Sobrevivir (Survive) is the title of a studio album released by Puerto-Rican American performer Olga Tañón. It was released by Warner Music on November 19, 2002. The album was produced by Humberto Gatica, Kike Santander, and Manuel Tejada. Sobrevivir includes a collection of songs from different genres such as pop music, merengue, ballads, flamenco and tango. The album lead single, "Asi es La Vida", became Tañón's third number-one single in the Billboard Top Latin Songs and the seventh best-performing Latin single of the year in the United States.

Tañón was awarded the Latin Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Album for this release, which peaked within the Top 20 in the Billboard Top Latin Albums on its debut week.

Background and release

Olga Tañón, the first female Hispanic performer to receive two consecutive Grammy Awards, for the albums Olga Viva, Viva Olga and Yo Por Ti, recorded Sobrevivir under the guidance of Humberto Gatica, Kike Santander, and Manuel Tejada. About the album, Tañón said: "I loved doing this album, I loved working with people who I worked. Every album I record is more mature, musically speaking." Sobrevivir continued with the crossover from tropical music to pop music that began with Nuevos Senderos, Te Acordarás de Mí and Yo Por Tí, being her first full length pop music album.

Music and lyrics

Sobrevivir includes several ballads, which reminds Tañón's previous work on the album Nuevos Senderos produced by Marco Antonio Solís. "Mentiras", a ballad, tells the story of a woman who finishes a tormentous relationship. "A Partir de Hoy" is described as an "ode to positivism," while "Angel de Mi Corazon" is a tribute to Tañón's daughter. The track "Quien Diria" features co-lead vocals by fellow Puerto-Rican American singer Luis Fonsi. The album also features "Beso a Beso", a modern tango mixed with R&B, giving it a sound similar to some of Marc Anthony’s work. The singer declared about the musical content of Sobrevivir: "The album is balanced, have sentimental ballads, the kind you hear as a masochist when you finish a relationship with your boyfriend, and on the other hand, the happiness and cheerful feeling of people who are in love."

Singles

The album lead single "Asi es La Vida" was released in early November, 2002, and debuted at number 43 in the Billboard Top Latin Songs chart in the week of December 2, 2002. The song peaked at number-one in the chart eight weeks later. "Asi es La Vida" also reached number two in the Latin Pop Songs chart and ended 2003 as the seventh best performing Latin single of the year in the United States.

A merengue version was released in the radio station and reached number-two on the Tropical Songs chart.

"No Podrás", written and produced by Kike Santander, was released as the second and last single from the album. It peaked at number ten in the Top Latin Songs and at 16 in the Latin Pop Songs chart. Santander received a nomination for a Billboard Award for Producer of the Year for his work on the track.

Reception

The critical reception for the album has been mixed. Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic declared that Tañón "missed her mark" angering her longtime fans, who wanted more merengue, not more pop. Nevertheless, Birchmeier also named Sobrevivir "a fine album," and "about as good as any adult-leaning Latin pop release of its time." He also praised the tracks "Caramelo", "Así es La Vida", "Mentiras", "No Podras", and especially "Quien Diria," a duet with Luis Fonsi. David Wilson of Wilson & Alroy's Record Reviews gave the album a two-out-of-five stars, criticizing the ballads as "overwrought and lightweight" and the dance tunes as "obvious". He also felt that "Quien Diria" was the worst track on the album describing it as a "drippy duet with Luis Fonsi". The album was awarded the Latin Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Album. After receiving the award, Tañón said: "I swear I was surprised. Anything could have happened. The competition was very strong but I always have faith. I'm super happy."

Chart performance

Sobrevivir debuted and peaked at number 11 in the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart, being the second highest debut of the week, after Acústico Vol. II by Puerto Rican singer Ednita Nazario which bowed at number two. The album debuted and peaked at number ten in the Latin Pop Albums chart. The album became Tañón's lowest charting album, since Mujer de Fuego in 1994. Sobrevivir received a Gold album certification in the United States and sold 64,000 units (as of 2005).

References

Category:2002 albums

Category:Olga Tañón albums

Category:Spanish-language albums

Category:Warner Music Latina albums

Artist/Band Information

Olga Tañón (born April 13, 1967) is a two-time Grammy Award and three-time Latin Grammy-winning Merengue and Latin Pop artist. Tañón has earned 5 Latin Grammy Awards and 19 Premios Lo Nuestro awards during her career.

Early years

Tañón (birth name: "Olga Teresa Tañón Ortíz") is the youngest of four children born to José Tañón and Carmen Gloria Ortíz born in Santurce, Puerto Rico. She was raised in Levittown, Puerto Rico, Toa Baja, where she received her primary and secondary education.

Singing career

Tañón's singing career began when she joined a group called "Las Nenas de Ringo y Jossie" (Ringo and Jossie's Girls) in the 1980s. A short time later a very popular group in Puerto Rico called "Chantelle" noticed her mezzo soprano voice and recruited her. They saw in her what they needed for their merengue style of music. When Tañón was a member of Chantelle, they scored their biggest hit, "Aunque Tú no Quieras" (Even If You Don't Want It). The song was popular in Latin America.

1990s

In 1992, Tañón signed a contract with the WEA Latina record label to record a solo album. Her first recorded album was titled, "Sola" (Alone). Among the songs in the album were, "Me Cambio por Ella" (I'll Trade Myself For Her), and "Quiero estar Contigo" (I Want To Be With You). In 1993, she recorded her second album for WEA Latina, "Mujer de Fuego" (Woman of Fire). Tañón also debuted as a composer with the song, "Presencié tu Amor" (I Witnessed Your Love).

In 1994, Tañón earned her first double platinum record and in 1995, she earned three more platinum records with her album, "Siente el Amor" (Feel the Love). This album also included another of her compositions, "Unicornio" (Unicorn), which was written to the rhythm of Salsa and also included the Unforgettable Merengue song, "Es Mentiroso" (He's a Liar). Tañón had gained fame and recognition throughout Latin America.

Tañón recorded a Tex-Mex CD with Mexican singer Marco Antonio Solís called "Nuevos Senderos". She was now being heard internationally, and with that recording she became the first Puerto Rican musician to be certified by the RIAA to sell over half a million records. The album lead single, the ballad, "Basta Ya!" topped the U.S. Billboard Top Latin Tracks for several weeks, and became Tañón's first #1.

In 1997, Tañón debuted as an actress in the Puerto Rican version of the popular production of "Jesus Christ Superstar", produced by Rafo Muñiz. She played the part of Mary Magdalene. This version had a tropical feel to it and included some of Tañón's songs. In 1998, Tañón married Juan González a Puerto Rican major league baseball star. In 1999, the marriage ended in divorce. The couple had a daughter, Gabriella Marie.

2000s

In 2000, Tañón, who was now known as the "Woman of Fire" or "Mujer de Fuego" by her fans, recorded her first concert, titled, "Olga Viva...Viva Olga" in the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida. This production was named by the National Foundation of Popular Culture as one the top 20 productions of the year. The record went platinum and Tañón earned her first Grammy Award. On August 2000, Tañón sold out 12 shows in the Antonio Paoli Hall at the Luis A. Ferre Center of the Fine Arts in San Juan. Later that same month, she debuted in the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, Texas. Her performances received rave reviews in the Fort Worth Star Telegram and the Dallas Morning News. At the end of 2000, Tañón presented her musical spectacular at the Anayansi Theater in Panama, and toured the southeastern United States with Mexican singer Alejandro Fernández.

In 2001, Tañón recorded a CD titled, "Yo por Ti" (Me for You), which won both American and Latin Grammys. The first single, Como Olvidar, topped the U.S. Billboard Top Latin Tracks. The CD became a best-seller in Puerto Rico, Latin America, and among the Hispanic population in the United States. In 2002, Tañón toured many countries, including Venezuela, Panama and the United States. That year she became the first merengue artist to successfully score a chart topper in the Middle East when her partnership with Egyptian music singer Hakim yielded the highly successful Arabian hit, Ah Ya Albi. In 2003, Tañón toured Europe and made a total of ten recordings for WEA Latina. In 2003 she released Sobrevivir and won her fourth Grammy. She also married Billy Denizard, with whom she had two sons, Indiana Noa and Ian Nahir.

As part of a international tour called, "Evolution Tour 2008", Tañón traveled to Italy where she made a presentation at the Festival Latinoamericano on July 5, 2008. In 2005, Tañón released her hit album, "Una Nueva Mujer", which won Best Contemporary Tropical Album at the 2006 Latin Grammys.

In support of Latin American immigrants in the U.S., in 2006 Tañón recorded, "Nuestro Himno" in collaboration with Pitbull, Carlos Ponce, and Wyclef Jean. On May 2, 2010, Tañón first performed in Iquitos a concert where presented her classic songs. The concert was part of her tour, which started in Peru. LaRepublica. Retrieved 2010-05-23 RPP. Retrieved 2010-05-23

Premio lo Nuestro

On February 22, 2007, Tañón won three awards at the 19th edition of Premio Lo Nuestro. last accessed February 23, 2007. During the 2006 show, she won in the categories: "Album of the Year", "Female Artist" and "Song of the Year". She holds the record as the artist who has won the most "Premio Lo Nuestro Awards", with a total of 24.

On June 2009, Tañón released a new hit single called "Amor Entre Tres" which is the theme song for the new soap opera in Venezuela called "La Vida Entera." That same month, WEA Latina will be releasing "25 Exitos de Fuego Vol. 1 & Vol. 2." Each CD has a set of greatest hits through her entire career of merengue and Latin pop. In September 2009 participated, next to Juanes and other internationally acclaimed artists, in "Concierto por la Paz" at Plaza de la Revolucion in La Habana, Cuba.

Discography

;Studio Albums

*1992: Sola

*1993: Mujer de Fuego

*1994: Siente el Amor...

*1996: Nuevos Senderos

*1997: Llévame Contigo

*1998: Te Acordarás de Mí

*2001: Yo por Ti

*2002: Sobrevivir

*2005: Una Nueva Mujer

*2006: Soy Como Tú

*2007: Exitos en 2 Tiempos

*2011: Ni Una Lagrima Más

;EPs

*2009: 4/13

;Compilations

*1995: Éxitos y Más

*2003: Puro Fuego

*2005: Como Olvidar: Lo Mejor de Olga

*2006: 100% Merengue

*2006: 25 Exitos de Fuego / Vol. 1

*2006: 25 Exitos de Fuego / Vol. 2

;Live albums

*1999: Olga Viva, Viva Olga (Live)

*2008: Fuego En Vivo / Vol.1 "Solo Exitos" (Live)

*2008: Fuego En Vivo / Vol.2 "Solo Exitos" (Live)

;DVDs

*2002: Olga Viva, Viva Olga

*2005: Como Olvidar: Lo Mejor de Olga (CD+DVD)

*2005: Exitos en Video

*2009: 4/13 (CD+DVD)

;Concerts

*2010: Incomparable Tour

;Singles

See also

*List of famous Puerto Ricans

References