Each and every one of the books written by Rubén Aviña has the virtue of trapping the reader from the very first moment. Whether it is a story like «Nadine, la hija de las estrellas» -his greatest literary work-, or a story as complex as the one revealed in «La gloria por el infierno», about the Trevi-Andrade clan, polemic and shattering. As for «Canciones por hacer» (Songs to be made, and the story of Martin, a dreamer in conflict), I can assure you that it is not to be missed. It shows what fanaticism can be, but it also paints a full-length portrait of a singer of international stature, charismatic and loved by all kinds of audiences, as was Juan Gabriel. An artist in every sense of the word, but whose praises and tributes sometimes made him appear self-centered, as is evident in these pages. To what extent can an idol of multitudes mirror a fan, identify with him, to the point of granting him all his trust? To what extent can the fan of a great artist avoid feeling proud to become the guardian of a musical treasure, the custodian and bearer of an unpublished material, considered ground gold? The sense of justice, of gratitude -and even a hint of remorse-, are a constant in Martin’s life, starting with those brief meetings with the «Divo de Juarez».

In particular, an encounter between the idol and his admirer, which took place in a hotel room in Chicago, where they used to talk about music, about composition; a place where the astonished Martín left a little black book containing the lyrics of some of his songs, and from where he left without it, due to an oversight, carrying in his hand (due to a confusion of the singer-songwriter) a cassette, inscribed with the title of «Canciones por hacer» (Songs to be made), a gift from Juan Gabriel. The conflict that arises when she discovers what this audio actually contains and the obstacles she faces in order to clear up such confusion keep the reader expectant. I cannot imagine this plot being so complete without Rubén’s journalistic flair, an expert in bringing out even the smallest details. «Canciones por hacer» (Songs to be made) fully satisfies those who like to read real stories, with flesh and blood characters. And to those who enjoy discovering new passages about the lives of figures of the artistic milieu, their behavior in certain situations and unexpected circumstances. Hence my bet that it will end up being a very controversial book and questioned by the press.

Claudia de Icaza, September 2019