued to perform in private settings and in regions where events were permitted, sustaining a busy pace that persisted into ongoing touring negotiations. The pandemic created a turning point that influenced later decisions about the future of their collaboration and the path forward for Pancho’s solo endeavors and for the broader Sabinera-related projects.
– Additional commentary noted a shift in staffing, with a friend of Pancho joining the hiring process and later leaving together with Pancho while the previous manager returned to other projects. Pancho later partnered with a new manager while maintaining the momentum of his solo work, signaling diverging professional trajectories and the coexistence of multiple priorities within the same artistic ecosystem.
– Antonia García de Diego appears as a third voice in the broader story. She commented on Sabina’s decision and suggested that Pancho’s current focus is less about making noise and more about honoring years of collaboration. The idea of retracing shared moments underscores the enduring bond between the musicians, even as professional paths diverge.
– In reflecting on the future, Segarra notes that the Varona-Segarra team will continue touring, including appearances in Mexico, which remains a favorite stop. They describe a repertoire mix and ongoing plans for new projects, including Pancho’s solo concerts in special venues and a new program called Punto y seguido, which will keep evolving as they move into the next phase of their careers.