"El Amor" | ||||
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Single by Ricardo Arjona | ||||
from the album Independiente | ||||
Released | 23 August 2011 | |||
Recorded | 2011 | |||
Genre | Latin pop | |||
Length | 4:49 | |||
Label | Metamorfosis | |||
Songwriter(s) | Ricardo Arjona | |||
Producer(s) |
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Ricardo Arjona singles chronology | ||||
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"El Amor" is a latin pop song by Guatemalan recording artist Ricardo Arjona, released on 23 August 2011 as the lead single from his thirteenth studio album, Independiente (2011). The song was written and produced by Arjona along with longtime collaborators Dan Warner and Lee Levin under their stage name Los Gringos, with additional production work from Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Tommy Torres. "El Amor" is the first single Arjona releases under his new record label, Metamorfosis.
Lyrically, "El Amor" was written by Arjona in an attempt to show all sides of love, explaining that "So many good things about love has been shown, that somebody had to turn it around and tell the bad ones". The song became Arjona's fourth single to reach number one on the US Billboard Top Latin Songs, and the seventh to do so on the Latin Pop Songs chart. It also became his first song ever to reach number one on the Tropical Songs chart, improving his previous peak of number two almost twelve years prior. "El Amor" also topped several national charts from Latin America.
An accompanying music video for "El Amor" was released in September 2011. It was directed by Ricardo Calderón and filmed in black and white. The clip shows Arjona singing while a wedding is being celebrated inside a chapel. "El Amor" was performed by Arjona as part of a televised show broadcast by Televisa, which included guest appearances by Gaby Moreno, Ricky Muñoz from Mexican band Intocable and Paquita la del Barrio. It was also included on the set list for his ongoing tour, the Metamorfosis World Tour.
Independiente is the first album Arjona released as an independent artist, and through his own record label, Metamorfosis, a company he created to refocus his career. [1] Presided by Arjona and some friends, Metamorfosis is based in Miami and Mexico City, [2] and also includes the photographer and director Ricardo Calderón, Universal Music México's executive Humberto Calderon and BMG's Miriam Sommerz. [2] [3] Although the album is marketed with the new label, distribution was handled by Warner Music. Arjona commented many times, that he considered the way he decided to go independent raised more compromise than freedom, saying that "Inside the word 'Independent', even when it sounds like extreme freedom, there's a big amount of compromise and the responsibility of being able to administrate, in the best way possible, such independence." [4]
Independiente was composed and written within one year, [5] and marks the fourth time Arjona had collaborated with Tommy Torres, who had helped writing, composing, producing and providing backing vocals. The other three albums in which the two artists had worked together are Quién Dijo Ayer , in which Torres helped producing the singles "Quién" and "Quiero", and offering additional work on the new versions of Arjona's hits; 5to Piso , and Adentro , respectively. Also, in the album, Arjona returned to his classic and trademark sound, which Torres has helped crafting it since six years now, after the drastic change he made in Poquita Ropa . On that album, the artist made use of the fewest instruments possible, simplifying his sound, and introducing what he called a "stripped-down version of his music". [6]
Weeks before the release of Independiente, Arjona issued a letter in which he talked about his past relations with recording companies. In the letter, he revealed that he entered in his first record label as an exchange, commenting that "a producer, friend of mine, told them [the record label] that if they don't sign me they won't sign two artists he had [at that time]", and that he received the "minimum royalty percentage" out from his most successful albums. [7] Billboard notes that although other groups have decided to launch independently their works after having a contract with major record labels, Arjona is by far the most important artist in the Latin pop to follow this trend. [2]
"El Amor" is a piano and guitar mid-tempo Latin pop ballad written by Arjona and produced by himself alongside longtime collaborators Dan Warner, Lee Levin and Tommy Torres. [8] Recording work was held by Torres, alongside Carlos "Junior" Cabral, Isaias García, Jerald Romero and Dan Rudin. The song is the first lead single to be produced by Arjona along with Torres since 5to Piso's "Como Duele" back in 2008. [9] Poquita Ropa 's lead single, "Puente" (2010), was produced by Arjona and Dan Warner. [10] Torres also provided background vocals on the song. [8]
"El Amor" was written by Arjona in an attempt to show all sides of love. As said by Arjona himself, "So many good things about love has been shown, that somebody had to turn it around and tell the bad ones". [11] The development of "El Amor" was motivated by Arjona's idea of showing "those big dark events within love that nobody talk about", saying that "love's dark sides are really fundamental to understand its great value". [12]
In an interview in February 2012, the singer stated that "El Amor" was the "most tawdry" song he has released throughout his career. He further added that the fact that they chose the song was a "contradiction" because it was not "the song which could better represent the entire album." He also added that the song was "very strong" and "a bit dark". [13] The song marks the return of the signature and more mainstream sound of Arjona on a music basis, after the multi-genre and politically charged Poquita Ropa's lead single, "Puente", which failed to make impact on the United States [14] and only managed to reach No. 36 on the Latin Pop Songs chart. [15]
In the United States, "El Amor" became Arjona's first top ten single in the Billboard Top Latin Songs since "Sin Ti... Sin Mi" in 2008 and the first to chart there since "Tocando Fondo" in 2009. [14] The song also restored Arjona's chart success, after the Poquita Ropa era, on which none of the three singles released off the album managed to attain chart success, and eventually only one appeared on any chart. [14] The song finally reached number one position on the list, becoming his fourth chart-topper, and the first to do so since "El Problema", ten years prior. [14] [16] On the Latin Pop Songs chart, "El Amor" became Arjona's seventh song to reach the top spot of the chart, and the first to do so since "Como Duele" in 2008. [15] [17] Also, "El Amor" became his first song ever to reach number one on the Tropical Songs chart, breaking his previous record held by "Cuando", which reached number two twelve years prior, in 2000. [18] [19] In Venezuela, "El Amor" reached a peak of number five. [20] It also reached number six on Mexico. [21] The song also became a hit in the rest Latin America, reaching number one in Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama and Guatemala. [22] [23] On the Billboard year-end charts for 2011, "El Amor" finished at number 73 on the Top Latin Songs chart. [24] The song also finished within the top fifty songs on the Latin Pop Songs and Tropical Songs charts, appearing at number 41 and number 44, respectively. [25] [26]
"El Amor" was released as the first single from Independiente on 23 August 2011 in Canada, United States and Mexico as a digital download through the iTunes Store. [27] The single was later made available on the rest of Latin America and some European countries such as the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany and France on 6 September 2011. [27] "El Amor" is the first single Arjona released under his recently founded record label, Metamorfosis. [2]
Ricardo Arjona released on 8 September 2011 the music video for "El Amor". [28] It debuted on Arjona's official website, and then was sent to music channels around United States and Latin America. The clip was shot in Mexico City and was filmed entirely in black-and-white. [28] [29] The music video was directed by Ricardo Calderón, who has also directed the music video for Arjona's 2008 single "Como Duele". [28] Calderón also produced the video, as well as developing the story and design. [28] Before releasing the video, the singer launched a contest on his website that consisted on uploading to his official YouTube account videos related to the song, and the winner received a trip to Argentina to meet him. [30]
The clip starts with a bride reaching, on a limousine, the chapel on which she's about to get married. As she is shown walking inside the chapel's doors, Arjona starts to sing while sit on the chairs in the empty chapel. Then, the bride is shown again alongside the groom in the altar, ready to make the vows, while the chapel is filled with the invitees. Then, scenes of Arjona playing the piano and singing, and scenes of the ceremony are interpolated, showing the behaviour of the invitees. Later, the invitees are shown involved in discussions and fights while Arjona keeps singing the chorus and verses of the song. As the fights between the invitees increase, the groom rejects the bride and she, stunned, escapes from the chapel. Then, it is shown that all was an illusion from the bride, and they are shown exiting the chapel, married. [31] As of 11 July 2012, the video has reached 14 million views on YouTube. [31]
"El Amor" was in the set list for a televised program in 2011. The special included guest singers such as Gaby Moreno, Ricky Muñoz (from Mexican band Intocable) and Paquita la del Barrio. [32] Broadcast by Televisa, the program was made to showcast the new fourteen songs included on Independiente. Ricky Muñoz commented that he was "happy to do things for Ricardo [Arjona]" and elaborated that the met each other "some time ago" and that it was "a very special situation." [33] The show was later bordcasted on 5 November 2011 by Canal de las Estrellas. [34] The song is also present on his ongoing Metamorfosis World Tour. It is performed while on the first of the four ambiences on the concert, alongside "Lo Que Está Bien Está Mal", "Animal Nocturno", "Hay Amores" and "Desnuda". [35]
Credits are taken from Independiente liner notes. [8]
Weekly charts
| Yearly charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Mexico (AMPROFON) [38] | Gold | 30,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Country | Date | Format | Label |
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Canada | 23 August 2011 | Digital download | Metamorfosis / Warner Music |
United States | |||
Mexico | |||
Spain | 6 September 2011 | ||
United Kingdom | |||
France | |||
Argentina | |||
Germany | |||
Venezuela | |||
Chile | |||
Portugal | |||
Brazil | |||
Italy | |||
Edgar Ricardo Arjona Morales, known as Ricardo Arjona, is a Guatemalan and Mexican singer and songwriter. He is one of the most successful and best-selling Latin American artists of all time, with more than 20 million records sold. His music ranges from ballads to Latin pop, rock, pop rock, Cuban music, and more recently a cappella performances and a mixture of Tejano music and Norteño music, and Latin sounds. Arjona is noted for his lyrical style, and often addresses topics such as love, sexuality, violence, racism and immigration.
5to Piso is the eleventh studio album by Guatemalan singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona, released on 18 November 2008. Produced by Arjona, Jorge Amaro, Dan Warner, Lee Levin, Fernando de Santiago and Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Tommy Torres, the album was recorded in various studios between the United States and Mexico. It is the first release by the artist under Warner Music. Arjona commented that with this album, he "tried to recoup some of the freshness" of his past releases, stating that "it makes good to the songs". Jason Birchmeier from Allmusic named it "an eagerly awaited album with a phenomenal lead single." 5to Piso marks the third album in which the singer collaborates with Tommy Torres, after Adentro and Quién Dijo Ayer.
"Como Duele" is a latin pop song by Guatemalan recording artist Ricardo Arjona, released on 4 November 2008 as the lead single from his eleventh studio album, 5to Piso (2008). The song was written and produced by Arjona along with longtime collaborators Dan Warner and Lee Levin under their stage name Los Gringos, with additional production work and background vocals from Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Tommy Torres. "Como Duele" is the first single Arjona releases after signing a record deal with Warner Music in 2008, after being signed to Sony Music since 1993.
Poquita Ropa is the twelfth studio album by Guatemalan singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona. It was released on August 24, 2010, through Warner Music, and was recorded in Mexico City, New York City, and Los Angeles. The album was produced by Lee Levin and Dan Warner, under their production name “Los Sobaquina”, with additional works from Matt Rollings and Brian Lang.
Quién Dijo Ayer is a compilation album released by Guatemalan singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona on 21 August 2007. Dan Warner and Lee Levin co-produced the album with Arjona and Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Tommy Torres. It was recorded in the United States, Mexico, Italy and Argentina, and is the last album Arjona released under the Sony Music Entertainment label before signing with Warner Music Group. It is Arjona's first compilation to include new material in the form of re-recorded versions of past hits in different musical genres from the original recordings, featuring guest artists such as Marc Anthony, Marta Sánchez and Mexican ska band Panteón Rococó, among others.
Simplemente Lo Mejor is a greatest hits album by Guatemalan singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona that was released on December 2, 2008. The album is composed of Arjona's number-one hits, drawn from Animal Nocturno (1993) to Galería Caribe (2000). It served as his final project under the Sony Music label after signing a contract with Warner Music in 2008. A CD+DVD and a DVD edition of the album were released in several countries; these included a collection of music videos for the compilation's songs.
Independiente is the thirteenth Spanish-language studio album by Guatemalan singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona, released on 23 September 2011. Recorded in the United States and Mexico, it was produced by Arjona with Dan Warner, Carlos Cabral "Junior", Lee Levin and Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Tommy Torres. The album—the first independent release by Arjona after he was signed by Sony Music in 1993 and Warner Music in 2008—was issued by his own label, Metamorfosis.
Guatemalan recording artist Ricardo Arjona has released 15 studio albums, sixteen compilation albums, two live albums, forty-five singles and two promotional singles. Four of his albums have reached the number-one position on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart, while four of his singles have topped the Billboard Latin Songs chart. Throughout his career, Arjona has sold approximately 20 million albums worldwide, making him one of the most successful Latin artists in music history. Arjona released his debut album, Déjame Decir Que Te Amo, in 1985. However, his experiences while recording the album and its commercial failure led to his decision to abandon the music industry. Despite this decision, Arjona returned and released Jesús, Verbo No Sustantivo in 1988. In 1991, Arjona signed a record deal with Sony Music and released his third studio album, Del Otro Lado del Sol.
The Metamorfosis World Tour was a worldwide concert tour by Guatemalan singer–songwriter Ricardo Arjona in support of his thirteenth studio album, Independiente. Beginning in January 2012, it was Arjona's first tour since leaving Warner Music to become an independent artist. The tour was announced in December 2011 with dates at American, Argentinian and Chilean venues, and received a positive critical response. The show was designed for a revolving stage, with Arjona performing while the scenery changed with the songs being performed. Four changes of scenery were developed: a two-floor apartment, a bar, a circus and a theatre. The number of songs played at each show varied from 19 to 23.
"Fuiste Tú" is a Latin pop song by Guatemalan recording artist Ricardo Arjona, released on 7 February 2012 as the second single from his thirteenth studio album, Independiente (2011). Featuring additional lead vocals by Guatemalan singer Gaby Moreno, the song was written by Arjona, who produced it with longtime collaborators Dan Warner and Lee Levin under their stage name Los Gringos. Additional work on the recording was done by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Tommy Torres.
"Puente" is a latin pop song by Guatemalan recording artist Ricardo Arjona, released on August 9, 2010 as the lead single from his twelfth studio album, Poquita Ropa (2010). The song was written by Arjona, who produced it with longtime collaborators Dan Warner and Lee Levin under their stage name Los Gringos. Two versions of the song were made, one of them being a mixture of salsa, merengue along with Cuban music influences; and the other an acoustic version made with piano and percussion.
"Vida" is a latin pop song by Guatemalan recording artist Ricardo Arjona, released on 7 December 2010 as the second single from his twelfth studio album, Poquita Ropa (2010). The song was written by Arjona, who produced it with longtime collaborators Dan Warner and Lee Levin under their stage name Los Gringos. The song is considered to be an autobiographical song for the singer, and its lyrics are based on "matters of identity".
"Marta" is a Latin pop song recorded by Guatemalan recording artist Ricardo Arjona. It was released on 29 March 2011 as the third and final single from his twelfth studio album, Poquita Ropa (2010) but failed to chart. It was written by Arjona, who produced it with longtime collaborators Dan Warner and Lee Levin under their stage name, Los Gringos. An accompanying music video for "Marta" was released in March 2011 and features Mexican actress Edith Gonzalez. It was directed by Joaquín Cambre. The video was used as part of the feature film Poquita Ropa — Una Historia Apasionada.
"Mi Novia Se Me Está Poniendo Vieja" is a Latin pop song written by Guatemalan singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona for his thirteenth studio album, Independiente (2011). It was produced by Arjona, Dan Warner and Lee Levin. It was released as the album's third single on 8 May 2012. The song was used by American telecommunications corporation AT&T on a commercial promoting the Nokia Lumia 900 smartphone, and has been widely performed on Arjona's Metamorfosis World Tour. A music video was filmed on the Universal Studios in Los Angeles, and is protagonized by Arjona alongside his son Ricardo Arjona Jr. In 2013, Arjona received a Song of the Year nomination at the 14th Latin Grammy Awards for the song.
"Acompañame A Estar Solo" is a song written by Guatemalan singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona for his tenth studio album, Adentro (2005). It was produced by Arjona, Dan Warner, Lee Levin and Tommy Torres and performed by Arjona. The song was one of the two demos Arjona sent to Torres the "hookiest and darkest tracks" he had before working with him on the production of Adentro, the other being "Iluso". Torres heavily worked on them, finally grabbing the attention of Arjona.
"Quién" is a latin pop song by Guatemalan recording artist Ricardo Arjona, released on 19 June 2007 as the lead single from his compilation album, Quién Dijo Ayer (2007). The song's lyrics were written by Arjona, and its music was composed by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Tommy Torres, who also worked with Arjona on his tenth studio album, Adentro (2005). Performed with additional background vocals by Torres, "Quien" was produced by Arjona with longtime collaborators Dan Warner and Lee Levin under their stage name Los Gringos, and was recorded between several studios in Miami and Mexico City.
Canciones de Amor is a compilation album released by Guatemalan singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona on through Sony Music on January 23, 2012. It contains ballads from previous studio albums released by Arjona from 1993 to 2001. The album charted at number 16 on the US Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and at number five on the Billboard Latin Pop Albums component chart.
"Te Quiero" is a Latin pop song by Guatemalan recording artist Ricardo Arjona, released on 5 July 2012 as the third single from his 13th studio album, Independiente (2011). The song was written by Arjona, who produced it with longtime collaborators Dan Warner and Lee Levin under their stage name Los Gringos. Additional recording work was handled by Peter Wallace, Matt Rollings, Carlos "Cabral" Junior and Isaías García.
"Si Tu No Existieras" is a Latin pop song by Guatemalan recording artist Ricardo Arjona, released on 27 November 2012 as the fifth single from his thirteenth studio album, Independiente (2011). The song was written by Arjona, who produced it with longtime collaborators Dan Warner and Lee Levin under their production name Los Gringos. Additional recording work was handled by Peter Wallace, Matt Rollings, Carlos "Cabral" Junior and Isaías García, and background vocals were provided by Roger Hudson.
Carlos Cabral Junior, also known as Junior Cabral, is a songwriter, producer, and arranger. Multiple Latin Grammy and Grammy Award winner, as well as music director for several Award-Winning World Tours. Latin Grammy nominations include; Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year, Best Vocal Pop Album, Best Ranchero Album, Best Norteño Album, Best Tejano Album, Best Vallenato Album. As producer/arranger/guitarist, Cabral has collaborated in more than 20 top #15 Billboard charting albums and singles.