Kary Rivero, one of Argentina’s paquitas who stood by Xuxa during her peak, confirmed she will take part in the diva’s farewell show. Three decades after the television phenomenon, we revisit what her teenage experience was like, why she chose to step away from the media, and how she is approaching this eagerly anticipated return.
For a large portion of the public, Kary Rivero’s name may not immediately ring a bell, but her face was etched into the affectionate memory of an entire generation. She was, alongside Julieta Cardinali, one of the two Argentine girls chosen in 1991 to become a “paquita”, that coveted role that accompanied Xuxa during the show’s most explosive phase. Three decades after that whirlwind of songs, glittering outfits, and stadiums filled with fans, an unexpected message on her phone reconnects her present with that story.
The invitation arrived directly to join “The Last Flight of the Queen of All the Little Ones”, the grand tour through which the Brazilian artist plans to bid farewell to mass performances. The news moved fans of that era and, above all, Kary herself, who expressed her joy in a post shared on a fan page.
“I Feel Crowned Again”
In her post, Kary revealed the mix of surprise and gratitude this new invitation stirred in her. “I can’t explain what I’ve felt for weeks since I received that message saying: ‘You’re summoned for the Last Flight of the Queen of All the Little Ones!’ It made many of us incredibly happy, and it taught me to dream and fight and understand that dreams come true. Well, mine has come true again; I feel crowned again.”, she recounted the moment she learned of the proposal.
Returning to the stage this time carries a completely different flavor. In 1991, Kary was barely 15 years old when she was selected from more than ten thousand teenagers. Today, the perspective time has given her allows her to approach this experience from a much more relaxed place and with a family-oriented tribute in mind.
“This return I will step onto that stage and I’ll be able to enjoy it much more now that I am a woman. This journey is very special to me because my dad was the man who urged me 30 years ago to send those photos. Today my dad is not physically here to accompany me and watch over me, but I feel he is with me in another way and that fills me with love,” she added in her message.
The “B-Side” of Success and the Pressure of the Nineties
Although for the kids of that era the show was pure color and joy, the backstage demands imposed a very harsh physical standard on girls who were still growing. In comments given to the newspaper La Nación on the occasion of the release of the documentary series Pra Sempre Paquitas, Kary recalled the toughest stretch of that period, when production temporarily suspended her for weight reasons: “They pulled me off for being overweight, from the manager’s perspective. I was 15 years old and I remember eating fruit in the dressing room to not gain even a gram.”
In that same conversation with La Nación, she emphasized the pivotal role her Argentine teammate—who is now actress Julieta Cardinali—played in getting through that moment: “Juli was there, hugging me at the moment I didn’t understand why I was being punished if I danced and smiled like the others”. Over the years, Kary also clarified in an interview with Infobae that the bond with the host was always good and that the pressures came from the production team: “I love Xuxa. She was a queen and she was also trapped in a very demanding system. She never treated us badly; the problem was the production.”
What Happened to Kary Rivero After Leaving TV
After finishing her run on the show, Kary made a drastic decision: to prioritize her mental health and step away from the artistic scene. She stepped away from the cameras, built a family life, had two children (Bianca and Luciano) and sought the peace of a regular routine far from the public eye.
In interviews with Infobae and La Nación, she explained simply why she chose not to continue in the industry: “I realized that the field was cruel if you didn’t fit into a perfect mold. I missed home, my parents, and I decided that my mental health was worth more.” That same choice is what today allows her to look back without resentment and to accept this invitation with maturity.
A Perfect Ending to an Unforgettable Chapter
Kary Rivero’s reunion with Xuxa on the stage marks the closing of a cycle filled with nostalgia. That fifteen-year-old girl who faced the demands of a colossal show returns today as a grown woman, ready to enjoy the music, celebrate her history, and bid farewell to the Queen of the Little Ones with pure joy.
