Singing was 'way of life' for Il Divo's Carlos Marin

NEW YORK • Spanish singer Carlos Marin, a member of Il Divo, the hit multinational quartet, died in Manchester, England, on Sunday, according to the music group and local news reports. He was 53.

"It is with heavy hearts that we are letting you know our friend and partner, Carlos Marin, has passed away," Il Divo wrote in a post on Twitter.

"He will be missed by his friends, family and fans. There will never be another voice or spirit like Carlos," Il Divo added. The group did not specify a cause of death.

Marin was admitted to the intensive care unit of a hospital in Manchester on Dec 8, where he was intubated and put in an induced coma, according to a report on Spanish television.

He had already had Covid-19 last year.

After suffering the disease, he expressed in a video his relief, as well as hope, that this would help protect him from another infection.

"I'm lucky enough to be now immune. I'm taking great care of myself, I wear my mask, they will force us to get vaccinated and I hope things relax and they allow us to work," he said in the video posted last December.

Marin was born in Russelsheim, a German city about 48km southwest of Frankfurt, on Oct 13, 1968.

At eight years old, he released his first album.

Later, he moved with his family to Madrid, where he went on to study piano and singing at the city's Royal Conservatory.

In 2003, Marin, known for his broad vocal register, joined Il Divo together with Urs Buhler, from Switzerland, David Miller from the United States and Sebastien Izambard from France.

The quartet, known for its soupy, romantic covers, helped popularise the genre of pop opera, known as "popera", and went on to sell millions of albums.

"Singing is my way of saying what I feel, my way of life," Marin is quoted as saying on the group's website.

Sometimes, he added, the music could make him feel melancholy and, at other times, joyful.

"Singing is what makes me feel alive," Marin added. "So thank you."

NYTIMES