La Chica Dorada
La Chica Dorada (English: The Golden Girl) is the debut solo studio album by Mexican singer Paulina Rubio, released on October 20, 1992, by EMI Latin.[1] The album was produced and directed by Miguel Blasco, and written mostly by José Ramón Flórez, Gian Pietro Felisatti and Cesar Valle. Most of the album's composition is primarily "a light and danceable pop", although it includes some elements of pop rock, new jack swing, funk and new wave. The album's title has stuck and today Rubio is known as 'la chica dorada' throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
| La Chica Dorada | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 20, 1992 | |||
| Recorded | December 1991 – February 1992 | |||
| Studio | Estudios Balu-Balu (Madrid, Spain) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 37:59 | |||
| Label | EMI Latin | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Paulina Rubio chronology | ||||
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| Singles from La Chica Dorada | ||||
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The album received a mixed reception from music critics. Many critics applauded the album for its interesting themes and her step forward in the music industry as the "girl to woman", while some did not like another "Madonna wannabe" because of the great influence of Madonna.[2] Despite mixed reviews, the album was a success. It includes Rubio's signature song and single that launched her solo career, "Mío", along with the number-one hits, "Sabor a Miel" and "Amor de Mujer".[3] In Mexico, the album was certified Platinum in the mid-1990s.[4] To date, La Chica Dorada has sold over one million copies worldwide.[5]
In the United States, the album peaked at position number forty two on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. The singles "Mío", "Amor de Mujer" and "Abriendo las Puertas al Amor" entered the top-ten of the Hot Latin Songs chart, turning Rubio into a strong promise of Hispanic music[6] and the first Mexican artist who managed to enter the most important lists of the music industry with her debut album, after the first releases of Ana Gabriel, who had great success on the Billboard Latin charts.
Background and development
—Rubio talking about the name of the album.
After having been part of Timbiriche and recording ten studio albums, Rubio traveled to Europe in 1991 to study History of Art, but her greatest wish was to start her solo career. This is how Gian Pietro Felisatti, better known as "DiFelisatti", one of the most outstanding composers of the era, along with José Ramón Flórez, volunteered to work on the solo project of the young artist of 20 years. The well-known producers and she had a very good relationship, since both writers were responsible for great successes of the band Timbiriche. Added to the above, Rubio was established in Spain to start recordings of what would be his debut album. There she met Miguel Blasco, who began to guide her to establish her solo project.
Blasco, Spanish producer of the greatest discographic hits of Alejandra Guzmán, Yuri and Mijares would handle all the production of La Chica Dorada, achieving a breakthrough in just four months of work. In June 1992, Paulina Rubio officially signed a contract with the EMI Capitol label in Mexico[7] and the song "La Chica Dorada" was released exclusively to publicize her solo project. The song describes the moments Rubio lived in Spain while studying Art History and dreamed of becoming a Hispanic pop star.
Composition
La Chica Dorada is primarily a dance-pop record,[8] though it experiments with new wave, new jack swing and pop rock styles. The album's texture has been described as "light." The album opens with "Mío", a "dancefloor thumper"[9] song includes a flamboyant saxophone insert on the bridge and ends with electric guitar riffs. Lyrically, it "reflected the anxiety of owning everything."[10] The synth arrangements "Dime Si Soy Sexy" notes a girl who is desired because of her prominent beauty through a squeaky funny saxophone. "Sabor A Miel" is about a lost love. The romantic ballad song incorporates a waltzing tempo and refined violins.
The guitars-crying "El Primer Amor" explains the advantages of being the first love of a lover. The secuence pop-rock style, "Amor De Mujer" describe the feelings and mood of a woman in love. It is considered Rubio's first feminist anthem. "La Escoba" is a studio-live track originally sung by the Spanish rock group Los Sírex.
Beginning with a guitars riffs introduction, the album title track "La Chica Dorada" is a doo-wop-oriented song. It has harmonies beneath the main chorus, resembles the songs of early Sixties girl groups. The lyrics narrate Rubio's long and winding road to stardom to become "the golden girl". The emotional ballad "Abriendo Las Puertas Al Amor" explores Rubio vocal range with a chourus vocal harmonies. It starts like a piano ballad and culminates with light touches of drums. In the penultimate track "Sangre Latina" experiments with new jack swing style while Rubio rappers. The album closes with its tenth track "Amarte En Libertad", a dance-pop with new jack swing and new wave influences.
Released and promotion
The promotion began in July 1992, when Rubio conducted a small advertising campaign by several Mexican media outlets, where she presented her new image as "golden girl" and promoted the song "La Chica Dorada" on some radio stations. The singer made several promotional appearances, including talk shows and live performances in the main cities of Mexico. Paulina Rubio made her debut as a solo singer on the legendary Mexican television program Siempre en Domingo, with Raúl Velasco on October 18, 1992,[11] 3 days before her album was released. With her mother and grandmother in the audience, she performed the song "Amor De Mujer" and her first single, "Mío". Rubio's wearing a gold, glitter mini skirt, cropped top and jacket, while a straight out of a rotating device to begin her performing.[12] The famous television host commented that "it was a great privilege to have presented Paulina as a solo singer". His presentation had a high audience rating that the next week was invited again.[13] In United States, for the Spanish-language television program Sábado Gigante, Rubio performed the track "Mío" in January, 1993 and that presentation opened the doors to the Hispanic market in that country.[14] She also appeared on the 1993 Calle Ocho Festival of Miami where performing "Abriendo Las Puertas Al Amor".
Rubio comeback to Mexico in March 1993 to performed at the Premios ERES where performed "Mío Extended Pop Mix", and also performed "Amor De Mujer The Wedding Dance Mix" in a medley with "Mío" at the 11th TVyNovelas Awards. She received the Female Singer Revelation of the Year award in that ceremony.
Singles
"La Chica Dorada" was often aired on radio airplay in Mexico for two months. It, however, was only a Mexican release and was not part of her single debut project. "Mío" was serviced as the lead single from the album and featured lyrics written by José Ramón Flórez and Cesar Valle. The producer of the album Miguel Blasco, thought that Paulina should transmit a more sophisticated and sexy image, and that reflected in her debut single. It received positive reviews from music critics and peaked number three on US Billboard Hot Latin Track. Additionally, it became Rubio's first great hit to obtain commercial success in Latin America. "Amor De Mujer", the second single in Mexico released in November 1992, reached number eight in the Hot Latin Tracks. The song established La Chica Dorada's success and was her second number one single in Mexico.
Rubio re-released "Abriendo Las Puertas Al Amor" in April 1993 in Latin America. It was released as the album's second single in US and became the highest entry of the Latin singles chart by a female artist with the singles and debut album. "Sabor A Miel", the fourth single in US, was a success in Mexico, where was number one and was also embraced as a highlight from the album. "Amarte En Libertad" was exclusively released in Latin America as the airplay single in July 1993, and the song was the prelude to Rubio's second album, 24 Kilates, which would be published only 4 months later.
Additional releases
The first singles of La Chica Dorada were repackaged as a maxi-single album entitled Paulina Rubio in countries like Mexico and Ecuador in 1993, with additional mixes of the singles "Mío" and "Amor De Mujer". In the Ecuador edition it was launched with the promotion of the third single from the album, "Sabor A Miel". The album has been digitally remastered from the original studio tapes. They were available in vinyl, 12" and CD.[15]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [16] |
| Apple Music | favourable[17] |
La Chica Dorada had received mixed reviews from music critics. AllMusic rateit three of five stars, giving it a mixed review and considering the album energetic, exuberant, passionate and intense in the same way Rubio's aesthetic image and personality.[16] Due to the success of "Mío", in Mexico the journalists considered her solo debut as the new "Latin pop icon" and a great business for her label EMI/Capitol Latin.[18] In a retrospect review, Apple Music considers that [La Chica Dorada] "is an album with a risky musical proposal that transcends".[19]
El País newspaper's Elena Reina wrote in a article that "[Rubio] turn from adolescence to the age of majority to hit new record. If her image had already been important to her career as a child, now [with her debut] it becomes crucial", ultimately concluding that the album was her passage from girl to woman.[20] Catalan music critic and journalist Jordi Bianciotto categorized La Chica Dorada as "a light and danceable pop record" and expressed his "disconcerting version" of "La Escoba", which was originally sung by the Spanish rock group Los Sírex. Similarly to most critics, he highlighted Rubio's comercial success with his debut.[8]
Commercial performance
La Chica Dorada debuted on the USA Latin Pop Albums Chart on January 1993. In its eighth week, it peaked at number two and stayed there for two consecutive weeks.[21] Rubio became the first Mexican female artist to have a success album with her debut as solo artist on Billboard charts; in doing so, She was also the first member of Timbiriche who managed to enter those lists. The album also peaked at number 42 on the Top Latin Albums chart where it stayed on the charts for 3 weeks.
In 1996, Paulina appeared on Verónica Castro's show where she showed the first gold record received for the album (100,000 sold), the platinum record when it reached 250,000 copies and then the triple gold after reached 300,000 copies sold in Mexico.[22] By the end of 1993, the album had sold over 450,000 copies in the country.[23] Worlwide, La Chica Dorada has sold over one million copies.[5]
Accolades
| Year | Category | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Best Music Video for "Mío" | ERES Awards | Nominated |
| 1993 | Female Singer Revelation of the Year[24] | TVyNovelas Awards | Won |
| 1993 | Youthful Revelation of the Year[25] | El Heraldo de México | Won |
| 1993 | Female Artist of the Year, Pop[26] | Lo Nuestro Awards | Nominated |
| 1993 | New Pop Artist of the Year[26] | Lo Nuestro Awards | Nominated |
| 1993 | Revelation of the Year[27] | Galardon a los Grandes | Won |
| 1993 | Performing[27] | AcaFest Music Festival | Won |
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mío" |
|
| 3:33 |
| 2. | "Dime Si Soy Sexy" |
| J.R. Florez | 3:56 |
| 3. | "Sabor A Miel" |
| J.R. Florez | 3:53 |
| 4. | "El Primer Amor" | Aleks Syntek | Miguel Blasco | 4:06 |
| 5. | "Amor De Mujer" |
| J.R. Florez | 3:50 |
| 6. | "La Escoba" | Los Sírex | Miguel Blasco | 2:50 |
| 7. | "La Chica Dorada" |
| J.R. Flórez | 3:08 |
| 8. | "Abriendo Las Puertas Al Amor" |
| J.R. Flórez | 4:38 |
| 9. | "Sangre Latina" |
| J.R. Flórez | 4:50 |
| 10. | "Amarte En Libertad" |
| J.R. Florez | 3:15 |
| Total length: | 37:59 | |||
Personnel
The following people contributed to La Chica Dorada:[28]
- Paulina Rubio – lead vocals, backing vocals, main performer, songwriter
Additional personnel
- Miguel Blasco – music director, executive producer
- Luis Méndez – A&E
- Remy Causse – arrangements
- J.R. Florez – record producer, composer
- Cesar Valle – composer
- Gian Pietro Felisatti – composer
- Aleks Syntek – composer
- José Antonio Álvarez Alija – engineering
- Carlos Latapí L – photography
Charts
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Latin Pop Albums (Billboard)[29] | 2 |
| US Top Latin Albums (Billboard)[30] | 42 |
Certifications and sales
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico (AMPROFON)[22] | 3× Gold | 450,000[23] |
Release history
| Country | Release format | Label |
|---|---|---|
| México | EMI Capitol de México | |
| United States[31] | Capitol/EMI Latin | |
| Canada[32] | CD | Capitol Records |
| Spain[33] | Virgin Records |
See also
References
- "Paulina Rubio Official Website: Discography -La Chica Dorada". paulinarubio.com. 2012. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- "Paulina Rubio dice que es un orgullo que la califiquen como la "Madonna latina"". Retrieved 14 October 2018.
- "Paulina Rubio conducirá ceremonia de MTV Video Music Awards". hoydigital.do. Hoy Digital. 15 September 2004. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- "Paulina Rubio y los Temerarios recibirán galardones especiales en Premio Lo Nuestro 2005". Business Wire. February 18, 2005. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
- "Paulina Rubio; una vida de triunfos y éxitos". Revista Central. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
- "Magic's In The Music And The Music's In These". Billboard. March 13, 1993. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- "Paulina Rubio, Biography" (in Spanish). Fan site. 1995. Archived from the original on April 14, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
- Bianciotto, Jordi. "Paulina Rubio vuelve a la carga". elperiodico.com.es. El Periódico. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
- "Billboard (28 Nov, 1992)". books.google.com.mx. Billboard. 28 November 1992. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
- "Paulina Rubio cumple 40 en su mejor momento". quien.com. Quien. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
- "Debut de Paulina Rubio como solista". IMDb. 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
- "Happy Bday Paulina Rubio! Watch 'La Chica Dorada's' solo debut in 1992!". pulsopop.com. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
- Velasco, Raúl (1992). Siempre en Domingo: Paulina Rubio. Siempre en Domingo. Televisa.
YouTube title: Paulina Rubio - debut solista en Siempre en Domingo (1992)
- Martin, Macy Daniela (September 20, 2015). "The 18 Biggest Sábado Gigante Moments You'll Never Forget". PopSugar. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
- "Paulina Rubio (Single)". discogs.com. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
- "ALLMUSIC REVIEW: La Chica Dorada - Paulina Rubio". Allmusic. 2006. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- "La Chica Dorada by Paulina Rubio on Apple Music". Apple Inc. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
Después de Timbiriche nadie esperaba la mezcla de géneros que presentaría Paulina Rubio...
- "Hit Parade". El Siglo de Torreón (in Spanish). Editora de la Laguna. March 9, 1994. p. 43.
- "Apple Music - La Chica Dorada" (in Spanish). Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- Reina, Elena (June 16, 1993). "El enésimo regreso de Paulina Rubio, la chica dorada". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved January 28, 2019.
- "Billboard Latin Pop Albums (1993-03-19)". www.billboard.com. billboard.com. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
- Castro, Verónica (1996). Verónica Castro entrevista a Paulina Rubio. La Tocada. Televisa.
YouTube title: "Paulina Rubio entrevista en La Tocada 1996, Parte 2/4". Info about the certifications at 6:55
- Reina, Elena (December 13, 1993). "Paulina Rubio, la fama y el éxito". El Siglo de Torreón (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
- "Scans de la XI Entrega de los Premios TVyNovelas en 1993 (a lo mejor del 92)" (in Spanish). tapatalk.com. 1993. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
- "Bio, Paulina Rubio" (in Spanish). Fan site. 1995. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
- Lannert, John (March 13, 1993). Secada Leads Latin Noms Following Grammy Win. Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- "Nominations, Awards, Distinctions and Special Recognitions" (in Spanish). paupower.com. 2010. Archived from the original on October 17, 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
- "Créditos Paulina Rubio – La Chica Dorada". Discogs. 2006. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- "Billboard: La Chica Dorada - Paulina Rubio". Billboard. 2013. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- "Paulina Rubio Chart History (Top Latin Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- "La Chica Dorada US CD album". Discogs. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
- "La Chica Dorada Canada CD album". Retrieved November 25, 2018.
- "La Chica Dorada Spain CD album". Discogs. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
Bibliography
- Luna, Iraide (2001), Paulina Rubio "El Huracán Mexicano", Biblioteca Nacional de España: Nuer Ediciones, ISBN 978-84-8068-079-0
