Manuel Arjona, original member of the Spanish dance-pop group Locomía, has died suddenly at his home in Viladecans, Barcelona, at the age of 58.

Death of a Locomía original

Manuel Arjona, one of the four members of the original Locomía lineup, died overnight on Tuesday at his home in Viladecans, near Barcelona. He was 58 years old. According to sources close to the artist, Arjona spent his last hours painting, one of his passions, before going to bed and not waking up. The cause of death has not yet been disclosed. His wake will be held at the Àltima Viladecans funeral home.

“Today his light has risen to the sky, but his memory lives with us. Your light will continue to shine in every memory. Forever in our hearts.”

The Ibiza-born phenomenon

Locomía was formed in Ibiza in the mid-1980s by Xavier Font, a designer who recruited his brother Luis, Dutchman Gard Passchier, and Manuel Arjona. The group built a following at the Ku nightclub with extravagant performances featuring giant fans, exaggerated shoulder pads, and Renaissance-style shoes. Producer José Luis Gil of Hispavox signed them, launching the act into mainstream success.

“I landed in Ibiza and it seemed like another planet. I came from a small town where I had to hide my sexual identity. On the island, if you were a boy and wore a skirt, nobody looked at you. It was a savage change.”

Rise to international fame

Arjona was part of the lineup that recorded the debut album 'Taiyo' (1989), which included hits like 'Loco Mía', 'Rumba, Samba, Mambo (S.R.M.)' and 'Gorbachov'. The album earned gold and platinum discs in Spain and Latin America, and Locomía's single reached the UK top 10. Their choreographed fan routines and androgynous style became instantly recognizable, turning them into a pop sensation across Spanish-speaking markets.

Internal tensions and split

Success came with internal frictions. Xavier Font clashed with producer José Luis Gil over creative control and the group's public image, particularly Gil's push to downplay the members' homosexuality. Font was eventually sidelined, and his brother Luis was replaced. Arjona remained for the 1989–1992 peak but left in 1992. He later participated in a reunion attempt in 2013. The band's history is marked by lineup changes, legal battles, and personal betrayals; Xavier Font even served time in prison in 2012 on a drug-related charge.

A third premature loss

Arjona is the third Locomía member to die prematurely. Santos Blanco and Frank Romero both died in 2018, within a month of each other, despite never having performed together. The band's official social media mourned Arjona.

“You were the soul, the movement, and the unconditional loyalty of a dream that began in Ibiza and changed our lives forever. Fly high, dear companion, your essence will keep beating strongly in every corner of our history.”