24 Kilates

24 Kilates (English: 24 Carats) is the second studio album by Mexican recording artist Paulina Rubio, released by Capitol Latin on November 16, 1993. Following the success of her debut album, Rubio reunited with the Spanish producer Miguel Blasco, who produced the album. while the songs were written mostly by Cesar Valle, Don Matamoros and C. Sánchez. The recording sessions took place in Spain during the summer of 1993, coinciding with Rubio promotion her first concert tour in South America.

24 Kilates
Studio album by Paulina Rubio
Released	November 16, 1993
Recorded	April  – July 1993
Studio	Balu-Balu (Madrid, Spain)
Genre	Latin pop latin dance pop rock baroque pop
Length	42:45
Label	Capitol Latin
Producer	Miguel Blasco, Don Matamoros, César Valle, J.R. Florez
Paulina Rubio chronology
La Chica Dorada (1992) 24 Kilates (1993) El Tiempo Es Oro (1995)
Singles from 24 Kilates
"Nieva, Nieva" Released: September 29, 1993 "Él Me Engañó" Released: February 3, 1994 "Vuelve Junto A Mi" Released: March, 1994 (only in U.S.) "Asunto De Dos" Released: June 4, 1994

24 Kilates received mixed reviews from music critics, who considered the album rock-oriented sound with influences of jazz, funk, blues and dance as their first album. The album had commercial success, reached the top in Mexico and sold 300,000 in Mexico a few weeks after its release.

Four singles were taken from the album. The first single was "Nieva, Nieva", which was successful on the charts, reaching number one in Mexico. Two other singles, "Él Me Engañó" and "Asunto De Dos", peaked in the top ten in Mexico charts. "Vuelve Junto A Mí" was only released in the United States, where it appeared on the Billboard charts. The album was promoted further through Rubio's first and second concert tours, and a concert residency in the famous Mexican club El Patio.

In an article by El Siglo de Torreón published in 1994, Rubio was cited as "the current novelty", considering it together with other stars of music as a guarantee at the box office due to its commercial success in the music industry. Alluding the success of her first album and 24 Kilates.[1]

Background

Rubio came to peoples' attention in the 1980s when she was part of the popular Mexican group Timbiriche. She signed with Capitol Latin in early 1992 and released her debut studio album in October 1992. Fueled by hit singles like "Mío", "Amor de Mujer" and "Sabor A Miel", La Chica Dorada peaked at number one and was one of the best-selling albums of 1993 in her native Mexico, certified platinum and sold over 300,000 copies there. The album helped Rubio launch her career as a pop artist at a time when there was many competitions of artist.

After the success of her debut album La Chica Dorada, Rubio developed the sessions of her second album. In the midst of an extensive promotion through South America, her label EMI Music prepared the songs that would go through the musical career of the well-known Chica Dorada. According to EMI executives, Rubio became the promise of music in Mexico thanks to the success of her debut album. The concept of the album followed the basis of the "gold" as the frame of Rubio, but striving more with the production decided to baptize it with the name of "24 Kilates". Previously, she also told that the album will take references from the epic space-opera Star Wars.[2]

Singles

"Nieva, Nieva", the album's first single release, reached number twenty-seven on the US Billboard Hot Latin Tracks.[3] The second single "Él Me Engañó" was accompanied by Rubio's first music video with an expensive production. "Asunto De Dos" was the album's third single..

"Vuelve Junto A Mí" was a single released only in United States and had a positive commercial performance, peaking at number 20 on the Hot Latin Tracks,[4] without promotion. "Tú Sólo Tú" was released as an airplay single even was planned as the last 24 Kilates's single. In countries like Peru, the song was one of the most played songs on the radio in 1994.[5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[6]
Rate Your Music	[7]

Musically, 24 Kilates resumes the similar process and composition of her previous effort. The album, like the previous, was handled by Miguel Blasco and José Ramón Flórez, who had written and produced the entire album, where C. Sánchez, C. Valle and Don Matamoros written the majority the songs. According to AllMusic, 24 Kilates is a latin pop and latin dance album, it's no surprise that sounds very similar to her debut [La Chica Dorada]. Which is fine consideration that at the time this formula was pure gold.

In his book La Balada: Un Mensaje Universal by the Colombian writer Carlos Bolívar Ramírez alludes 24 Kilates emphasizing that "His pop-rock style is very convincing and the poetic lyrics are of good quality".[8]

Commercial performance

24 Kilates reached gold status upon release with pre-sales of over 150,000 copies.[9][10][11] Eventually, it sold 300,000 in Mexico and later was certified Platinum there.[12] In US, 24 Kilates received limited promotion and did not appear on any major charts, only their singles "Nieva, Nieva" and "Vuelve Junto A Mí" rached top 30 on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks.

Accolades

Year	Category	Award	Result
1994	Best Female Artist	ERES Awards[13]	Nominated
1994	Best Concert	ERES Awards[13]	Nominated
1994	Naranja Award	Viña del Mar International Song Festival[14]	Won

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Maldito Amor"	C. Valle C. Sánchez	César Valle	3:34
2.	"Diamante Puro"	C. Valle C. Sánchez	César Valle	4:32
3.	"Nieva, Nieva"	C. Valle C. Sánchez	César Valle	3:31
4.	"Él Me Engañó"	Don Matamoros C. Valle	Don Matamoros	4:09
5.	"Nada Puedes Hacer"	Don Matamoros C. Valle C. Sánchez	Don Matamoros	4:24
6.	"Los Dioses Se Van"	C. Valle C. Sánchez	César Valle	3:25
7.	"Asunto De Dos"	J.R. Florez Fredy Marugán	J.R. Florez	3:40
8.	"Compañía"	Don Matomoros C. Valle C. Sánchez	Don Matamoros	3:58
9.	"Vuelve Junto A Mi"	C. Valle C. Sánchez	César Valle	3:35
10.	"Tú Sólo Tú"	Don Matamoros C. Sánchez Paulina Rubio	Don Matamoros	4:01
11.	"Corazón Tirano"	J.R. Florez Fredy Marugán	J.R. Florez	3:51
Total length:				42:40

Personnel

• Manolo Álvarez - Clarinet, Saxophone
• Andrea Bronston - Backing Vocals
• Doris Cales - Backing Vocals
• Giancarlo Ippolito - Drums
• José Luis - Backing Vocals
• Rafael Martínez - Guitar
• Antonio Pallares - Trombone
• Antonio Ramos - Trumpet
• Paulina Rubio - Vocals
• Luca Rustici - Engineer, Guitar
• Walter Tesoriere - Arranger, Keyboards

Technical Personnel

• Miguel Blasco - Director, Producer
• Adolfo Pérez Butrón - Artwork, Photography
• Sergio Toporek - Artwork, Graphic Design
• Luca Vittori - Engineer
• Cesar Valle - Assistant Producer, Composer, Production Assistant
• C. Sánchez - Composer
• Don Matamoros - Composer
• José Ramón Flórez - Composer
• Fredi Marugán - Composer
• Adrián Possé - Art Direction, Producer

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Mexico (AMPROFON)[12]	Platinum	300,000^^
^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. "Hit Parade". El Siglo de Torreón (in Spanish). Editora de la Laguna. March 9, 1994. p. 43.
2. "Nuevo LP para Paulina Rubio". El Siglo de Torreón (in Spanish). February 10, 1993. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
3. "Nieva, Nieva - Paulina Rubio | Billboard.com". billboard.com. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
4. "Vuelve Junto a Mí - Paulina Rubio | Billboard.com". billboard.com. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
5. "Ranking 1994, Radio Perú". Charts Around the World. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
6. 24 Kilates at AllMusic
7. "24 Kilates Review". rateyormusic. Rate Your Music. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
8. La Balada: Mensaje Universal. Lito Cóndor. 2001. ISBN 978-95-8332-684-4.
9. Paulina Rubio The golden girl's powerful punch. Latin Style Magazine. 2002. p. 27. Her second release 24 Kilates went gold and included the hits "Nieva, Nieva" and "Asunto De Doas.
10. "Shakira y Paulina Rubio, en guerra". La Voz del Interior. 26 June 2002. Archived from the original on 19 August 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
11. "Hit Parade>> ...Paulina Rubion en su nivel de exitosa y rentable cantante". El Siglo de Torreón (in Spanish). December 28, 1993. Archived from the original on February 16, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
12. Especial Paulina Rubio. Ritmoson Latino. Televisa. 2004. YouTube title: "Paulina Rubio - Su biografia - (1971 - 2004) Parte 3/6". Info about the sales at: 4:52
13. "Nominations, Awards, Distinctions and Special Recognitions" (in Spanish). paupower.com. 2010. Archived from the original on October 17, 2009. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
14. "Bio, Paulina Rubio" (in Spanish). Fan site. 1995. Archived from the original on April 14, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2019.