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 ...

Miguel Blasco Miguel Blasco is a music producer and songwriter. Born in Spain. When he was 16 years old, he joined his first rock band and moved to Ibiza in 1963 through the first years of the musical movement called "beatnic", before the "hippies". On stage, ...

Gian Pietro Felisatti Gian Pietro Felisatti (1950 – 18 June 2022),danceable pop", although it includes some elements of

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 ...

,

new jack swing New jack swing, new jack, or swingbeat is a fusion genre of the rhythms and production techniques of hip hop and dance-pop, and the urban contemporary sound of R&B. Spearheaded by producers Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle, new jack swing was mos ...

, new wave and a couple of

ballads A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

. The album's title has been stuck as Rubio's nickname throughout the

Spanish-speaking world Hispanophone and Hispanic refers to anything relating to the Spanish language (the Hispanosphere). In a cultural, rather than merely linguistic sense, the notion of "Hispanophone" goes further than the above definition. The Hispanic culture is th ...

ever since. The album received a mixed reception from

music critic ''The Oxford Companion to Music'' defines music criticism as "the intellectual activity of formulating judgments on the value and degree of excellence of individual works of music, or whole groups or genres". In this sense, it is a branch of mus ...

s. Many critics applauded the album for its interesting themes and her step forward "from girl to woman" in the music industry, while others focused heavily on her conceptual image, who noted the influence of

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...

and

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

—Although her greatest inspiration was

Brigitte Bardot Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a former French actress, singer and model. Famous for portraying sexually emancipated characters with hedonistic lifestyles, she was one of the ...

—, and they did not like another "

Madonna wannabe A Madonna wannabe, or Madonnabe, is a person (usually female) who dresses or acts like American singer Madonna. When she emerged into stardom in the mid-1980s, an unusually high number of women, particularly young women and girls, began to dres ...

". Despite mixed reviews, commercially the album was a success. It includes Rubio's

signature song A signature (; from la, signare, "to sign") is a Handwriting, handwritten (and often Stylization, stylized) depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and ...

and

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

that launched her solo career, "

Mío "Mío" ''(English: "Mine")'' is a song recorded by Mexican singer Paulina Rubio for her debut solo studio album '' La Chica Dorada'' (1992). It was written by José Ramón Flórez and Cesar Valle and produced by Miguel Blasco and J.R. Florez. Af ...

", along with the number-one hits, "

Sabor a Miel "Sabor a Miel" ''(English: "Taste of Honey")'' is a song recorded by Mexican singer Paulina Rubio for her debut studio album, '' La Chica Dorada'' (1992). It was released as a single by Capitol Latin in August 1993 in the US and Latin America. Th ...

" and "

Amor de Mujer "Amor de Mujer" ''(English: "Woman's Love")'' is a song recorded by Mexican singer Paulina Rubio for her debut solo studio album ''La Chica Dorada'' (1992). Released as the album's second Single (music), single in January 1993 in Mexico, and as th ...

". In Mexico, the album was

certified Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...

triple gold, selling 450,000 copies in the nation. In the United States, the album peaked at position number forty two on the ''Billboard'' Top Latin Albums chart, but it peaked the number two 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 singles "Mío", "Amor de Mujer" and " Abriendo las Puertas al Amor" entered the top-ten of the

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 ...

chart, turning Rubio into a strong promise of

Hispanic music The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

.

Background and development

In the 1980s, Rubio established herself as one of the prominent members of the Mexican pop group

Timbiriche ''Timbiriche'' (also known for a brief time as ''La Banda Timbiriche'') is a Mexican pop music group. The group started as a children's group in 1981 and managed to evolve successfully into adulthood. Timbiriche is considered one of the most ic ...

. She recorded eleven albums overall, of which seven were certified platinum and four were certified gold. When she decided to leave the group In 1990, she try to set up her solo music career. Meanwhile, Rubio traveled to Europe to study History of Art. Upon her return to Mexico she spoke with her mother, the actress Susana Dosamantes, to support her in financing her first debut album. Rubio traveled to Madrid, Spain in September 1991 to meet up with the 80's and 90's hit-makers producers

Miguel Blasco Miguel Blasco is a music producer and songwriter. Born in Spain. When he was 16 years old, he joined his first rock band and moved to Ibiza in 1963 through the first years of the musical movement called "beatnic", before the "hippies". On stage, ...

—who began to guide her to establish her solo project—and José Ramón Flórez, and search record labels for a contract. While Rubio recording some songs for her debut solo studio album, she anticipated want to show "fresh music for a very broad market.", and also announced she would film her second telenovela in Mexico, '' Baila Conmigo''. In mid-1991, Rubio begun to work with Miguel Blasco, and the well-known producers and songwriters, includes

Gian Pietro Felisatti Gian Pietro Felisatti (1950 – 18 June 2022),Aleks Syntek Raúl Alejandro Escajadillo Peña (born 29 September 1969), known by his stage name, Aleks Syntek, is a Mexican singer and songwriter. He has earned nine nominations for the Latin Grammy Awards, a Grammy nomination, five nominations for the MT ...

as well was composer for the album. The album was primarily recorded at Balu-Balu Estudios in Madrid, Spain. In June 1992, Paulina Rubio officially signed a contract with the EMI Capitol label in Mexico and the song "La Chica Dorada" was released on airplay radio in Mexico exclusively to publicize her solo project. The song describes the moments Rubio lived in Spain while studying Art History and dreamed of becoming a Latin pop star.

Composition

''La Chica Dorada'' is primarily a pop and

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 ...

record, incorporated new wave music,

new jack swing New jack swing, new jack, or swingbeat is a fusion genre of the rhythms and production techniques of hip hop and dance-pop, and the urban contemporary sound of R&B. Spearheaded by producers Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle, new jack swing was mos ...

and

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 ...

styles. Also, it included a couple of ballads. The album's texture has been described as "light." The album opens with "

Mío "Mío" ''(English: "Mine")'' is a song recorded by Mexican singer Paulina Rubio for her debut solo studio album '' La Chica Dorada'' (1992). It was written by José Ramón Flórez and Cesar Valle and produced by Miguel Blasco and J.R. Florez. Af ...

", a "dancefloor thumper" song includes a flamboyant

saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to pr ...

insert on the bridge and ends with electric guitar riffs. It contains a ''

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...

'' chorus and new wave influences. Lyrically, it "reflected the anxiety of owning everything." The synth arrangements "Dime Si Soy Sexy" notes a girl who is desired by men because of her prominent beauty through a squeaky funny saxophone. "

Sabor A Miel "Sabor a Miel" ''(English: "Taste of Honey")'' is a song recorded by Mexican singer Paulina Rubio for her debut studio album, '' La Chica Dorada'' (1992). It was released as a single by Capitol Latin in August 1993 in the US and Latin America. Th ...

" is a sentimental track, talking about a lost love. The romantic ballad song incorporates a waltzing tempo and refined

violins The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...

. Rubio has cited it as the most personal song on the album. Written by

Aleks Syntek Raúl Alejandro Escajadillo Peña (born 29 September 1969), known by his stage name, Aleks Syntek, is a Mexican singer and songwriter. He has earned nine nominations for the Latin Grammy Awards, a Grammy nomination, five nominations for the MT ...

, the guitars-crying style-

old West The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...

, "El Primer Amor", describing what Rubio is prepared to do for her inexperienced lover, if this one wanna be her first love. The secuence pop-rock style, "

Amor De Mujer "Amor de Mujer" ''(English: "Woman's Love")'' is a song recorded by Mexican singer Paulina Rubio for her debut solo studio album ''La Chica Dorada'' (1992). Released as the album's second Single (music), single in January 1993 in Mexico, and as th ...

" describe the feelings and mood of a woman in love. It is considered Rubio's first feminist anthem. It starts with a sequence of hurried

keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

and continues with a rhythm of

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

and electric guitars. The beats of both live and programmed drums song "La Escoba" is a studio-live track with audience clapping and whistles 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 Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...

-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 chorus vocal harmonies. It starts like a

piano ballad A ballade (from French '' ballade'', , and German ''Ballade'', , both being words for "ballad"), in classical music since the late 18th century, refers to a setting of a literary ballad, a narrative poem, in the musical tradition of the , or to a o ...

and culminates with light touches of

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

. In the ''new jack swing'' cut "Sangre Latina", the singer raps narrating a

surreal Surreal may refer to: *Anything related to or characteristic of Surrealism, a movement in philosophy and art * "Surreal" (song), a 2000 song by Ayumi Hamasaki * ''Surreal'' (album), an album by Man Raze *Surreal humour, a common aspect of humor ...

idyll about a walk she takes through various

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 ...

locations looking beautiful, capturing the glances and attention of the men, and citing among them renowned cultural figures such as

Juan Gabriel Alberto Aguilera Valadez (; January 7, 1950 – August 28, 2016), known professionally as Juan Gabriel (), was a Mexican singer, songwriter and actor. Colloquially nicknamed as Juanga () and El Divo de Juárez, Juan Gabriel was known for his f ...

,

Pancho Villa Francisco "Pancho" Villa (,"Villa"
''Collins English Dictionary''. ; ;

and

Hernán Cortés Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano, 1st Marquess of the Valley of Oaxaca (; ; 1485 – December 2, 1547) was a Spanish ''conquistador'' who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of w ...

. The album closes with its tenth track "Amarte En Libertad", a pop-rock 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 ''Siempre en Domingo'' (translated ''Always on Sunday'') is a Mexican variety show created and hosted by Raúl Velasco. The show aired on Televisa from December 14, 1969 until April 19, 1998 when Velasco retired. ''Siempre en Domingo'' became one ...

'', with

Raúl Velasco Raúl Velasco Ramírez (April 24, 1933 – November 26, 2006) was a Mexican host/ producer of the TV show ''Siempre en Domingo'' (''Always on Sunday'') which is his hallmark contribution to the Latin American world and eventually to other parts o ...

on October 18, 1992, 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. The famous television host commented that "it was a great privilege to have presented Paulina as a solo singer". Her presentation had a high audience rating that the next week she was invited again. In United States, for the Spanish-language television program ''

Sábado Gigante Saturday is the day of the week between Friday and Sunday. No later than the 2nd century, the Romans named Saturday ("Saturn's Day") for the planet Saturn, which controlled the first hour of that day, according to Vettius Valens. The day's na ...

'', Rubio performed the track "Mío" in January, 1993 and that presentation opened the doors to the Hispanic market in that country. She also appeared on the 1993 ''

Calle Ocho Festival The Calle Ocho Music Festival (''Festival de la Calle Ocho'') is a one-day fiesta that culminates Carnaval Miami. It takes place in March in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami, Florida between SW 12th Avenue and 27th Avenue on SW 8th Street. ...

'' 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 Airplay is how frequently a song is being played through broadcasting on radio stations. A song which is being played several times every day (spins) would have a significant amount of airplay. Music which became very popular on jukeboxes, in n ...

in Mexico for two months to generate interest in the singer and the album. It, however, was only a Mexican release and was not part of her single debut project. "Mío" was serviced as the

lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...

from the album and featured lyrics written by José Ramón Flórez and Cesar Valle. The producer of the album

Miguel Blasco Miguel Blasco is a music producer and songwriter. Born in Spain. When he was 16 years old, he joined his first rock band and moved to Ibiza in 1963 through the first years of the musical movement called "beatnic", before the "hippies". On stage, ...

, 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 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 ...

'' 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 Doradas 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.

Critical reception

''La Chica Dorada'' had received mixed reviews from music critics. ''

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 ...

'' 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. 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. In a retrospect review, ''

Apple Music Apple Music is a music, audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Apple M ...

'' considers "is an album with a risky musical proposal that transcends". ''

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 ...

'' newspaper's Elena Reina wrote in an article that " ubioturn 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 ith her debutit becomes crucial", ultimately concluding that the album was her passage from girl to woman. 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 commercial success with her debut.

Commercial performance

''La Chica Dorada'' debuted on the USA Latin Pop Albums Chart in January 1993. In its eighth week, it peaked at number two and stayed there for two consecutive weeks. 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 Mexico, the album had sold over 450,000 copies.

Accolades

Track listing

Personnel

The following people contributed to ''La Chica Dorada'': *

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, main performer, songwriter Additional personnel *

Miguel Blasco Miguel Blasco is a music producer and songwriter. Born in Spain. When he was 16 years old, he joined his first rock band and moved to Ibiza in 1963 through the first years of the musical movement called "beatnic", before the "hippies". On stage, ...

–

music director A music(al) director or director of music is the person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization. This would include the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert band, the d ...

,

executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...

*Luis Méndez – A&E *Remy Causse –

arrangement In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orches ...

s * J.R. Florez –

record producer A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...

,

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

*Cesar Valle – composer *

Gian Pietro Felisatti Gian Pietro Felisatti (1950 – 18 June 2022),Aleks Syntek Raúl Alejandro Escajadillo Peña (born 29 September 1969), known by his stage name, Aleks Syntek, is a Mexican singer and songwriter. He has earned nine nominations for the Latin Grammy Awards, a Grammy nomination, five nominations for the MT ...

– composer *José Antonio Álvarez Alija –

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

*Carlos Latapí L – photography

Charts

Certifications and sales

Release history

References

Bibliography

*

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Chica Dorada 1992 debut albums Paulina Rubio albums Spanish-language albums EMI Latin albums EMI Records albums

Background and development

Composition

Released and promotion

Singles

Additional releases

Critical reception

Commercial performance

Accolades

Track listing

Personnel

Charts

Certifications and sales

Release history

See also

References

Bibliography

External links