Millonario de Amor

Released just a month after the banda singer's tragic death — killed by drug trade gunmen, and just hours after he had refuted false online reports that he had been murdered — Millonario de Amor is an album that the late Sergio Vega was, according to friends, extremely proud of, and he had every reason to be. The key and title track is a warm, bittersweet departure for the one they call "El Shaka," with humble and content lyrics that focus on love over money. From the swinging, almost “jazzy” “Maestro y Aprendíz” to the effervescent chorus of the closing “El Maestro,” the album favors uplifting stories over sadness, and while Vega has always been known for the power of his voice, there are moments here that sound absolutely stately as the man bellows with pride. Sad that so many doors were opening and that a positive new world lay in front of him, but fans can at least find solace in these final performances. They suggest the singer’s last days were more centered than before and maybe even filled with joy.