MEXICO CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 25, 2025--
Martin Roca, General Manager, Mexico for Intercept Music, has announced the signing of Steven LaBrie, baritone singer for the multi-platinum, classical crossover Latin quartet, IL Divo, to a solo, two-single, distribution deal. LaBrie’s first release is a beautifully crafted, stirring rendition of José José’s iconic ballad, “El Triste.” Written by Roberto Cantoral, “El Triste” is considered one of the most influential and emotionally poignant songs in the history of Mexican and Spanish-language pop culture. LaBrie’s passionate interpretation of the masterwork will not only ignite current fans, but it will also kindle new music lovers around the world.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250925516673/en/
Steven LaBrie’s “El Triste” cover was produced by Grammy Award-winning producer/songwriter Ettore Grenci and recorded in Italy with the goal of capturing and evolving the textures, nuances, and essence of the original song. LaBrie’s mesmerizing vocals lend exceptional degrees of subtleties and refinement to “El Triste’s” pathos, which in English translates to 'the sad man.'
“We are extremely excited and looking forward to globally distributing this important music project,” cites Martin Roca, General Manager, Mexico for Intercept Music, a worldwide, leading, technology-driven independent music distribution and marketing company. “It’s an explosive reckoning. Steven LaBrie, as the newest member of Il Divo, is one of four of the most distinct and dynamic genre-bending voices impacting music today. His revisioning of “El Triste” is an important contribution on so many levels, bringing tradition to the forefront of popular culture.”
“Working with Steven LaBrie has been a musical experience that has filled my soul and spirit,” adds Grammy Award-winning producer, Ettore Grenci, known for his work with Inmigrantes, Laura Pausini, and Reik. “His powerful voice, his emotionality, and his authenticity, paired with a great song like El Triste, created a potent yet sweet and nuanced composition. Combined with the song’s incredibly enchanting lyrics, an atomic bomb of emotions and colors was created. I am grateful to Steven and his team for giving me these memorable moments of music and for trusting me with this exquisite production.”
“Before singing opera, I sang Mexican music. It's always been my dream to share Mexican music with the world and Intercept Music is helping me fulfill that dream. I'm very grateful to release this first single with Ettore Grenci as my producer and I thank all the musicians and engineers who joined us to honor great Mexican artists. Having the opportunity to share my interpretation of ‘El Triste’ is overwhelming. You will feel my whole heart and being in the production and arrangement with great respect maintained for the original version. I don’t think there’s a better home for this project than Intercept Music. They have been releasing some amazing Latin music projects and I’m proud to now be one of their musical offerings,” expresses Steven LaBrie.
Steven LaBrie is a native of Dallas, Texas. Currently touring with Il Divo, he is recognized for his beautiful timbre, expressive singing and dramatic presence on stage. LaBrie was named among the five leading lyric baritones to watch by Opera News and has received numerous awards and honors for his extraordinary vocal abilities. El Divo, as a group, has been recording and touring for over 20 years, with songs recorded in Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, Latin, English, and Japanese. Their catalog has impressively yielded global sales of 30 million-plus units with fifty #1 hits and 160 gold and platinum records throughout 35 countries. LaBrie joined the quartet officially in 2023.
Listen to Steven LaBrie’s “El Triste” on your favorite streaming platform now at https://interceptmusic.ffm.to/ebxav.
About Intercept Music Inc.
Intercept Music empowers independent artists and labels with innovative entertainment technology. The company provides cutting-edge tools and services for premium distribution, dynamic social media, targeted marketing, impactful merchandising, and customizable promotional services. Intercept’s exclusive and innovative software grants artists access to a wealth of AI-powered features, enabling them to use predictive marketing to optimize their promotional efforts and directly connect with their target audiences. Designed specifically for the booming independent music sector, Intercept Music helps artists grow their audiences and generate revenue.
Discover more at interceptmusic.com and visit Intercept Music on Instagram,Twitter, and Facebook.
Martin Roca, General Manager, Mexico for Intercept Music, has announced the signing of Steven LaBrie, baritone singer for the multi-platinum, classical crossover Latin quartet, IL Divo, to a solo, two-single, distribution deal. LaBrie’s first release is a beautifully crafted, stirring rendition of José José’s iconic ballad, “El Triste.” Steven LaBrie’s “El Triste” cover was produced by Grammy Award-winning producer/songwriter Ettore Grenci and recorded in Italy with the goal of capturing and evolving the textures, nuances, and essence of the original song.
MONGBWALU, Congo (AP) — Dr. Richard Lokudu, the medical director of Mongbwalu General Referral Hospital, has received barely any compensation for his work on the front line of one of Congo's deadliest Ebola virus outbreaks.
Lokudu and several of his colleagues work all day at the hospital treating an influx of patients. Notifications of suspected cases come even late at night.
“I have not received my allowance (and) what happened to others could happen to me as well,” Lokudu told The Associated Press. “Despite all the infection prevention and control measures we are implementing, we do not know what may happen.”
Health authorities believe the outbreak, which took the eastern region of Congo by surprise after spreading silently for weeks without detection, started in the bustling mining area of Mongbwalu in Ituri province.
Mongbwalu has emerged as the epicenter of the rare Bundibugyo type. The town attracts large numbers of laborers who work in large gold mines with muddy pools of gold deposits, narrow pits and caves. They live in low-income areas including crowded camps and have little access to proper health protocols.
The conditions increase the possibility of transmitting the disease, which spreads through close contact with bodily fluids of the sick and deceased such as sweat, blood, feces and vomit.
There also has been widespread skepticism regarding the disease, making the job of medical treatment more difficult for Lokudu and his colleagues, while some of the health workers and first responders have died from the disease.
“It is one thing to be far away and hear statistics being reported, but what is happening on the ground is enormous,” Lokudu said. “People are sacrificing their rest and comfort for this cause. There should be recognition that they deserve compensation. These workers should receive their salaries regularly.”
The Congolese government did not respond to a request for comment from the AP.
Congolese authorities have confirmed 452 cases including 82 deaths. On Thursday, the Central African nation recorded 71 new cases in a day, which authorities said is a sign of “active community transmission.”
The rare Bundibugyo type has no approved vaccines or treatment, so health workers have been targeting symptoms. The government said at least five people have recovered from Ebola since the outbreak was officially confirmed by Congo's Ministry of Health on May 15.
The disease “had a big head start,” according to World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Hospitals in the region could not test for the right type of Ebola that had begun spreading several weeks before confirmation.
Health workers are handling the disease with minimal resources as agencies have been scrambling to bring aid into the region. Masks, gloves, boots and medications were initially all in short supply.
“There has been an erosion of the health system,” said Heather Kerr, country director for the International Rescue Committee in Congo. “There has not been investment in the health system, and this has been going on for years.”
“During the first week, we did not even have time to go home and eat. The second week was the same. We only eat once a day, what amounts to breakfast in the evening,” said Alice Bamuhinga, a nurse at the Mongbwalu hospital.
Even with widespread skepticism and disregard for health protocols, many in the town are becoming aware of the outbreak's grave reality.
Asero Jeanne had five children. Two died from the disease within two weeks. When her daughter became ill, the family thought it was malaria and neighbors advised them to avoid the hospital, saying “anyone who went there would die immediately,” according to Jeanne, 52.
The daughter died after three weeks of moving between hospitals and home, followed by a son who died days after. Then Jeanne became sick.
“I saw about 20 people die,” Jeanne said. “I watched them being taken to the morgue, yet God is allowing me to leave here alive. I thank the doctors.”
Tedros, the WHO director-general, on Friday launched a $518 million plan to combat the outbreak, saying “containing Ebola depends on political commitment, sustained financing, and the trust and engagement of communities.”
Efforts to contain the disease also have been hindered by the conflict between the government and Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, in addition to attacks by Islamist militants.
For health workers on the front line of Congo's Ebola outbreak, the work has become harder as the disease spreads faster than their current treatment capacity.
“Despite the alerts we receive and the teams we have on site, we lack the means to travel into the field,” Lokudu said. “As a result, there are alerts we are unable to investigate.”
Adetayo reported from Lagos, Nigeria.
Asero Jeanne, a mother of five who lost two of her children to Ebola, was discharged from the hospital after testing negative in Mongbwalu, Congo, Friday, June 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Health workers prepare for duty at the Mongbwalu treatment center in Mongbwalu, Congo, Friday, June 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
A health worker disinfects an ambulance at the Mongbwalu treatment center that transported a suspected Ebola patient in Mongbwalu, Congo, Friday, June 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
A health worker disinfects an ambulance at the Mongbwalu treatment center that transported a suspected Ebola patient in Mongbwalu, Congo, Friday, June 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Richard Lokudu, center, the medical director of Mongbwalu General Hospital, speaks with UN peacekeepers in Mongbwalu, Congo, Friday, June 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
