La Chica Dorada


La Chica Dorada is the solo debut studio album by Mexican pop singer Paulina Rubio and her first album by the EMI Latin record label. The album was produced and directed by Miguel Blasco, and written mostly by J.R. Florez, Gian Pietro Felisatti and Cesar Valle. Most of the composition of the album is dance-pop, although it includes some elements of rock pop, new jack swing, new wave and funk.
The album has received a mixed review from music critics; Many medios applauded the album itself for interesting themes and her step in the music industry as "the girl to woman", while some did not like another "Madonna wannabe" because of the great influence of the North American artist on the album. Despite the mixed critical reaction, La Chica Dorada was a worldwide success. The album includes Rubio's signature song and the single that launched her solo career, "Mío", along with the number one hit singles "Sabor A Miel" and "Amor De Mujer". The album's title has stuck and today Rubio is known as 'la chica dorada' and throughout the Spanish-speaking world. In Mexico, it was certifield platinum and three times gold in the 90s.
In the United States, La Chica Dorada peaked at No. 42 on Billboard Top Latin Albums. The singles "Mío", "Amor De Mujer" and "Abriendo Las Puertas Al Amor" entered the Top 10 of Hot Latin Tracks, turning Paulina Rubio into a strong promise of Hispanic music, and the first Mexican artist who managed to enter the most important list 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

After having been part of the Timbiriche group and recording ten studio albums, Rubio traveled to Europe in 1991 to study History of Art, but his greatest wish was to start his solo career. This is how Gian Pietro Felisatti, better known as "DiFelisatti", one of the most outstanding composers of that 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.
Miguel 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 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.

Released and promotion

Prior to the promotion of the album, Rubio gave several details of his solo debut while he was recording the last scenes of the telenovela Baila conmigo, informing the media of his great radical change of image. La Chica Dorada was released in Mexico and United States on October 20, 1992, the same day that Madonna released her fifth studio album, Erotica. The album was re-released in Europe in 2001, and the digital edition was released in 2005.
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, 3 days before her album was released. She performed the song "Amor De Mujer" and her first single, "Mío". 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. 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.

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 the first single from the album and featured lyrics written by José Ramón Flórez. 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 peaked number three on US Hot Latin Track. "Amor De Mujer", the second single in Latin America, reached number eight in the US Hot Latin Tracks. 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 US Latin singles chart by a female artist with the singles and debut album. "Sabor A Miel", the fourth single in US. "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 rateit three of five stars, giving it a mixed review and considering the album energetic, exuberant, passionate and intense like the aesthetic image and personality of Paulina Rubio. 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. Apple Music considers that "is an album with a risky musical proposal that transcends".
Many Critics could not avoid comparing La Chica Dorada to Madonna dance-pop 80's era records, and to tell the truth, what makes the album distinctive is Rubio's authentic personality: sophisticated young adult and sensual, genuinely compared to Marilyn Monroe. In fact, Rubio remarked a mole on the side of the lip, like the Hollywood actress. Trapped in these stereotypes, the singer it makes its way through implacable and passionate clues such as "Mío", "Amarte En Libertad", "Amor De Mujer" and "Sabor A Miel" in styles dance-pop. La Chica Dorada remains one of her defining albums of Latin pop.
El País newspaper's Elena Reina wrote recently that " 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 it 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 success with his debut.

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. 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 Rubio's native Mexico, La Chica Dorada was certified three times gold in the first five months of its launch and the summer 1993 it was certified platinum with sales of 450,000.

Accolades

Track listing

Personnel

The following people contributed to La Chica Dorada:
Additional personnel
Chart Peak
position
U.S. Latin Pop Albums 2

Certifications and sales

Release history