Unfortunately, not everything in Ayala’s life has been going smoothly since he’s been public about his faith. After nearly 30 years of marriage, his wife, Mireddys González, filed for divorce.
“After more than two decades of marriage and after many months of trying to save my marriage, which my wife and I share, today my lawyers respond to the divorce petition received [from] Mireddys,” he wrote in a letter shared to Instagram. “I’m grateful for the time we shared, full of blessings and values, of love and with a beautiful family that will continue to be our priority.”
The divorce started as amicable but quickly turned sour as Ayala accused his ex-wife of withdrawing tens of millions of dollars from his business accounts.
Ayala now navigates his music career on his own. “It’s my responsibility, and I feel good and I feel I’ve learned so much more,” he said. “You think you know everything about the music business and the rules keep changing. The smallest things can make a great difference.”
“I never thought I’d be in this situation, but I found myself in it. And the strength I found to record an album full of joy in the most unexpected moment of my life is what helped me regain my strength,” Ayala told Billboard. “When we’re in the middle of a crisis, one of our biggest fortitudes lies in adoring and praising the Lord because it brings joy.”
Raymond Ayala Found Faith Decades Ago
Some noticed possible hints of a spiritual awareness earlier in Ayala’s career. For example, the hit “Gasolina” and other tracks were on the 2004 album, “Barrio Fino.” Many songs on this album referenced God and overcoming hardships.
In “Coraza Divina” (2007), Ayala described his own life—moving on from the “hood” and referring to a spiritual higher power.
The chorus includes, “Evil realized he was the chosen child and sought to destroy him / But you know what? I have a divine shield, the power to light my path.”
“Many people don’t know that I converted to the Lord for the first time at 19 years old,” Ayala said to Billboard. “But I diverged from the path. My lyrics were clean, but I knew they belonged to the world, [not to God].”
Ayala admitted to keeping his initial conversion quiet in order to “deliver” on “many agreements,” including record and brand deals.
“I wanted to get to where I am now and not owe anything to anyone,” said the artist. “I wanted to be in peace and complete liberty.”
