La Diferenzia | |
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| Origin | San Antonio, Texas, US |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1989–1991, 1993-1999 |
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| Past members |
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La Diferenzia was an American Tejano music septet group based in San Antonio, Texas. Led by Mexican singer-songwriter Ricardo Castillon, its members included Mexican songwriter Miguel Spindola, saxophonist and keyboardist Raul Arnold, bajo sexto player Omar Cardenas, accordionist Simon Arausa, guitarist Jesse Moya, and Jose Luis Benavides on the drums. [1] The group chose "Diferenzia" to stand out from other Tejano bands and wanted to offer a variety of musical styles. [2] Castillon wanted to provide listeners with Tejano, mariachi, merengue, cumbia, and ballads. [2] Ricardo and his brother, Ramiro Castillon, started La Diferenzia, recording under Manny Guerra's label in the late 1980s. Following Ramiro's death during a car accident in 1991, the group disbanded. [3]
Ricardo returned to music and signed with Arista Records with La Diferenzia. The group released their debut self-titled album on September 13, 1994, following Artista's opening of a Texas division catering to Tejano music, becoming the first recording released under Arista Texas. [4] La Diferenzia peaked at number six on the US Billboard Top Latin Albums chart, and number two on the Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart. [5] Its lead single, "Si Lo Quieres", peaked at number one on the US Radio y Musica 's Tejano Singles chart, staying atop the chart for four consecutive weeks. [6] The album contained ballads and cumbia music. [1] La Diferenzia ranked among the most popular Latin albums in the United States in 1994, [7] and garnered the nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album at the 37th Grammy Awards. [8] Two of its singles, "Si Lo Quieres" and "Linda Chaparrita" peaked at number one on the Billboard Regional Mexican Songs chart and the album received a gold certification for selling 500,000 units in the United States. [6] La Diferenzia received the award for Most Promising Band while Castillon received the Tejano Music Award for Best New Artist - Male at the 1995 Tejano Music Awards. [6]
La Diferenzia released their second album, Fue Mucho Mas Que Amor (1996), which contained a more diverse collection of genres, ranging from cumbia to flamenco, merengue, ranchera, and R&B. [9] The album debuted at number nine on the Top Latin Albums chart. [10] Its single, "Tu No Tienes Corazon" peaked at number one on Radio y Musica Tejano Singles chart, while the remix of "Antonieta" reached number two on Billboard's Dance Singles Sales. [11] Their performance at the Houston Astrodome in 1996 ganered 61,000 attendees. [12] "Mundo Sin Guitarras" won Song of the Year at the 1998 Tejano Music Awards. [13] By 2000, the group disbanded and Ricardo went solo, later signing to Q-Productions in 2022. [14]
Jose Roberto Pulido Jr., known professionally as Bobby Pulido, is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor. He is acclaimed for pioneering the dissemination of Tejano music to a youthful audience, subsequently ascending as a teen idol and becoming one of the most influential Tejano recording artists among Mexican American teenagers.
Amor Prohibido is the fourth studio album by American singer Selena, released on March 13, 1994, by EMI Latin. Having reached a core fan base, the label aimed to broaden her appeal with the next studio release. Finding it challenging to write a follow-up hit after "Como la Flor" (1992), Selena's brother A. B. Quintanilla enlisted the assistance from band members Ricky Vela and Pete Astudillo with writing the album's songs. The resulting album has a more mature sound featuring experimental production that blends diverse musical styles from ranchera to hip-hop music. Amor Prohibido is a Tejano cumbia album modernized with a synthesizer-rich delivery using a minimalist style that was quintessential in early 1990s Tejano music.
Ven Conmigo is the second studio album by American singer Selena, released on October 6, 1990, by EMI Latin. The singer's brother, A.B. Quintanilla III remained her principal record producer and songwriter after her debut album's moderate success. Selena's Los Dinos band composed and arranged seven of the album's ten tracks; local songwriter Johnny Herrera also provided songs for Selena to record. Ven Conmigo contains half cumbias and half rancheras, though the album includes other genres. Its musical compositions are varied and demonstrate an evolving maturity in Selena's basic Tejano sound. The album's structure and track organization were unconventional compared with other Tejano music albums. The songs on Ven Conmigo are mostly love songs or songs following a woman's struggles after many failed relationships.
Entre a Mi Mundo is the third studio album by American singer Selena, released on May 6, 1992, by EMI Latin. The label endeavored to bolster Selena's popularity within the Latin music market in the United States with this release. A. B. Quintanilla sustained his role as the singer's producer and, in collaboration with Selena y Los Dinos members Pete Astudillo and Ricky Vela, composed tracks for the album. The ensuing recording encompassed an eclectic array of songs, attributable to the members' diverse backgrounds, which facilitated the modernization of the sundry genres they explored. Entre a Mi Mundo is a Tejano cumbia album that encapsulated Selena's quintessential sound, characterized by engaging tunes harmonized with her distinctive, plaintive vocals and a relaxed, danceable cumbia beat. The album incorporates musical inspirations from power pop, R&B, disco, rock, funk, and synthesized Tejano music.
Live! or Selena Live! is a live album by American Tejano pop singer Selena, which was released on May 4, 1993, by EMI Latin. The album was re-released on September 22, 2002, as being part of the Selena: 20 Years of Music collection; which included spoken liner notes by her family, friends and her former band members Selena y Los Dinos. Live! includes three cumbia-influenced studio tracks, while the rest of the album consists of live versions of previously released songs. The album was recorded during a free concert at the Memorial Coliseum in Corpus Christi, Texas, on February 7, 1993. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in its first year, double platinum in 1995, and 8× platinum in 2017.
American singer Selena released six studio albums, three live albums, three boxsets, one remix album, two soundtrack albums, and twenty compilation albums. Credited for elevating a music genre into the mainstream market, Selena remains the best-selling Tejano recording artist in history, selling over 60 million records worldwide. She was named the top-selling Latin artist of the 1990s decade by Billboard magazine.
All My Hits: Todos Mis Éxitos Vol. 2 is a greatest hits album by American singer Selena released posthumously on February 29, 2000, through EMI Latin. In 1999, Selena persisted as EMI Latin's top-selling artist, surpassing the sales of living musicians with her releases. José Behar, the president of EMI Latin, recognized Selena's contributions to building the label's reputation as "the house that Selena built". To commemorate the label's tenth anniversary, the company released All My Hits: Todos Mis Éxitos in March 1999, achieving commercial success and prompting the announcement of a sequel. All My Hits: Todos Mis Éxitos Vol. 2 encompasses a diverse array of songs, ranging from tracks featured on Selena's Muñequito de Trapo (1987) to the posthumous 1997 club remix of "Enamorada de Ti" (1990). Subsequent to Selena's death, her father, Abraham Quintanilla, expressed his interest in preserving his daughter's memory through her works, while Behar emphasized EMI Latin's continuous support for Selena's releases, with the primary goal of preserving her music and influence.
Ones is a compilation album by American singer Selena, released in the United States on October 1, 2002 by EMI Latin. It was released on November 11, 2002 in Spanish-speaking countries, while the limited edition included a bonus DVD of her music videos. Ones was released building on the popularity of the 1997 biographical film Selena. The album was aimed at Selena's new generation of fans, and its release marked the singer's twentieth year in the music industry. Ones features six number one singles namely, "Amor Prohibido", "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom", "No Me Queda Más", "Fotos y Recuerdos", and her duets with Álvaro Torres on "Buenos Amigos" and the Barrio Boyzz on "Donde Quiera Que Estés".
"No Me Queda Más" is a song by American singer Selena on her fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido. It was released as the third single from the album in October 1994 by EMI Latin. "No Me Queda Más" was written by Ricky Vela, and production was handled by Selena's brother A.B. Quintanilla. A downtempo mariachi and pop ballad, "No Me Queda Más" portrays the ranchera storyline of a woman in agony after the end of a relationship. Its lyrics express an unrequited love, the singer wishing the best for her former lover and his new partner.
"Fotos y Recuerdos" is a song recorded by American recording artist Selena for her fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido (1994). It was released by EMI Latin in January 1995, as the fourth single. A cover version of the Pretenders' 1983 single "Back on the Chain Gang", "Fotos y Recuerdos" was written by Chrissie Hynde with Spanish-language lyrics by Ricky Vela. Lyrically, the song describes a lonely female protagonist who "kisses the photo of her [lover] each night before falling asleep."
"Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" is a song recorded by American Tejano singer, Selena. It was released as the second single from her fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido (1994). Originally written about a cheerful fish swimming freely in the ocean, the song's title is an onomatopoeic phrase suggesting the palpitating heartbeat of a person lovestruck by the object of their affection. "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" was written by Selena and her backup vocalist and dancer Pete Astudillo.
"Techno Cumbia" is a song recorded by American singer Selena for her fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido (1994). It was posthumously released as the b-side track to "Dreaming of You" through EMI Latin on August 14, 1995. Techno Cumbia would be put on her fifth and final studio album Dreaming of You (1995) and would be the fourth single for Dreaming Of You. "Techno Cumbia" was written by Pete Astudillo and co-written and produced by Selena's brother-producer A.B. Quintanilla. The song is a dance-pop and tecnocumbia recording with influences of dancehall, rap, Latin dance, and club music. Lyrically, Selena calls on people to dance her new style the "techno cumbia" and calls out those who cannot dance.
"Amor Prohibido" is the title song of American Tejano singer Selena's fourth studio album of the same name (1994). Released as the lead single through EMI Latin on April 13, 1994, it was written by Selena, her brother and music producer A. B. Quintanilla, and her band's backup vocalist Pete Astudillo. "Amor Prohibido"'s lyrical themes have been analyzed by authors, musicologists, and journalists, who found them relevant to issues facing the LGBT community. A popular interpretation compares it to Romeo and Juliet.
Gary Lee Hobbs is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor. Called "Tejano music's Vince Gill", he has been widely recognized for his resonant baritone vocals, characterized by their emotive quality, and is considered a pioneer within the genre. Hobbs played a significant role in the expansion of Tejano music during the 1990s and became one of the most popular Tejano singers of the 1980s and 1990s.
Las Reinas del Pueblo is a compilation album by American Tejano music singer Selena and Mexican banda singer Graciela Beltrán. Posthumously released on April 4, 1995, by EMI Latin in the wake of Selena's death on March 31, 1995, the decision to produce a compilation album featuring Beltrán emerged after her tribute to the singer at a Houston, Texas memorial. The title was inspired by Mexican newspapers that referred to Selena as "an artist of the people" during a 1992 press tour in the nation and subsequently dubbed her "La Reina del Pueblo" in the aftermath of her death. Las Reinas del Pueblo encompasses six tracks by Selena and six by Beltrán, encapsulating their respective tenures with EMI Latin. Las Reinas del Pueblo peaked at number four on the US Billboard Top Latin Albums and Regional Mexican Albums chart, both behind other Selena releases. The recording peaked at number 147 on the US Billboard 200 chart and at number ten on the Spanish Albums Chart. Beltrán's participation in the album yielded substantial promotional and sales enhancements.
"No Debes Jugar" is a song recorded by American recording artist Selena and released as the lead single from her first live album Live! (1993). It was composed by Selena y Los Dinos keyboardist Ricky Vela and Selena's brother and principal record producer A.B. Quintanilla III and produced by Quintanilla III and Argentine music producer Bebu Silvetti. It is an uptempo Mexican cumbia song with influences of Rock en Español which is centered on female empowerment. Lyrically, the song describes a woman who threatens to leave her unappreciative boyfriend.
"Como la Flor" is a song that was recorded by American singer Selena for her third studio album Entre a Mi Mundo (1992). It was written by A. B. Quintanilla and Pete Astudillo. The song was written by A. B. who was inspired by a family selling illuminated plastic flowers at a concert in Sacramento, California, in 1982. A decade later, A. B. was seized with an infectious melody and abruptly dashed out of the shower in a hotel room in Bryan, Texas, to recreate it on a keyboard with Astudillo. He completed the music in just 20 minutes, while Astudillo took another hour to complete the lyrics. "Como la Flor" is an up-tempo, Tejano cumbia torch song that blends tropical cumbia rhythms with hints of reggae and pop music. Its lyrics describe the feelings of a female protagonist addressing her former lover, who abandoned her for another partner. The narrator is uncertain of her ability to love again, while at the same time, wishing her former partner and his new lover the best.
"La Carcacha" is a song recorded by American singer Selena for her third studio album, Entre a Mi Mundo (1992). The song was written by A.B. Quintanilla and Pete Astudillo. It was inspired by a dilapidated car and an experience in which A.B. observed a woman's willingness to court the owner of a luxury car. The song, characterized by its rhythmic melodies and satirical portrayal of life in the barrio, highlights the importance of love and genuine connection over material wealth. It is a Tejano cumbia song that is emblematic of Selena's typical style, while music critics found it to be musically similar to "Baila Esta Cumbia".
"Baila Esta Cumbia" is a song recorded by American Tejano singer Selena for her second studio album, Ven Conmigo (1990). It was released as the second single by EMI Latin on August 28, 1990, behind "Ya Ves". It was composed by her brother–producer A.B. Quintanilla, and Selena y Los Dinos backup dancer, Pete Astudillo. The recording is an up-tempo Mexican cumbia song. It was well received by music critics who enjoyed its cumbia-feel and rhythm.
American singer Selena released twenty-four official singles, seven promotional singles. Her career began as the lead vocalist of Los Dinos in 1980. Her albums with Los Dinos on indie labels failed to achieve any chart success. In 1987, her remake of Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba" peaked at number 19 on the United States Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart, her first entry. She signed with EMI Latin nine years later as a solo artist though her band continued to tour with her. Selena appeared on "Buenos Amigos" with Salvadoran singer Álvaro Torres. The track peaked at number one on the U.S. Hot Latin Songs chart in 1991, the singer's first number one song. Subsequent singles, "Baila Esta Cumbia" and "Como la Flor", became popular songs on Mexican radio, with "Como la Flor" launching the singer's career in that country. "Como la Flor" peaked at number six on the Hot Latin Songs chart, despite popular culture claims that it was the singer's first number one single. The track has charted on the U.S. Regional Mexican Digital Songs list since its inception in 2010 and remains the singer's signature number and most popular recording.
