Singer Louie Reyes passes away on Sunday, October 26, 2025.
Her husband confirms the unfortunate news.
In the comments section of singer Ivy Violan's tribute post, Cesar dela Fuente writes, “Today, I lost the love of my life."
Louie and Cesar were married in January 1979.
According to close friends of the family, the cause of Louie’s death was ovarian cancer.
LOUIE REYES EARNING FAME IN THE '70s
Louie earned a reputation as a jazz singer and received several awards that recognized her remarkable talent as a vocalist.
However, it was her stint in the iconic '70s group, the New Minstrels, that made her a household name among music fans.
The New Minstrels was founded by Cesar de la Fuente, who eventually became Louie's husband.
The group made a name for its versatility, performing tunes ranging from disco, R&B, swing, Broadway, and Filipino songs.
Aside from hits like “Kahit Na Magtiis,” “Smile,” “I Don’t Love You Anymore,” and “Buhat,” it also became a breeding ground for some of the country’s most accomplished singers, including Ray-An Fuentes, Eugene Villaluz, Chad Borja, and Joey Albert.
According to her Facebook profile, Louie was also a vocal coach and an instructor, and has a Bachelor's degree in Music Education.
She migrated to the United States in 1999 and continued to practice her love for music by performing and coaching.
LOUIE REYES: A VERSATILE PERFORMER
Louie shared in a 2013 interview with The Philippine Star that her first public singing experience happened in Grade 2, when she stepped in for a classmate who was supposed to perform but lost her voice on the day of the presentation.
Unfortunately, Louie didn’t get to sing in front of her schoolmates that day.
Instead, she was asked to sing into a microphone backstage while her classmate lip-synced the song onstage, pretending to perform it herself.
The experience, though heartbreaking, only deepened Louie’s love for music and performing, and she never looked back since.
Although she would later be known primarily as a jazz artist, Louie effortlessly crossed to other genres, proving herself to be the complete package as a singer throughout her career.