''Gran City Pop'' is the ninth studio album by Mexican singer
Paulina Rubio
Paulina Susana Rubio Dosamantes (; born 17 June 1971) is a Mexican singer. Referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Golden Girl" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Latin Pop", she first achieved recognition as ...
released by
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
on June 23, 2009. The album expanded the Rubio's stylistic palette by combining elements of genres such as
ranchera
Ranchera () or canción ranchera is a genre of traditional music of Mexico. It dates to before the years of the Mexican Revolution. Rancheras today are played in virtually all regional Mexican music styles. Drawing on rural traditional folk music ...
,
hip-hop,
eurodisco
Eurodisco (also spelled as Euro disco) is the variety of European forms of electronic dance music that evolved from disco in the late 1970s, incorporating elements of pop and rock into a disco-like continuous dance atmosphere. Many Eurodisco ...
or
arena rock
Arena rock (also known as AOR, melodic rock, stadium rock, anthem rock, pomp rock, corporate rock and dad rock; ; ) is a style of rock music that originated in the mid-1970s. As hard rock bands and those playing a softer yet strident kind of po ...
, and she became more involved in songwriting and creative elaboration, extracting influences from various
dance-pop
Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
-based genres including
electropop
Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
,
synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
and eighties
British pop
British pop music is popular music, produced commercially in the United Kingdom. It emerged in the mid-to late 1950s as a softer alternative to American rock 'n' roll. Like American pop music it has a focus on commercial recording, often orienta ...
.
In 2008, Rubio began working again with Argentinian music producer
Cachorro López
Gerardo Horacio López von Linden (born 3 March 1956), known professionally as Cachorro López, is an Argentine record producer, musician and songwriter. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he enrolled in various musical ensembles, including Zas and ...
, who served as the executive producer of her previous album ''
Ananda'' (2006). The two collaborated with various producers and writers on the album, including
Lester Méndez
Lester Mendez is a multi-platinum, Grammy award-winning record producer, songwriter and composer. His production/writing credits include a multitude of successful hits with Shakira, Jewel (singer), Jewel, Nelly Furtado, Jessica Simpson, Enrique I ...
,
Mario Domm
Mario Alberto Domínguez Zarzar (born 22 January 1977), known as Mario Domm, is a Mexican singer, songwriter and record producer. A founding member of the pop rock band Camila, he has won four Latin Grammy Awards; four ''Billboard'' Awards; 1 ...
,
Noel Schajris
Nahuel Schajris Rodríguez (born July 19, 1974 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an Argentine-Mexican singer, songwriter and pianist based in Mexico who experienced chart-topping success as part of the duo Sin Bandera until he and fellow singer and ...
,
Gianmarco
Gianmarco is an Italian masculine given name. Its English equivalent is "John Mark" and it is short for "Giovanni Marco".
It may refer to:
*Gianmarco Bellini- Italian Air Force officer
* Gianmarco Cavagnino- Italian architect
*Gianmarco Pozzecco ...
and
Fernando Osorio
Fernando Osorio is a singer-songwriter, born in Bogotá, Colombia, and raised in Caracas, Venezuela.
Early life
At age seven, Osorio played the cuatro, violin, flute and viola in Emil Friedman school.
Career
In 1982, while being a member of the c ...
. And She returns to collaborate with Colombian songwriter
Estéfano
Fabio Alonso Salgado, better known as Estéfano (born 19 August 1966 in Manizales, Colombia) is a Colombian musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. Along with Donato Poveda formed the duo Donato y Estefano, releasing three studio albums t ...
after six years, and other songwriters and producers with whom she previously collaborated such as
Coti
Roberto Fidel Ernesto Sorokin Esparza (born June 14, 1973, in Rosario, Santa Fe), who performs under the stage name Coti, is an Argentine singer-songwriter, best known for collaborations with other Spanish-language artists like Andrés Calamar ...
, Chris Rodriguez and Fernando Montesinos.
''Gran City Pop'' received acclaimed reviews from music critics, many of whom complimented it as a return fresh sounds, and received a nomination for a
Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album
The Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for releasing albums in the Latin pop genre. Honors i ...
. In Mexico, ''Gran City Pop'' peaked at number two on the Mexican Albums Chart, and was certified gold by the
Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas (AMPROFON). In the United States, the album debuted at number forty four on the ''
Billboard 200
The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of art ...
'', with first-week sales of over 9,400 copies, while it debuted at number two on the
Top Latin Albums
Top Latin Albums is a record chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine and is labeled as the most important music chart for Spanish language, full-length albums in the American music market. Like all ''Billboard'' album charts, the chart is based ...
chart and number one on the
Latin Pop Albums
Latin Pop Albums is a record chart published on ''Billboard'' magazine. It features Latin music
Latin music ( Portuguese and es, música latina) is a term used by the music industry as a catch-all category for various styles of music from ...
chart. Additionally, it sold 100,000 copies in United States and Puerto Rico, and manage to sell 300,000 copies worldwide.
Three singles were released from ''Gran City Pop''. The lead single, "
Causa Y Efecto
"" ( en, Cause and Effect) is a song performed by Mexican singer Paulina Rubio. The song was recorded for her ninth studio album Gran City Pop, and was released as the lead single on March 26, 2009. Causa y Efecto became a hit reaching number 1 ...
", peaked at number one in the United States Latin charts, Mexico general chart and Spain airplay chart. Subsequent single "
Ni Rosas Ni Juguetes
"Ni Rosas Ni Juguetes" ( en, "Neither Roses Nor Toys") is a song recorded by Mexican recording artist Paulina Rubio for her ninth studio album ''Gran City Pop'' (2009). It was written by Claudia Brant, Noel Schajris and Gianmarco Zignago, and prod ...
" also was a success in Latin America, and "
Algo De Ti
"Algo De Ti" () is a song recorded by Mexican singer Paulina Rubio for her ninth studio album, ''Gran City Pop'' (2009). It was written by Rubio, Rafael Vergara, and Mauricio Gasca, and produced by Lester Méndez. _Song_Information.html" ;"title ...
" generally underperformed on the charts, but the music video was a hit in the television. To further promote the album, Rubio embarked on the
Gran City Pop Tour in 2009.
Background and production
Following take a
sabbatical
A sabbatical (from the Hebrew: (i.e., Sabbath); in Latin ; Greek: ) is a rest or break from work.
The concept of the sabbatical is based on the Biblical practice of ''shmita'' (sabbatical year), which is related to agriculture. According to ...
year, Rubio released her eighth studio album, ''
Ananda'', in September 2006. Slated to be released as Rubio's comeback album, ''Ananda'' was certified twice times platinum in the United States after it atop at number one on the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Top Latin Albums
Top Latin Albums is a record chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine and is labeled as the most important music chart for Spanish language, full-length albums in the American music market. Like all ''Billboard'' album charts, the chart is based ...
. In Spain, the album peaked at number two on the
Spanish Albums Chart
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
and was eventually certified double platinum, becoming her second best-selling album in that territory, after ''
Paulina
Paulina or Paullina (, ) was a name shared by three relatives of the Roman Emperor Hadrian: his mother, his elder sister and his niece.
Mother of Hadrian
Domitia Paulina or Paullina, Domitia Paulina Major or Paulina Major, (''Major'' Latin fo ...
'' (2000). Critical reception towards Ananda was favourable, many critics felt it a transition to pop-rock sound, acknowledging Rubio's mature perceptions.
In November 2007,
Universal Music
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Netherlands, Dutch–United States, American multinational Music industry, music corporation under Law of the Netherlands, Dutch law. UMG's cor ...
announced Rubio's "started recording her next album in her
ome
Ome may refer to:
Places
* Ome (Bora Bora), a public island in the lagoon of Bora Bora
* Ome, Lombardy, Italy, a town and ''comune'' in the Province of Brescia
* Ōme, Tokyo, a city in the Prefecture of Tokyo
* Ome (crater), a crater on Mars
Tran ...
tudio in Miami (Florida) which she plans to release in the fall of 2008" She had recently finished her Amor Luz y Sonido tour, so she had already written some songs. During American television and radio host Larry King's 75th birthday charity party, Rubio announced: "I've been recording with
Estéfano
Fabio Alonso Salgado, better known as Estéfano (born 19 August 1966 in Manizales, Colombia) is a Colombian musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. Along with Donato Poveda formed the duo Donato y Estefano, releasing three studio albums t ...
,
Cachorro López
Gerardo Horacio López von Linden (born 3 March 1956), known professionally as Cachorro López, is an Argentine record producer, musician and songwriter. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he enrolled in various musical ensembles, including Zas and ...
for many months ... They are my songs and
Coti
Roberto Fidel Ernesto Sorokin Esparza (born June 14, 1973, in Rosario, Santa Fe), who performs under the stage name Coti, is an Argentine singer-songwriter, best known for collaborations with other Spanish-language artists like Andrés Calamar ...
's, it's rock & roll, pop music, rancheras and those songs that touch your heart at a time when I am very much in love, very full, trying to put down roots." Until then, the production had features compositions by Estéfano,
Los Rabanes
Los Rabanes is a Latin Grammy winning ska rock fusion band from Chitré, Herrera, Panama. With a career spanning two decades and eight albums, they are considered pioneers in the region, and are the first band from Central America to win a Latin ...
,
Jeremías
Carlos Eduardo Lopez Avila (London, September 19, 1973) is a Venezuelan singer and songwriter, better known as Jeremias. His songs include a wide spectrum of genres, including pop, ballads and tropical music; all infused with romantic lyric th ...
,
Noel Schajris
Nahuel Schajris Rodríguez (born July 19, 1974 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an Argentine-Mexican singer, songwriter and pianist based in Mexico who experienced chart-topping success as part of the duo Sin Bandera until he and fellow singer and ...
,
Gian Marco Zignago
Gian Marco Javier Zignago Alcóver (born 17 August 1970) is a Peruvian musician and actor. He has won the Latin Grammy Award for the Best Singer-Songwriter Album three times. First in 2005 for his album ''Resucitar'', in 2011 for his album ''Dí ...
,
Lester Méndez
Lester Mendez is a multi-platinum, Grammy award-winning record producer, songwriter and composer. His production/writing credits include a multitude of successful hits with Shakira, Jewel (singer), Jewel, Nelly Furtado, Jessica Simpson, Enrique I ...
, and
Mario Domm
Mario Alberto Domínguez Zarzar (born 22 January 1977), known as Mario Domm, is a Mexican singer, songwriter and record producer. A founding member of the pop rock band Camila, he has won four Latin Grammy Awards; four ''Billboard'' Awards; 1 ...
. Paulina prepared her album with her own songs with the help of Coti, who had a big influence in the writing of the album. Speaking to a Mexican radio program, she said that the new material presented many changes. She explained: "
..at the same time I remain very loyal to my music; my rancheras, boleros, and simple rhythms like the songs we used to listen to as children". She also added: "This new production will have songs by Mario Domm, the leader of
Camila, and Estéfano, but there are some songs of mine with Coti; it's an album to get out the child within us".
On December 8, 2008, Rubio performed at the opening of
Teleton México to raise funds for the benefit of the Teleton Centers for Children with Different Abilities. She sing a pop-rock version of "Solo Le Pido A Dios", originally performed by Argentine folk rock musician
León Gieco
Raúl Alberto Antonio Gieco, pseudonym, better known as León Gieco (born on November 20, 1951 in Cañada Rosquín, Argentina) is an Argentine folk rock performer, Music composer, composer and interpreter. He is known for mixing popular Folklore, ...
. At that time, Universal Music was already preparing the release of the first single, but it was delayed by Rubio's decision because "
thought I had finished the album and a person I love very much told me that it was not finished." Rubio explained "the album improved a lot from June to December
008 008, OO8, O08, or 0O8 may refer to:
* The Streetwear Brand @008us , inspired by Ian Fleming & Virgil Abloh
*"030", the fictional 030 Agent of MI6
* '' 038: Operation Exterminate'', a 1965 Italian action film
* '' Explosivo 030'' a 1940 Argentine c ...
I wrote more songs and when I had 34 love letters, because that's what I call them
he songs
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (pronoun), an English pronoun
* He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ
* He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets
* He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
I chose 10 again and went back to redoing verses."
Since Rubio was during those months traveling around the world, especially going to and from Miami, Mexico and Madrid, most of the songs he wrote while giving concerts. She was very inspired by these three cities during the songwriting process.
[
]
Music and concept
The standard edition of ''Gran City Pop'' is thirty five minutes long, consisting of 10 tracks, while the deluxe adds bonus songs for different editions. A special edition was released on February 17, 2010 exclusively in Spain. This included remixes of "Causa Y Efecto" and "Ni Rosas Ni Juguetes"
Concept
The album was formed around the conceptual city of "Gran City Pop", created by Rubio and represented through the album's accompanying marketing and music videos. It is an utopic
A utopia ( ) typically describes an imaginary community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its members. It was coined by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book ''Utopia'', describing a fictional island society ...
and "enormous city" where Rubio explore through "one vision, some of the life and musical experiences lived during the last years in many cities of the world." She was inspired by the cities of Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
, Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
and Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
for the fictional city name, same cities were the albums was recording.
''Gran City Pop'' is a mix of places, cultures and desires. Rubio describes it as a city "very earthy and very organic where everything is an amalgam; a mixture that allows to unite instead of divide", where borders do not exist; is a place "where people speak Spanglish
Spanglish (a portmanteau of the words "Spanish" and "English") is any language variety (such as a contact dialect, hybrid language, pidgin, or creole language) that results from conversationally combining Spanish and English. The term is mos ...
, where freedom reigns and where love prospers and there is no violence". In ''Gran City Pop'', human rights
Human rights are Morality, moral principles or Social norm, normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for ce ...
are the fundamental pillar of the social system. There is no hate, no racism, no homophobia. Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same Legal sex and gender, sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being ...
is considered to be a human right. Its inhabitants "enjoy literature, music, gastronomy, friendship, family, sunsets and full moons."
In the album's booklet, journalist and writer Boris Izaguirre
Boris Rodolfo Izaguirre Lobo ( Caracas, 29 September 1965), better known as Boris Izaguirre, is a Venezuelan writer, TV host, screenwriter, journalist and showman.
Career
Izaguirre wrote the scripts of some of the Venezuelan telenovelas: ''Ru ...
details how Rubio returns stepping "on the asphalt" of ''Gran City Pop''. He describes her as a "rock soul" who manages to "unite all its bridges, combine its colors and savor its mixes "with the city to which he returns once more. Izaguirre makes the city of ''Gran City Pop'' visible with "skyscrapers of multiple colors", some of its streets are called México, Madrid, Miami, Mar y Mirar, which contain a "show of emotions, lights, dreams and hopes", where a mixture of places such as Maya
Maya may refer to:
Civilizations
* Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America
** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples
** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples
* Maya (Ethiopia), a populat ...
, Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
, Bollywood
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
, New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
and Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
. He also cites the cultural influence of Julio Cortázar
Julio Florencio Cortázar (26 August 1914 – 12 February 1984; ) was an Argentine, nationalized French novelist, short story writer, essayist, and translator. Known as one of the founders of the Latin American Boom, Cortázar influenced an ent ...
, Salvador Dalí
Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (; ; ; 11 May 190423 January 1989) was a Spanish Surrealism, surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, and the striking and bizarr ...
, Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...
, and Frida Kahlo
Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón (; 6 July 1907 – 13 July 1954) was a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country's popular culture, ...
. In his review of the album from Club Fonograma
Club Fonograma was a United States-based daily Internet publication established in 2008 that was devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, mixtapes, podcasts, and artist interviews. Its focus is on global pop and independent music fro ...
, Carlos Reyes described Rubio as "a hippy
A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to different countries around ...
in the fancy pop city she aims to create", and acknowledged that ''Gran City Pop'' "not a very enchanting city, but it’s got mayor with plenty of personality to win the popular vote."[
]
Composition
The album highlights to "upbeat
Up beat may refer to:
*Upbeat, in music, the last beat in the previous bar which immediately precedes the downbeat
*Anacrusis, a note (or sequence of notes) which precedes the first downbeat in a bar in a musical phrase
* ''Upbeat'' (album), by t ...
sound". with Rubio sounding "like she's having a blast on every song, even the ones that are about the pitfalls of love."[ She revealed that the songs "reflect the moment she is living and her growth as a person." Like her previous records, contains many different genres of music. ''Gran City Pop'' is a "eclectic" album, including ]pop rock
Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
, dance-pop
Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
, electropop
Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
and Latin pop
Latin pop (in Spanish and in Portuguese: Pop latino) is a pop music subgenre that is a fusion of US–style music production with Latin music genres from anywhere in Latin America and Spain. Originating in Spanish-speaking musicians, Latin po ...
-styles with 80s-influenced beats[ such as ]synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
, British pop
British pop music is popular music, produced commercially in the United Kingdom. It emerged in the mid-to late 1950s as a softer alternative to American rock 'n' roll. Like American pop music it has a focus on commercial recording, often orienta ...
and city pop
is a loosely defined form of Japanese pop music that emerged in the late 1970s and peaked in the 1980s. It was originally termed as an offshoot of Japan's Western-influenced "new music", but came to include a wide range of styles – including ...
. Much of the album discusses principle of karma, spirituality
The meaning of ''spirituality'' has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. Traditionally, spirituality referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape o ...
, fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...
, magic
Magic or Magick most commonly refers to:
* Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces
* Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic
* Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...
and illusion
An illusion is a distortion of the senses, which can reveal how the mind normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation. Although illusions distort the human perception of reality, they are generally shared by most people.
Illusions may o ...
, all from the perspective of love
Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...
. ''Gran City Pop'' opens with "Causa y Efecto
"" ( en, Cause and Effect) is a song performed by Mexican singer Paulina Rubio. The song was recorded for her ninth studio album Gran City Pop, and was released as the lead single on March 26, 2009. Causa y Efecto became a hit reaching number 1 ...
", a big-beat pop song propelled by sampled Gary Glitter
Paul Francis Gadd (born 8 May 1944), best known by his stage name Gary Glitter, is an English former singer, songwriter, and record producer. He achieved success during the glam rock era of the 1970s and 1980s, and his career ended after he w ...
's beat "Rock and Roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...
",[ which deals with the concepts of ]karma
Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptivel ...
and causality
Causality (also referred to as causation, or cause and effect) is influence by which one event, process, state, or object (''a'' ''cause'') contributes to the production of another event, process, state, or object (an ''effect'') where the cau ...
. The second track "La Danza del Escorpión" was described as a "pungent club anthem" that sticks to distinctives Rubio's Latin guitar riffs. Lyrically it is about a "scorned love" where Rubio alludes to the popular legend of the scorpion and the fire that, when stung with its own sting, ends up poisoning itself. "Enséñame" is a romantic electro-pop and synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
song with guitars by Fernando Perdomo
Fernando Jose Perdomo (born August 17, 1980) is an American musician best known for his work as a producer and session bassist and guitarist.
Career
Fernando started his career as a session guitar player after playing in Miami Bands, Avenging ...
. It received positive reviews, but its lyrics were criticized for being cliché. The song was compared to works by the New Order.[ The fourth track, "Melodía de tu Alma" is a pop ballad "talks about sowing a seed and creating a family." The song is built around violins and strings. "Más Que Amigo" is a rhythmic pop song about love and ]friendship
Friendship is a relationship of mutual affection between people. It is a stronger form of interpersonal bond than an "acquaintance" or an "association", such as a classmate, neighbor, coworker, or colleague.
In some cultures, the concept o ...
.
Opening as radio station, the feminist anthem
An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short ...
"Ni Rosas Ni Juguetes
"Ni Rosas Ni Juguetes" ( en, "Neither Roses Nor Toys") is a song recorded by Mexican recording artist Paulina Rubio for her ninth studio album ''Gran City Pop'' (2009). It was written by Claudia Brant, Noel Schajris and Gianmarco Zignago, and prod ...
" is hybrid ranchera
Ranchera () or canción ranchera is a genre of traditional music of Mexico. It dates to before the years of the Mexican Revolution. Rancheras today are played in virtually all regional Mexican music styles. Drawing on rural traditional folk music ...
/ hip-hop Latin pop song. Features a "boom-bap" beat[ and instrumentation similar to that of ]Tejano music
Tejano music ( es, música tejana), also known as Tex-Mex music, is a popular music style fusing Mexican and US influences. Typically, Tejano combines Mexican Spanish vocal styles with dance rhythms from Czech and German genres – particular ...
, Rubio "half-raps, half-sings about how flowers and toys rom a manwon't earn her love". It was met with critical acclaim by most music critics, and was declared to be one of the high points tracks on the album.[ "Amanecí Sin Ti" is a ]reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
-style and folk-pop
Folk-pop is a musical style that may be 1) contemporary folk songs with large, sweeping pop arrangements, or 2) pop songs with intimate, acoustic-based folk arrangements. Recording production values created a unblemished style that appealed to ...
song with acoustic guitars, drums, bass, organs, and keyboards.[ The song channels a stream of overcoming, in which the narrator claims to feel better after a failed relationship.][ The eighth track, "]Algo De Ti
"Algo De Ti" () is a song recorded by Mexican singer Paulina Rubio for her ninth studio album, ''Gran City Pop'' (2009). It was written by Rubio, Rafael Vergara, and Mauricio Gasca, and produced by Lester Méndez. _Song_Information.html" ;"title ...
", is an electro-disco
Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
song with sampled strings rubbing against hard synth lines.[ The track opens with hazy sirens] using a sound effect
A sound effect (or audio effect) is an artificially created or enhanced sound, or sound process used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media. Traditi ...
s, with Rubio's whispery and melodious vocals contrast dance-pop beat. Over a ticking arrangement of keyboards, violins, cello, and harp harmonies, the song depicts feeling of living inside a vicious circle of a relationship destined to fail. It was compared to works by Lady Gaga
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...
.[ "A Contraluz" is an electronic track][ with Rubio whispering away as he moves on and ends the song. Rubio sings about deciding to end a romance without drama][ in the tenth track, "Escaleras de Arena". It is a pop rock, and ]arena
An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...
tune, with hushed tambourine, guitar riffs, drums, and piano.
Artwork
Spanish design team Pon un Diseñador Gráfico en tu Vida were responsible for the artwork of ''Gran City Pop''. For the album illustration, Paulina Rubio wears an "exotic" purple sequinned mini-dress with a sweetheart neckline, from the Armand Basi One Spring-Summer 2009 line. She completes her outfit with gold platform shoes with fringed bracelet signed by Christian Louboutin
Christian Louboutin (; born 7 January 1963) is a French fashion designer whose high-end stiletto footwear incorporates shiny, red-lacquered soles that have become his signature. Initially a freelance designer for fashion houses, he started hi ...
; and fingerless gloves. In it, she pretends to be singing, while clutching a silver microphone with a base. Rubio has his eyes closed with an expression of peace and happiness, while covering his half face with a purple "futuristic" face shield style cap. Behind her, a blue daytime
Daytime as observed on Earth is the period of the day during which a given location experiences natural illumination from direct sunlight. Daytime occurs when the Sun appears above the local horizon, that is, anywhere on the globe's hemis ...
sky and visible clouds
In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of miniature liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water or various other chemicals may com ...
; buildings; and the sea, reflecting the blue sky
The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space.
In the field of astronomy, ...
are shown. This is a shot of the city of Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It was incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on natural and artificial island, man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the ...
, one of the cities inspired by "Gran City Pop". On the back cover of the album, Rubio looks much more rebellious and carefree with the city skyline behind her. She holding her electric guitar while the wind ruffles her blonde hair and she wears a pair of sunglasses. It was compared with ''City to City
''City to City'' is the second solo studio album by Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty, released on 20 January 1978 by United Artists Records. It was Rafferty's first solo release in six years—and first release of any kind since 1975 ...
'' album cover by Gerry Rafferty
Gerald Rafferty (16 April 1947– 4 January 2011) was a Scottish singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He was a founding member of Stealers Wheel, whose biggest hit was " Stuck in the Middle with You" in 1973. His solo hits in th ...
painted by John Patrick Byrne
John Patrick Byrne (born 6 January 1940) is a Scottish playwright and artist. He wrote '' The Slab Boys Trilogy'', plays which explore working-class life in Scotland, and the TV dramas ''Tutti Frutti'' and ''Your Cheatin' Heart''. Byrne is al ...
.[ The photo sessions were done by Gustavo López Mañas, who worked with the singer for the first time. He took the concept of Rubio's album and managed to manifest his own stamp, inspired by ]comic books
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
.
Promotion
Rubio's comeback took place in April 23, at the 2009 Billboard Latin Music Awards, where she performed ''Gran City Pops lead single, "Causa y Efecto", for the first time. She wore a pink sequined micro-mini-dress and fingerless gold gloves. According with ''Billboard'', she "presented herself as a woman in command" setting off a stadium-style wave by the dancers and drummers onstage, belonging to Miami Northwestern Senior High School
Miami Northwestern Senior High School is a public four-year high school located in Miami, Florida, United States
History
Academics
Northwestern has long been known for its academic challenges; however, the school has shown an unprecedented ...
. Rubio also performed live at Univision's Premios Juventud. Rubio made a private concert at Gotham Hall in New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
on May 11 to promote ''Gran City Pop''. The concert was presented by Univision Radio
Uforia Audio Network () is the radio broadcasting and music events division of TelevisaUnivision USA. Formerly known as Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation and Univision Radio, it is the eighth-largest radio broadcaster in the United States, and ...
. During her stay in New York, she visited the MTV Tr3s Studios, she taped the show ''ESL
English as a second or foreign language is the use of English by speakers with different native languages. Language education for people learning English may be known as English as a second language (ESL), English as a foreign language (EFL ...
'', and presented fans the single "Causa y Efecto". The performance was aired on May 14.
Rubio appeared at Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica 2009
The eighth annual Premios MTV Latinoamérica 2009 took place on October 15, 2009 in Bogotá, Colombia at Corferias, at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, United States, Mexico City, Mexico and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
René Pérez Joglar, al ...
on October 15 along with Cobra Starship
Cobra Starship was an American dance-pop band founded in 2005 by Gabe Saporta (ex- Midtown), and headquartered in New York City. He recorded the first album as a solo project, ''While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets''. Saporta later enliste ...
performing "Good Girls Go Bad
"Good Girls Go Bad" is a song by American pop band Cobra Starship with guest vocals by Leighton Meester. It was the first single released from their third studio album, ''Hot Mess''. The song was released digitally through iTunes on May 11, 200 ...
" and "Ni Rosas Ni Juguetes
"Ni Rosas Ni Juguetes" ( en, "Neither Roses Nor Toys") is a song recorded by Mexican recording artist Paulina Rubio for her ninth studio album ''Gran City Pop'' (2009). It was written by Claudia Brant, Noel Schajris and Gianmarco Zignago, and prod ...
". She was the female performer with the most nominations (and second most overall):
"Video of the Year", "Best Artist", "Best Pop Artist", "Best Solo Artist" and "Artist of the Year". She won "Best Solo Artist", which became her first award. Rubio and Cobra Starship won an MTV Award for "Best Live Performance at Los Premios 2009", as voted by the public, beating artists such as Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the " Queen of Latin Music" and is ...
, Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado (; ; born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Furtado has sold over 40 million records worldwide making her one of the most successful Canadian artists.
She first gained fame with her trip hop-inspired deb ...
, and Wisin & Yandel
Wisin & Yandel is a Puerto Rican reggaeton duo consisting of Wisin and Yandel. They started their career in the late 1990s and have been together since, winning several awards including a Grammy Award in 2009. They became the first and the only ...
. On November 1, Paulina performed "Ni Rosas Ni Juguetes" on ''¡Viva el Sueño!
''¡Viva el Sueño!'' (''Live the Dream!'') is a reality competition to find new solo musical talent. Many are those who dream of being big but very few who reach the success in the music world. ''¡Viva el Sueño!'' will give that opportunity t ...
'', a reality competition show similar to ''American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
''.
On November 12, she performed at the 2009 Premios Telehit in Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
and was given the award for being the Mexican female artist with most international fame. Paulina performed at the Miss Colombia 2009 ceremony on November 16. Paulina performed at Premios Oye!
Premios Oye! (Premio Nacional a la Música Grabada) were presented annually by the ''Academia Nacional de la Música en México'' from 2003 to 2013 with the exception of 2011 when they were not presented, for outstanding achievements in the Mexican ...
and won the "Audience Award", given to her by her mother Susana Dosamantes. On February 5, 2010, Paulina performed at the 2010 Pepsi Super Bowl Fan Jam. On February 18, Paulina performed at the Premios Lo Nuestro 2010
Premio Lo Nuestro 2010 was held on Thursday February 18, 2010 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, FL was broadcast live on the Univision Network. The nominees were announced in December 2009 during a live televised morning show Despierta Am ...
. Lastly, Paulina performed "Algo De Ti
"Algo De Ti" () is a song recorded by Mexican singer Paulina Rubio for her ninth studio album, ''Gran City Pop'' (2009). It was written by Rubio, Rafael Vergara, and Mauricio Gasca, and produced by Lester Méndez. _Song_Information.html" ;"title ...
" for the first time at the 2010 ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards on April 29 as a duet with rapper/singer Wyclef Jean
Nel Ust Wyclef Jean (; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, musician, and actor. At the age of nine, Jean immigrated to the United States with his family. He first achieved fame as a member of the New Jersey hip hop group the Fugees, a ...
.
Singles
Three singles were released to promote ''Gran City Pop''. "Causa y Efecto" was released as its lead single in March 30, 2009. The song premiere was performed at the 2009 Latin Billboard Music Awards; it was one of the most expected moments of the night. Commercially, "Causa y Efecto" was a success in America and Spain, where it was certified platinum for selling 40,000 copies. It peaked at number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs
The ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs (formerly Hot Latin Tracks and Hot Latin 50) is a record chart in the United States for Latin songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Since October 2012, chart rankings are based on digital sales, rad ...
, Mexico Singles Chart, and Spanish Airplay Chart, while also reached the top 20 in Venezuela. An accompanying music video for the song was directed by Rudi Dolezal
Rudi Dolezal ( sl, Doležal, born 5 February 1958) is an Austrian film producer and film director best known for his music videos. He has directed and produced videos for artists such as Tom Waits, the Rolling Stones, Frank Zappa, David Bowie, M ...
and features Rubio singing the song in different scenarios with a 80's retro vibe. The video shows a Newton's pendulum is observed that refers to the lyrics of the song. "Causa y Efecto" was awarded as Song of the Year Pop/Ballad by ASCAP
The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
, as well, received multiple nominations at different award ceremonies.
"Ni Rosas Ni Juguetes" was released as the album's second single on August 17, 2009. It peaked number one on Peru, and reached number three on Spain, where was certified platinum, becoming the album's second consecutive hit in that territory. In the United States, the song reached at number nine on the ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs chart, while peaked number five on the Latin Pop Songs
Latin Pop Airplay (also referred to as Latin Pop Songs) is a record chart published on ''Billboard'' magazine and a subchart of the Latin Airplay chart. The chart focuses on Latin pop music, namely Spanish-language pop music. It was established ...
chart. The accompanying music video, directed by Jessy Terrero
Jessy Terrero (born October 7, 1972) is a List of people from the Dominican Republic, Dominican Film director, film and music video director.
Career
Terrero appeared as an extra on the 1992 film ''Juice (1992 film), Juice'' starring Tupac Shakur ...
, inspired by the movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith, features Rubio as an empowered woman. On November, 2009, was released two alternate versions of "Ni Rosas Ni Juguetes"; The first, a duet remix featuring Pitbull
Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
, who contributed verses written by himself, the second, a banda version, with vocals by Regional Mexican singer Jenni Rivera
Dolores Janney "Jenni" Rivera Saavedra (July 2, 1969 – December 9, 2012) was an American singer known for her work within the Regional Mexican music genre, specifically in the styles of Banda, Mariachi and Norteño. In life and death, sev ...
.
"Algo De Ti" was released as the third single from the album, in April 2010. The single peaked at number 48 on the Spanish chart, thus becoming the first single release from ''Gran City Pop'' to miss charting inside the top 10, while peaking at number 32 on the Mexico Airplay chart. The music video of the song, directed by Steven Oritt, was premiere on June, 2010 on Rubio's YouTube channel. It became one of the most watched videos on television in Spain in 2010. Although "Algo De Ti" would be the last single to be released from ''Gran City Pop'', "La Danza Del Escorpión" was released as the only promotional single from the album, on December, 2009. The single managed to reach the top 40 in Mexico, peaking at number 40 on the singles chart.
Tour
To promote the album, Rubio embarked on the Gran City Pop Tour, beginning on September 18, 2009, at the Star of the Desert Arena
Star of the Desert Arena is a 6,500-seat indoor arena located in Primm, Nevada, United States. It is used primarily for concerts, and is part of Buffalo Bill's Casino, one of the Primm Valley Resorts.
Although Primm is near the California-Neva ...
in Primm, Nevada
Primm (formerly known as State Line) is an unincorporated community in Clark County, Nevada, United States, primarily notable for its position straddling Interstate 15 where it crosses the state border between California and Nevada. It sits on I ...
. The first leg of the tour featured performances in United States, Caribbean and Mexico. The first two shows of the tour was sold out. The second leg consisting of concerts in South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
, the third leg ran in May, 2010 in Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
, and the fourth leg close in Latin America
Latin America or
* french: Amérique Latine, link=no
* ht, Amerik Latin, link=no
* pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
. A live concert show, held at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
, was broadcast on ''Las Estrellas
Las Estrellas ("The Stars"; previously El Canal de las Estrellas, or "The Channel of the Stars") is one of the cornerstone networks of TelevisaUnivision, with affiliate stations all over Mexico, flagshipped at XEW-TDT in Mexico City. Many of the ...
''.
Critical reception
''Gran City Pop'' received generally positive reviews from music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
. Phil Freeman from AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
praised Rubio's choice of collaborators and producers, and appreciated the album's cohesion "almost miraculously" despite "style-hopping" of each song "from electro to pop/rock to indefinable blends of whatever works." He also complimented Rubio's "ability to create consistent sound, and commented "she's a pure pop artist, throwing anything and everything at the wall with no goal beyond a hooky melody, and ''Gran City Pop'' has plenty of them."[ Rachel Devitt from ]Rhapsody
Rhapsody may refer to:
* A work of epic poetry, or part of one, that is suitable for recitation at one time
** Rhapsode, a classical Greek professional performer of epic poetry
Computer software
* Rhapsody (online music service), an online m ...
gave the album a positive review and found it to be an "a potent reminder of why she is such a mega-star in the Latin pop world", adding that "Rubio's flexible voice and diva charisma allow her to carry off each style with attitude and flair."
Jesús Rodríguez de ''El País
''El País'' (; ) is a Spanish-language daily newspaper in Spain. ''El País'' is based in the capital city of Madrid and it is owned by the Spanish media conglomerate PRISA.
It is the second most circulated daily newspaper in Spain . ''El Pa ...
'' considers ''Gran City Pop'' as a "party and romance tailor's drawer; pop rhythms, Latin airs, rock guitars, rancheras and tequila, melodic song and disco sound packaged under the concept of the three cities that have marked her life: Mexico City, Madrid and Miami. " Dan Kimpel from Broadcast Music, Inc.
Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) is a performance rights organization in the United States. It collects blanket license fees from businesses that use music, entitling those businesses to play or sync any songs from BMI's repertoire of over 20.6 milli ...
praised the sound of the album and said that "the sonic scope of the songs and the production is vast and varied". He also highlighted Rubio's versatility as a songwriter and singer. David Dorantes from ''Houston Chronicle
The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
'' also praised the album's production, but felt that it did not contribute anything new and stated that "advancing along paths of fusion already well explored, it reflects a certain turn in his career, with more elaborate mixes than in previous albums." Music journalist Carlos Reyes was a bit more severe in his review from the Club Fonograma
Club Fonograma was a United States-based daily Internet publication established in 2008 that was devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, mixtapes, podcasts, and artist interviews. Its focus is on global pop and independent music fro ...
music blog, considering " 'Gran City Pop''not a very enchanting city", although like most critics, he praised the album production and ended by saying that ay least " 'Gran City Pop''got mayor (Rubio) with plenty of personality to win the popular vote."
Accolades
Commercial performance
''Gran City Pop'' debuted at number forty four on the US ''Billboard 200
The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of art ...
'', with first-week sales of over 9,400 copies. It debuted at number two on the US ''Billboard'' Latin Albums
Top Latin Albums is a record chart published by Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' magazine and is labeled as the most important music chart for Spanish language, full-length albums in the United States, American music market. Like all ''Billboard ...
chart and number one on the Latin Pop Albums
Latin Pop Albums is a record chart published on ''Billboard'' magazine. It features Latin music
Latin music ( Portuguese and es, música latina) is a term used by the music industry as a catch-all category for various styles of music from ...
chart. The album sold over 100,000 copies in the United States and Puerto Rico.[
The album debuted at number two on the Mexican Albums Chart where received the Gold certification there for over 40,000 units in its first week. On the Spain Albums Chart, ''Gran City Pop'' debuted at number three. This album also earned Paulina five nominations to the MTV Awards.
The album sold over 300,000 copies all around the world in only one week to released.][
]
Track listing
Special Edition
The reissue
In the music industry, a reissue (also re-release, repackage or re-edition) is the release of an album or Single (music), single which has been released at least once before, sometimes with alterations or additions.
Reasons for reissue
New aud ...
''Gran City Pop: Special Edition'' was released on February 17, 2010, by Universal Music Spain. This included a remix of "Causa y Efecto" a duet with Angel Y Khriz, another remix of "Ni Rosas Ni Juguetes" a duet with Pitbull
Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
that served to promote the material, and another remix of Juan Magán
Juan Manuel Magán González (born 30 September 1978) is a Spanish producer, singer, remixer and DJ of electronic dance music, recognized internationally for his contributions to the "Electro Latino" category of music.
As a remixer, he has worke ...
. This edition was released in Europe only.
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Gran City Pop''.
Musicians
* Paulina Rubio
Paulina Susana Rubio Dosamantes (; born 17 June 1971) is a Mexican singer. Referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Golden Girl" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Latin Pop", she first achieved recognition as ...
– lead vocals, backing vocals
* Flor Ciarlo – additional backing vocals
* Sebastián Schon – guitar, keyboards, bass programming
* Cachorro López
Gerardo Horacio López von Linden (born 3 March 1956), known professionally as Cachorro López, is an Argentine record producer, musician and songwriter. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he enrolled in various musical ensembles, including Zas and ...
– bass guitar, synthesizer programming
* Demian Nava – keyboards
* Juan Blas Caballero – keyboards
* Laura Rubio – additional backing vocals
* Fernando Montesinos – guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, bass programming
* Ruben Villanueva – arrangements
* Fernando Perdomo
Fernando Jose Perdomo (born August 17, 1980) is an American musician best known for his work as a producer and session bassist and guitarist.
Career
Fernando started his career as a session guitar player after playing in Miami Bands, Avenging ...
– guitar, bass guitar, piano
* Chris Rodriguez – programming, arrangements
* Tony Smurphio – synthesizer
* XTrings – strings
* Derek Citron – drum
* Jorge Balbi – drum
* Dany Avila – drum
* Lester Mendez
Lester Mendez is a multi-platinum, Grammy award-winning record producer, songwriter and composer. His production/writing credits include a multitude of successful hits with Shakira, Jewel, Nelly Furtado, Jessica Simpson, Enrique Iglesias, and ot ...
– keyboards, harp, sound effects, string, piano, tambourine, vocoder
* Sonus Quartet
Sonus Quartet is a Los Angeles-based string quartet whose members include Caroline Campbell (violin I), Kathleen Sloan (violin II), Neel Hammond (viola), and Vanessa Freebairn-Smith (cello). Freebairn-Smith and Hammond formed Sonus Quartet in 2003. ...
– strings
* Vanessa Freebairn-Smith Vanessa Freebairn-Smith is a cellist, based in Los Angeles, California. She is a founding member of the Sonus Quartet, formed in 2003, which presents art music in alternative and unusual ways, fusing classical with pop, rock, and hip-hop.
Freebai ...
– cello, violin
* James Freebarin-Smith – cello
* Wendy Pedersen – additional backing vocals
* John Fuzessy – additional backing vocals
* Lyle Workman
Lyle Dean Workman is an American guitarist, composer, session and touring musician, and music producer. His music has been widely distributed since his debut on the eponymous '' Bourgeois Tagg'' album in 1986, and is known for his work as compos ...
– guitar
* Dan Warner – bass guitar
* Lee Levin – drums, tambourine
* Andres Levin – guitar, bass guitar, keyboards
* Skoota Warner
Ra is an American alternative metal band from Los Angeles, taking their name from the Egyptian sun god, Ra. The band was formed in 1996, and took off around 2002, when their song "Do You Call My Name" from their album ''From One'' was released ...
- drum
* Nora Jimenez – additional backing vocals
* Rebeca Rods – additional backing vocals
* Fani Ela – additional backing vocals
Technical
* Paulina Rubio – executive production
* Cachorro López – production ; executive production
* Sebastián Schon – engineering, recording
* Demian Nava – engineering
* Juan Blas Caballero – engineering
* Cesar Sogbe – mixing, engineering
* Fernando Montesinos – production
* Bori Alarcón – mixing, engineering
* Chris Rodriguez – engineering
* Enrique Larreal – engineering
* Pedro Nameron – engineering
* Lester Mendez – production, engineering
* Carlos "El Loco" – engineering
* Joel Numa – engineering
* Cody Acosta – engineering, recording
* Andres Levin – engineering, recording
* Ray Aldeco – engineering
* Alex Garcia – engineering
* Bob Power
Bob Power is an American Grammy Award–winning and multi-platinum record producer, audio engineer, composer, arranger, performer, and music educator.
Early life
Power was born in Chicago, moved to Rye, New York, then moved to St. Louis, Missou ...
– mixing, engineering
* Chris Gehringer
Chris Gehringer (born May 27, 1962) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered recordings such as Gwen Stefani's '' Love. Angel. Music. Baby.'' (2004), Rihanna's '' Loud'' (2010), Lady Gaga's '' Born This Way'' (2011) and Drake' ...
– mastering
Artwork
* Gustavo López-Mañas – photography
* Pon un Diseñador Gráfico en tu Vida – design
* Eli Tersse – art direction
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
References
{{Authority control
2009 albums
Paulina Rubio albums
Universal Music Latino albums
Albums produced by Cachorro López
Concept albums