“There was sadness, anger. It was one of the strongest things we experienced“: Fernanda from Pandora reviews four decades of the group

Fernanda Meade was sitting among the audience when four decades of her life began to parade before her eyes. On the screen, three young women appeared first, starting to sing together; then came the stages, the albums, the awards, and the years. Fernanda watched Pandora grow from her seat until Carlos Rivera pronounced their names and invited them to come up to receive one of the greatest recognitions of their career: the Latin Grammy 2025 Musical Excellence Award.

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“You see your story pass on a screen. I see those three girls, then I see them grow, receive one award and another, sing with so many people… and suddenly they announce us three. Speaking from memories and from the heart was incredible,” she recalls.

Four decades later, Pandora can still recognize themselves in those young women who started singing together in Mexico. Isabel, Mayte, and Fernanda have gone through successes, distances, differences, and losses, but they continue sharing the stage.

“What keeps us together is the love we have for each other and the love for what we do. Without those two things, Pandora would have ended a long time ago. There is also a lot of respect among us and for our career”, she states.

That bond will be tested again on stage this September 12, when Pandora returns to Lima to perform at the Explanada del Parque de la Exposición. The concert will commemorate their four decades of career and will feature songs that have accompanied several generations, including “Solo él y yo” and “Cómo te va mi amor.”

Looking back at each other

For this anniversary, Pandora prepared a biographical book that gathered photographs, anecdotes, and memories that even they had forgotten. Eduardo, Fernanda’s brother, searched archives and also turned to fans who had preserved images and objects of the group for years. The material grew so much that the project ended up being much more extensive than expected.

Fernanda added to that memory the diaries she wrote between 1985 and 1990, pages that helped reconstruct dates and episodes that time had made imprecise.

But reviewing the past also meant returning to painful moments.

“The hardest episode was when I left. It was tough for me and for them too. There was sadness, anger… it was one of the strongest things we have had to live through,” she acknowledges.

In 1989, Fernanda left Pandora to start a solo career. For the first time, she could make her own decisions, manage her time, and occupy the stage alone. She enjoyed that independence, although she soon began to miss what she had left behind.

“I missed my little companions. I really like creating with voices, and there’s no way to do it among the three,” she admits.

Learning to forgive

When she returned, they understood that resuming the stage was not enough. They first had to resolve what had been left pending between them.

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“When I came back I said: ‘I want to clear everything up, so there’s no doubt left.’ We forgave each other for misunderstandings and the stories we had told ourselves due to lack of information. That’s when we could understand each other and leave mistakes behind, as we have always done,” she explains.

After clearing up what was pending, resuming the path was much easier.

“When I came back, it was like I had never left,” she confesses.

Over the years, the dynamic among them also changed. At first, each one assumed a role almost naturally: Isabel made many decisions due to her extroverted character, while Fernanda was more involved in vocal arrangements and harmonies. Today, all three have opinions on almost everything.

Viña del Mar

Not all of Pandora’s memories are pleasant. One of the most intense occurred in Viña del Mar, when they had just over a year of career and had to face a particularly demanding audience.

“The first night was tough. They booed us a bit. The next day we came back and everything changed. We came out victorious. We had to live pain and triumph in the same weekend. That marked us a lot,” she confesses.

Fame and freedom

Four decades of fame also involved sacrifices. For Fernanda, one of the hardest was losing part of her freedom and anonymity.

“You stop being independent because you are in everyone’s life and opinion. Sometimes I wish I were invisible, to walk around without anyone recognizing me, but it doesn’t happen. I deeply appreciate the affection from people and that they approach,” she reflects.

Queen of queens

If she had to summarize these four decades in a song, Fernanda chooses “Cómo te va mi amor.”

“She is the queen of queens of Pandora,” she states.

And although she acknowledges that one day the end will come, she does not see it near.

“As long as we have desire and hope, we will continue. The day we want to rest, that will also be valid. But, for now, it’s not in our plans,” she concludes.