Pepe Aguilar, the celebrated voice of regional Mexican music, just surprised everyone with some big personal news. It turns out his oldest son, José Emiliano Aguilar, recently welcomed another daughter. The kicker? Pepe himself had no idea until just now.
“I understand, look, I didn’t know my son Emiliano already has another daughter,” the 56-year-old artist shared, clearly taken aback. He confessed this during a candid chat with Us Weekly en Español. “They just told me. But hey, now I’m a grandpa twice over, a double grandpa.” His honesty was as striking as the news itself. Pepe admitted he hasn’t been close with Emiliano for years. He also shared that he hasn’t met either of his granddaughters. “I hope to meet them soon,” he added, his voice quiet.
The topic of grandchildren came up in the interview because of Pepe’s own daughters. His 21-year-old daughter, Ángela Aguilar, has now been married to Christian Nodal for a year. And his oldest daughter, Aneliz, is getting ready to tie the knot soon. When asked if he would be a spoiling or enabling grandpa, Pepe’s answer was firm: “Of course not.” With his signature dry humor, he joked, “I like kids, but from a distance. I like children, but stuffed like on a wall.” He laughed. Then, more seriously, he admitted, “I went through three very close together, and with the three I had, I had enough.”
The Complex Road with Emiliano
The news of Emiliano’s new child comes after years of distance between him and his famous father. Emiliano is the son of Pepe and singer Carmen Treviño from a past relationship. Their family bond grew strained in 2017. That year, Emiliano was arrested for trying to help four Chinese citizens enter the U.S. illegally. This case made headlines around the world.
Emiliano later received probation and had to get substance abuse treatment. Since then, he has worked to rebuild his life. He recently started a rap music career. Even though they don’t share the same artistic path, Pepe is proud of him. “It’s good for him,” he said in a past interview. “I think he’s very authentic, that rascal.”
Still, Emiliano has openly said he feels left out of the family’s inner circle. For example, he wasn’t invited to his sister Ángela Aguilar’s wedding to Christian Nodal. He even found out about it through Instagram. He famously commented on the wedding post with a telling “GPI,” which is a Spanish acronym for “Thanks for inviting.” Pepe, however, has often stated that his doors are always open for his son. “The doors of my house have always been open for him,” he said a few months ago.
Another Wedding Bell Soon?
During the same interview with Us Weekly en Español, the “Por mujeres como tú” singer also spoke about another upcoming family wedding. He was talking about his daughter Aneliz, who got engaged last year to her boyfriend, Luis Rodrigo Castillo.
“Well, the big ring is there, and the engaged couple is there,” he joked, “but they’re dragging their feet on setting a wedding date.” He chuckled, hinting that planning isn’t moving as fast as he’d like. “His mom and I are going to give the young lady a timeline so she can finally set a date.” He also shared a personal detail about his own affairs. He’s had his will ready for more than ten years. “I’m 56, and I’ve had my will for 13 years,” he said thoughtfully. “At 43, I thought even less about dying, but nobody thinks they’re going to die.”
Hollywood Bound
Amidst all the family revelations, the singer also invited his Los Angeles fans to join him for two special nights. He will perform at the famous Hollywood Bowl.
“We will be at the Hollywood Bowl those two nights with much love, much Mexico, much family,” he said about his shows on August 15 and 16. “We are going to celebrate our traditions and our culture.”